OP-ED: Full Tuition, Full Funding — and Zero Relief
by Anonymous
The ACS child care voucher program is all the buzz right now. Schools are borderline requiring it, and parents like us are scrambling to apply. It was sold to us as a way to make quality care more affordable while we juggle jobs, bills, and everything else life throws our way. But instead, the program has become what feels like a cash grab for the schools.
Before vouchers, we were already stretching ourselves thin. My family, like so many others, paid tuition the hard way — $12,000 a year per child, sometimes more. We hustled. We picked up night shifts. We went without. But we made it work, because we believe Chinuch is important. After months of back-and-forth paperwork with the city, we were finally marked as eligible.
You’d think that once the funding came through, the pressure of tuition would ease up. You’d think the schools would say, “We’re getting more now — let’s ease the burden on our families.”
Instead? Nothing.
In fact, in many cases, tuition actually went up. One school raised their tuition prices this year as vouchers were coming in — so we’re practically paying the same amount. At another one of my children’s schools, I had to beg and argue just to get $1,000 off. That’s after the school received funding for my child that was far more than I’ve ever personally paid.
We aren’t luxury-paying families. We are hardworking parents just trying to stay afloat.
So where’s the integrity? Where’s the transparency? Parents are expected to donate, show up, give, support — but when schools are given an opportunity to support the parents? They raise the prices.
This isn’t a misunderstanding. This is a system that was meant to provide relief and has instead been turned into a profit opportunity. And no one is talking about it — because parents are afraid. They don’t want to be labeled as difficult. They’re scared their child will be treated differently.
This program wasn’t created to help institutions boost revenue. It was created to help families survive. The fact that schools are treating it like a windfall while families are still gasping for air is a disgrace.
We, as parents, have done our part. We applied. We qualified. We’re working. We’re trying. The money is there. And yet, we’re still being made to feel like beggars — still asking for a few hundred dollars off while the school cashes a five-figure check from the city.
This isn’t a community problem. It’s a school problem. And it’s time the schools were called out for it.
Moshe
Sadly, the Moisdos were all hijacked by unscrupulous individuals who are squeezing out every bit they can to line their own pockets. This is very sad. The previous generation built Torah, Yeshivos, Schopls, Camps etc. Now we are dealing with administrators driving luxury SUVs with vacation homes in Florida!
Where is the outcry?
How did we allow our publicly funded institutions be taken over by thi
Sara
Unfortunately, we’ve had the same experience. Its really frustrating ans theres no one to talk to
Greed
The fact is this: school vouchers have been the biggest curse for our communities. It has made tuition less affordable not more. And the families who don’t qualify will be even more burdened with debt.
Obviously the cost of educating a child might be more than tuition charges. But you cannot say that vouchers give the parents any relief. And it’s even worse if you can’t get them.
S.p
Same in Florida. They get vouchers and then charge double
Thank you
Thank you for speaking out for so many of us! How do we get the admins of the schools to read this??
If there was leadership in this community this wouldn’t be allowed to go on
Mendy w
Thanks for writing this, I am actually in the same situation as you, and the schools want the 6000 after a have acs and other scholarships, and they get so much $
Enough is enough
And I am someone that works 70 (!) hours a week!!
I welcome the school הנהלה to come see my living condition.