$1,000 to become CPST certified?

[judesmommy]

(And by "have you," I really mean "will you, please," because I'd really like to know why the high local fee and whether it is negotiable, but of course I have no justifiable reason to make that call myself... and you do ).

I did already. I am waiting on a call back.

 

[Maedze]

:yeahthat:

And to add on, I feel really disheartned! i really thought that all of this CPST stuff was about helping people, educating parents, protecting children. This turns something that is about volunteering and teaching into just another profitable greedy, and money based business. Even if I have 1,000 dollars I wouldn't pay it. i just wanted to help people. I wanted to help protect babies. Not only would I DEFFINATELY go to seat checks, but, I also have lots of parent connections (MOPS, Pres. Women, Young mommy groups, and Insurance company connects). Thats alot of babies I could of helped. But, now its outta my reach. Way to go ladies, way to turn something possitive and good hearted into just another money game.:thumbsdown:

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stephanie T. is the polar OPPOSITE of greedy and dollar-mongering. You have no idea who you're talking about :thumbsdown:

The work, effort and sweat she has put into advancing the cause is astounding and leave us all owing a debt of gratitude. We are able to give a lot of answers to difficult questions on this forum BECAUSE of the research, footwork and brainlabor she's put out.

Please don't openly slander and libel a person on a public forum when you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

 

[carseatcoach]

OP, if you feel that strongly that you should have your course subsidized (because really, the $60 courses ARE heavily subsidized), you can ask the instructor or you can ask the contacts in your groups to subsidize your course.

 

[Qarin]

Please don't openly slander and libel a person on a public forum when you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

I really suspect that Judesmommy is posting how the fee makes her feel- there is no information about why this course's fee is so out of line from any other course anyone here has talked about, except for it being in Los Angeles. She wants to take the course, and it's been priced way out of her reach, which feels, I suspect, like a personal slap and yet-another-money-grab. She knows no differently at this point- neither do I, but I have no personal stake in the matter so I don't need to vent so strongly. She's no slandering a person, she doesn't know the person, she's calling out an unreasonable-seeming fee for a certification course... she's upset about it.

She has called to inquire about it, I don't think there's any reason to yourself get so loudly offended at her.

 

[judesmommy]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stephanie T. is the polar OPPOSITE of greedy and dollar-mongering. You have no idea who you're talking about :thumbsdown:

The work, effort and sweat she has put into advancing the cause is astounding and leave us all owing a debt of gratitude. We are able to give a lot of answers to difficult questions on this forum BECAUSE of the research, footwork and brainlabor she's put out.

Please don't openly slander and libel a person on a public forum when you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

I don't think SHE is dollar-mongering. I think they are turning something possitive into something negative and not offering a second option for others especially in a bad economy. I am sure she has done alot. i don't doubt that. but, I think that by charging 15 people 1,000 for a 5 day class that offers no finacial gain for many if not all of those certified is ridiculious! And, I am sure it was not the INSTRUCTORS choice to do so. I think it was probably a group of multiple people who chose the price. Not specifically her. I still think that it goes to show that in reality all of this stuff is still all about money. I do work for TONS of organizations. And never once have I been charged over 250 for learning, donating, or member fees. When there are so many uneducated people in the world. I don't understant why anyone would discourage people from learning more. However, don't get me wrong. I don't think she specifically had the idea of charging a massive amount of money. I think a group of people got together and tried to find a way to make a profit off of something that should be free.

 

[Maedze]

No. THIS is the organization in question. It's a not-for-profit.

You are making broad accusations that have no basis in fact, at all.

There is also a strong possibility that people involved with that organization are reading here, which you might want to consider if you intend to ask them for favors.

 

[NVMBR02]

i think someone (ketchupqueen maybe?) posted one reason the course was so expensive in the LA area.

 

[carseatcoach]

something that should be free.

Why?

 

[judesmommy]

No. THIS is the organization in question. It's a not-for-profit.

You are making broad accusations that have no basis in fact, at all.

There is also a strong possibility that people involved with that organization are reading here, which you might want to consider if you intend to ask them for favors.

I have no intention of asking for favors. I am no longer interested. However, I don't want you to think that I am trying to accuse them of anything. i am stating how it makes me FEEL. I think of all the people who I know who would LOVE to take this class. But, we are all mothers. so we would have to pay for daycare, gas, food, and fees. Its out of our reach. i think that there should be a second option.

