Those who use a daycare center? - GOOD UPDATE!!!

So I have a really good update!!! I contacted the director of the center and she realized that they have been mischarging us since January! So we are getting a credit of $125 for the last 8 months and basically don't have to pay for his next month's tuition! I also found out that his tuition should have been adjusted when he changed rooms at 16 months and not when he turned 18 months! WOO HOO!!!!



I have a question for you. Does this make sense to you, or is this how it works at your center?

We have a form that tells us Infant Tuition Fees and Toddler Tuition Fees. The infant fees go from 6 weeks to 18 months. The toddler fees go from 18 months to 3 years.

For some reason, it seems that if your child changes programs in the middle of the "school year", they don't adjust the tuition? For example, DS went from an infant room to a toddler room when he turned 18 months in March. He's been there for the last 6 months. I just realized that we have still been paying the rates of the infant program... a $100 difference for the 3 days he attends.

The explanation I got was that they charge you based on the program that the child is in starting in September.

I am surprised and a little annoyed that they don't make tuition adjustments mid year. Why should I be paying for infant care if my son is not in an infant room?????

I sent a note to the director for clarification and I hope that they have made a mistake, but does that sound wrong to you???

Message edited 8/27/2009 2:40:58 PM.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

yes, it does sound wrong - especially since it is more than likely that they have already filled his spot in the infant room and are getting the infante tuition rate from that family!

i hope you get some answers

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

DS is in a center and they adjusted his tuition mid year when they moved him to a toddler room.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

You should not be paying for the infant room, when you your DC is in the toddler room.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

ITA with the other posters. You shouldn't be paying the infant fee. You pay more b/c they need more care and other things. Another infant replaced your son in the infant room.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

Ours changes as soon as they enter the new program.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

that seems EXTREMELY unfair if that is there policy!

We pay monthly based on the rate of the room that he's in in the beginning of the month. For example, if he switches room mid-month we pay the higher rate for that month and then it adjusts down from there.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

wow, that sounds REALLY wrong! I hope they reimburse you for this!!

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

In our case, you pay based on age, not what room they are in. My son moved up to the Toddler room when he was 16 1/2 months, so for the next month we were still paying the infant rate. Once he turned 18 months, we started paying toddler rate. It was only one month's fees that were affected and for $100, I wasn't going to make a big deal about it.

In your case, it seems like they made a mistake, or their policy stinks. If your DC turned 18 months old in March, that's 5 or 6 months that you are still paying the higher rate? In any event, if this was in your contract when you started, I don't think you have a choice, but I would be checking that, if I were you.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

Mine changes when they enter the new room. My son's rate will go down in September because he will be entering the 2 year old room even though he is not turning 2 until October.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

That sounds wrong. Our daycare center adjusted the tuition as soon as Lucas met the requirements of the new rates...they actually brought it to my attention.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

This was a factor in my daycare choices here.

“The” top daycare which happens to share my office parking lot is super hard to get into and is very sought after. However, one of their ‘cons’ was that they go by the ‘school year.’ Since AJ is a late August baby, she’d have to wait until her ‘class’ would be moved to the toddler room. Mostly their kids are moved mid August but if they are moved later you were stuck paying the infant rate until the “Spring Session”.

I found this unfair but given the quality of the daycare they implied it was almost an honor to have my child there (assuming she was accepted – which she was not accepted for the time frame I requested).

Still for all the snobbery that I got from the staff and their practices, I probably would have paid the additional costs to keep her in their program. They have a lot of bonuses which almost make it worth the money.

In the end, I chose the daycare I use now because, they don’t have that policy, they do have cameras and they are almost as well equipped and staffed. Ours is 6w to 6m is the same as 6m to 12m, but she has NOT moved into the toddler room cause she’s not ‘toddling’ yet (walking) so I’m still paying the higher 6m-12m tuition until she gets moved over *sigh* then I can get a break.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

This doesn't sound right...

Ours changes as soon as the child changes rooms.

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

nononononnoooooooo!!!!!!

The minute they change rooms where the rate is different the rate you pay changes. You center is attempting to rip you off!

They like to be sneaky like that and you need to be on top of them. When all of the infants in Gavin's room turned 18 months it then became a toddler room. The only way I knew is because the ratio went from 4:1 to 5:1 and I questioned it. The teacher said that it was now a toddler room, and I asked if I now get a tuition reduction and she said I should.

Lo and behold I had to ASK for an adjustment....it had been two weeks already and they then adjusted my rate and I got my money back for those 2 weeks......that's $54!!!!!!!

Re: Those who use a daycare center?

That is so not right.

I actually had to pay the infant rate in the toddler room bc she wasn't 18 months yet, but the difference was minimal and it was only a couple weeks.

Re: Those who use a daycare center? - GOOD UPDATE!!!

Update at top!