Just read your update. I hope you will be ok with your heart surgery..That does sound very frightening.
Our daughter has a 529 plan, but you DO realize, it only pays for college Tuition?.. Nothing else.
To give you an example.. Our daughters tuition is $17,000 for 2 semesters per school year. But with housing, fees, books. It is at least $58,000. per school year.. Then you add on living expenses travel, it is even more. So be sure that you have good life insurance for both of you. Imagine the cost once your child attends college..
This may be another reason he is thinking paying for Private school at this age and continuing for the rest of her elementary years,middle school and then High school.. It adds up to a lot of money, that could be placed in savings each year for her actual college career.
Be sure to let him know you are willing to talk about ALL of the reasons he is hesitant. Could be he is trying not to worry you. But he needs to know you are aware of all of this. Men hold in a lot of their worries. I find my husband and I do a lot better when we put it all out on the table.
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Just FYI
All of the private schools (Religious or not) in Austin do fund raising.. The difference in Private School, each family is REQUIRED to raise a certain amount in public school you can opt out.
Many times when public schools can no longer handle the ultimate bullies? They are sent to private schools.
Our daughter attended all public schools, graduated National Merit Scholar and applied to 9 top tier colleges and was accepted to every one of them.
I was extremely active in all of her schools. PTA President, on the city council of PTA's, I sat on a School district board for almost 3 years working on bettering all of the schools in the district.
Our goals on our campus's were to listen to what the teachers needed to better educate our children and to teach the students to be good citizens.
To make sure the money is not wasted? Be active and go to the budget meetings. I can tell you not one nickel was wasted at any of our schools. We were good stewards of all funds. We made goals and then did our best to fund them or at least help the school FIND the funding.
Your husband has just as much say in this as you do. He is telling you he has experience with private schools and he does not think it is what he wants for your children.
I suggest the both of you go to your child's school and speak with the Principal and the next grade level teachers and tell them your exact concerns. Ask them how they can help assure your child will be challenged. Explain your concerns about the school and how can YOU help them..
We had lots of neighbors and friends that their children attended years and years of private schools. I keep thinking back on the Thousands of dollars they spent over the years and how we did not pay tuition and yet our daughter is in an excellent college on academic scholarships. She will graduate with Honors and 2 degrees next spring.
I get the feeling no matter what we write, you are not going to change your mind. Just remember your daughter is who will have to go to the school each day. If you feel it is a good match for HER, then do it, otherwise, become part of the solution at your neighborhood school. Be a positive helper on that campus.