I have considered that maybe in california because our state is so "sue" crazy, maybe they have to pay for liability insurance for the courses. Even still, I think there should be another option. Even with liability insurance there is no way that you would break even after collecting 15,000 in 5 days. Assuming they filled the class.

I think its unfair. like I said, I am no longer interested. I don't doubt however, that they are great CPSTs. But, I think they need to re-think their prices in the future.

 

[Maedze]

They're a NOT-FOR-PROFIT. They price according to cost, not to pad the pockets of someone executive looking to make money.

They can't cut the cost of the program if it means they can't afford to run it at all.

 

[Qarin]

I do want to note that this particular course has been $950 for years- I found a thread from fall of 2007 about it, in fact (and people were pretty shocked in that thread).

I personally doubt anyone is dollar-mongering, but I still haven't heard a reason why there is this huge disparity in the cost of THIS course vs. other courses.

 

[carseatcoach]

Pure, unadulterated speculation, but (besides the COL difference between LA and rural NC), I know that my course was heavily subsidized by SafeKids. Could it be that they don't seek subsidies for their courses?

I think $1000 is a lot. I don't, however, have a problem with requiring people to pay for courses (and daycare, etc -- I paid OOP for a week of FT childcare as well). I think that if people believe their certification would be valuable to the community, they should seek community funding.

 

[Maedze]

I'm sure the cost goes back into the SBS, to some extent, to do all the work they do, otherwise they'd be working for free.

When I took my class, I only had to pay the 60 dollar SK fee. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts subsidized all the additional costs. I highly doubt the state of California currently has the money to subsidize anything!

 

[sgw]

looks like the $ 950.00 goes to the local agent. Not safe kids.

 

[Qarin]

When I took my class, I only had to pay the 60 dollar SK fee. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts subsidized all the additional costs. I highly doubt the state of California currently has the money to subsidize anything!

While this may well be true, there are courses in California which have little or no additional local fee on top of the $75 Safe Kids fee. None of these are near Los Angeles, unfortunately:

Marysville, CA (no local fee)

Cottonwood, CA (no local fee)

Santa Rosa, CA ($30 local fee, and is a recertification course)

And then I searched for controlled courses... here's one sort-of near Los Angeles:

Camarillo, CA ($150)

 

[judesmommy]

Oh well. If anyone is admin are watching. I would like my thread closed and my c-s.org account deleted. I'm done with all of this. thanks.

 

[carseatcoach]

I'm sorry this has offended you so, but I have to say that if you are going to do community checks, you should expect to be hit with a whole lot worse.

 

[thepeach80]

I think it's ridiculous and I'm glad I don't live in CA or there would be one less (well, more than 1 less) tech for SK. I paid $60 and that was hard enough as I had to find someone to watch my kids too. I have had several comments as to how my job can't be very important since I don't get paid and I actually PAY to do this job. Our fee has gone up locally I think, but ours was heavily subsidized by the Office of Highway Safety here and they are fabulous! They always give us the latest LATCH books and pay for our hotel for the state update etc. I can't imagine how much the class would/could cost if we had to cover all of it. I for sure wouldn't pay for the food we got everyday when I could bring my own lunch from home etc. It is frustrating as many of us don't do this for a job and where I live, those are the best techs generally.

 

[Jennifer mom to my 7]

Hmmmm, I wasn't going to respond, but think I will anyway OP, I think you are taking the reaction too personally. From an outside perspective, noone is attacking you. In a way, they are agreeing that the price is quite high for the LA class. But, there may be reasons that are not available to the general public (like the subsidy and non profit status. IMO, this is no reason to want to lose your account here and be done. Minimize your started posts, pay attention to who you are replying to, yes, but completely stop trying to help new people here with questions? Eh, I don't think this little dissagreement is worth that. :twocents:

 

[Callansmomma]

I paid the $60 and drove 14 hrs to FL for my course. The one in my area is only offered once a year and cost about $135. Last year I had a conflict with one of the days. It was a matter of two hours and the woman refused to let me go. Instead I signed up for a class in FL 1.5 hrs from my parents' house. That class was offered in May instead of July and I had free child care. The class was also offered on four consecutive days which was better for me. I do not work in the field and I volunteer when I can (which is next to nothing since all of the checks are on weekdays and I am a SAHM who homeschools).