Tuition: Some Ideas Worth Considering

A Simple Jew pointed me towards this article from the Chabad website Crown Heights Info. Based on the comments on both this article and the previous installment, it is obvious that tuition and schooling is also a hot button item in the Chabad world too.

Of the 14 ideas presented, I have re-organized them categorized them as follows:
As always, add your comments.

Worth Trying

12) A bill for the future Some schools send their non-paying families a bill each year and tell them, “This is what you owe us. When you will be in a position to give, please do.”

I find the idea of a once a year bill reminding each family of the scholarship assistance that they have received to be an excellent idea. I do not personally know of a school that reminds families of the cumulative scholarship assistance that they have received every year. But, I recently met a lady who told me how her father "repaid" ever penny (!) of assistance that she and her siblings received growing up. A tzadik gamur? Probably. Something many families could strive to do in the future? At least partially, I'd hope.

Of course there are pros and cons to every idea. In general, I believe this is a very positive idea. However, I know there are families out there for which the cumulative tuition assistance is already in the hundreds of thousands. Receiving a "bill for the future" asking that the school be highly considered for donations when the bill is $25,000 is one thing. Sending a bill for $250,000 could be considered cruel and therefore halachically problematic.

Overall, I love the idea. But, obviously a posek would need to be consulted for extraordinary situations.

13) Signed IOU Other schools take this idea even further by making parents sign an IOU to be paid if and when they “make it.”

The idea of IOU's came up in the past (see minimum tuition post). This idea has already been rolled out successful in Cincinnati. Like many other communities, Cincinnati attracts a population of young and growing families who are pursuing residencies/internships and graduate programs. They benefit from school's tuition assistance programs in the present and often leave the community before they start earning a higher or more steady income. Because of this program, Cincinnati is seeing money that probably would never have seen.

All businesses should have a present plan and a future plan, and our schools are no different. Just because they can't bring in money in the present, doesn't mean they can't bring it in the future.

Part of the Long Term Puzzle

3) Educational subsidies/foundation for scholarships within each community
4) Better fundraising /better financial management Schools need to take on the obligation to raise more money. They also should have some over site committee that takes a look from time to time to make sure they are getting the most for their dollar.
5) Better formula for how much to charge each family
6) Tzedakah and Maaser as tuition to our own institutions

The above ideas are all part of the puzzle, but I still believe that we need more central/regional umbrella organizations responsible for future development. Efforts that are localized in the offices of individual schools produce far too much duplication. Jewish education is a "going concern," but individual schools and the current models may or may not be going concerns. Few carry a customer base large enough to attract large donors and the income that can be produced from a smaller pool doesn't do enough to inspire. In addition, returns will not be seen immediately and individual schools will loose interest because of this. There are kehillah models out there (Chicago comes to mind). Each regional area really should have its own "school district," but it shouldn't have to take Mashiach to establish them.

Worth Pursuing, But We'd be Silly to Count on it
1) Vouchers for school
2) Tax credit for tuition See below for a phone call you can make to help

I am a supporter of school choice and tax benefits for the tuition paying family. But, the chances of seeing vouchers in our lifetime is so minuscule that I'm frankly getting tired of the discussion. At this point I will just say. . . . . .someone just drop me a note when the average Jewish family starts benefiting from vouchers or when a bill goes to the Senate which would allow parents to itemize private school tuition.

Already Being Done
7) If you give extra ask for a voucher give to someone else If someone does give Tzedakah to a school they should ask for a receipt that could be used as a voucher towards tuition for someone who has a child in that school.
8) Adopt a child Those who can afford to should adopt the tuition of a needy child who would otherwise lose out.
9) Home schooling This option works for some, but would be a disaster for others.
10) School coupons Have parents buy school coupons to be used in local stores so that local vendors gain and the school makes a profit
11) Charity boxes Give daily Tzedakah in the school charity box

Number 7 is probably handled best by a gemach or something similar. I've heard from a reader that Baltimore has such an organization. Donors like to feel they are "buying" something and I've seen schools collect using method 8. I'm not sure if pushkes for schools generate more money, but the reminder is helpful.

It is nice to see "homeschooling" is no longer a bad word!

Unique to Chabad
14) Worth mentioning once more Schools like Yeshivas Tzeirei Hashluchim, in Tzfas, Israel which make it possible for every family to afford tuition and especially children of Shluchim.