Financing Your Kids’ Education: Coronavirus Edition

The COVID-19 closed schools nationwide in the spring of 2020. One day schools were open. The next day they were closed indefinitely as state governors issues stay at home orders. Then schools scrambled to replace familiar face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning. Sports and extracurricular activities became distant memories. Plans for summer school and camps went out the window. Graduations, end of year traditions such as school plays and assemblies are virtual occasions in 2020. It's all so different, so scary, and so unsettling. Yet, you and I know that life must go on.

Dr. Reinhold Niehbur's Serenity Prayer comes to mind as a spiritual anchor for these troubled times:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can,

and wisdom to know the difference.

I cite this prayer because it expresses the attitude each of us must bring to bear on the situation which faces us in our daily lives. Our children's education is a critical concern. That's why we elected to send our kids to private school in the first place. However, this COVID-19 virus is controlling everything. And it will continue to do so indefinitely until we have vaccines to protect us.

This short video displays The Serenity Prayer.

With that in mind, here are five things you need to do when you are a parent with children

Life-changing events dot history's pages. Wars, hurricanes, tornados, terrorist attacks - the list goes on and on. Just when we thought that we couldn't imagine anything worse, in early 2020 along came the COVID-19 pandemic. It has brought our economy and our lives to a screeching halt. Will life ever be the same?

Now, if you are thinking about private school for your child in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, you should exercise even more due diligence than you usually would. After all, sending your child to private school is a major expense for most families.

Note: The information that follows does not constitute financial or legal advice. Always consult your financial advisor and attorney when making any significant expenditure.

How private schools operate

Most private schools have one major revenue stream, namely, tuition fees. If that revenue stream is compromised, the school's ability to survive will be doubtful. Essentially, if a school cannot fill its available seats, its financial future will be bleak. It will be on life support before much longer and may have to cease operations. Sadly, most schools have had to cancel their summer sessions. Summer sessions have traditionally been reliable revenue producers for schools. Some schools have rented out their facilities during the summer to outside organizations such as computer camps or soccer camps. That revenue stream may not always be available.

The other factor to consider is that the pandemic may require schools to remain closed into the

In this fictional conversation, a job seeker and I chat about looking for employment in a private school.

Credentials

Q. Do I need to have a teaching certificate to teach in a private school?

A. Not necessarily. It depends on the school. Some schools will employ you without a teaching certificate with the requirement that you obtain one within a stated time frame, typically a year.

Q. Do I need an education degree to teach in a private school?

A. Most private schools value degrees in a subject. For example, if you are presenting yourself as an English teacher, they will look for a bachelor's degree with a major in American or English Language and Literature. The teaching skills and methodology which you could learn if you did an education degree will be useful; however, most private schools will require you to teach in their own proprietary way. After all, that's why parents are sending their children to private school.

Q. Do I need to have a master's degree or a doctorate?

A. Your resume will stand out from the others when you offer a master's degree or terminal degree. Once again, schools understand that a highly-credentialed faculty is a powerful asset when it comes to marketing what they do. If you have started work on your master's or doctorate, be sure to indicate that on your resume. Discuss your further education plans at the interview.

Q. Will schools ask for a curriculum vitae?

A. Some will. Some

Choosing a private school is a process with many parts to it. It also takes 18-24 months to complete. This collection of articles deals with the second part of the process in which you look at all kinds of private schools and see what they offer. I'll show you where to look for schools. I also introduce you to some of the things I think you should look for in a school.

What am I looking for?

If you don't know too much about private schools but are thinking that private school might be a good option for your child's education, here's how to get the search process started.

How To Search For Schools Private School Review has a robust search engine that will make your private school search process much easier to do. Here are some tips on how to use this tool.

Private School Search Tips We look at several ways you can use to search for private schools. Whether you are beginning the search process for a school for your child or just want to find out more about particular schools, we offer some tips and tricks to make searching more efficient.

The Search Process: A 5 Point Checklist Use this five-point checklist to keep your search for private schools organized.

This video offers an overview of The Madeira School in McLean, Virginia.

What kind