Costs

Being affiliated with the university, the CECE adheres to all ESU policies and guidelines for financial responsibility and works closely with a variety of offices across campus to assure this responsibility. This affiliation means CECE accounts are managed through the university management software. More information on how the center maintains a balanced budget is available upon request and further details are included in the CECE Handbook (PDF).

Fees and deposit amounts subject to change; please contact the us with questions about fees.

The CECE is part of the university, but the vast majority of funding (over 90%) is self supporting.

Termination of Services

The CECE reserves the right to terminate services if needed due to irreconcilable differences and/or the failure of the parent / guardian to adhere to school policies and procedures. We will give parents two weeks notice prior to termination, of services. Provided the parents/caregivers are in good standing with their account, the deposit will be refunded.

Billing & Tuition Payment

Your monthly tuition fees are based upon a set daily fee. You are not charged when school is closed due to scheduled holidays and breaks unless otherwise noted. Bills will be distributed around the 15th day of each month for the coming month's service. Your tuition fees are due on the 1st of every month. (If the 1st falls on a weekend, it will be due the following business day.) If the due date changes for any reason, you will be notified in advance. Tuition payment policies include:

• Payments may be made by cash, checks payable to CECE, and credit/debit card.
  
• Student discounts cannot be figured into your statement unless we have your current class schedule on file, you will be billed at the regular faculty/community rate until this is received. Once the student schedule is received and verified we will make adjustments to your account.
  
• Note: We DO NOT retain petty cash/change per university procedures, so please bring exact amount due, or plan to apply overage to your child’s account. If paying by cash, please see staff to obtain a cash handling receipt. If the administrative assistant or director are not available to handle your cash, please obtain receipt from office staff, then have them place cash and pink receipt into an envelope and place it in the payment drop box. Mark your child's name on the outside of the envelope.
  
• Our office cannot "hold" a check until you have sufficient funds in your account. University policy dictates that all checks must be deposited the next business day.
  
• Parents wishing to pay by credit/debit card may request a Credit Card/Debit Card Approval Form from the office.

Returned Check Policy

All payments made to CECE are deposited with Emporia State University's business office. If your check is returned to ESU due to insufficient funds, ESU policy states:

• The responsible party must make repayment by cash, cashiers check, or money order for the amount of the original check plus a separate, additional payment of $30.00 to pay the return check charge.
  
  
• If the payee is a student parent, a financial hold will be placed on the student's ESU record until payment is received in full.
  
• Payment by check will no longer be accepted if our office receives an insufficient funds check. All future payments will then be required in the form of cash, cashier's check or money order.

Late Payment Penalties

If payment of monthly tuition is not received within 5 business days of the due date, late fees will be charged to all accounts not paid in full. Late notices will be posted in your child’s mail cubby and e-mailed.

• On the fifth business day after the due date, a $30 late fee will be assessed.
  
  
• If payment has not been received by the end of the grace period, your child will be withdrawn and deposit forfeited. Consideration for future enrollment will be made if a wait list application is submitted and space is available and a new $45 deposit will be due upon re-enrollment.
  
• If circumstances prevent you from making full payment on time, please see the director to set up an individualized payment plan. Such payment plans are developed at the discretion of the CECE Director.

If full payment is not received at the end of said grace period or a payment agreement has not been reached and developed, your account will be turned over to the ESU Business Office for collections. ESU students will have a hold placed on their student records until full payment is received and will have to make their payment with the ESU cashier's office.

Fines for Late Pick Up Times

The CECE is licensed to provide care between the hours of 7:30 am and 5:30 pm. The CECE closes promptly at 5:30 p.m. All children and parents/guardians need to be out of the building by this time.

Although circumstances may arise causing an occasional late pickup, parents are expected to contact the CECE to make alternative arrangements to assure that someone arrives to escort the child home by closing time. Parents/pickup persons will be allowed a grace of 5 minutes to arrive to get their child from the classroom and clocked out. Beginning at 5:36 pm, a $1/minute late fee will be charged until the child is picked up and clocked out. If a child is not picked up or the center has not been contacted by 5:45 pm, then the center staff will attempt to contact parents and any/all authorized pick up persons. If these attempts fail and no contact has been made by 6 pm for pick up arrangements, then the Emporia Police Department will be contacted.

Emergency/Inclement Weather Closings & Fees

As the CECE incurs costs related to salary and other fixed costs, and plans for these costs and revenue based upon our scheduled calendar, parents will be charged for closings due to unavoidable, emergency or inclement weather conditions. The director may make consideration for partial refund if an extended closure occurs.

It is possible that bad weather such as heavy snowfall/ice could prevent or delay the opening of the CECE. We usually operate on the same hours or closures for inclement weather as ESU. If ESU is closed for inclement weather, our school is also closed. We do not always close when Emporia's school district, USD 253, does. Closings and delayed openings will be reported via Topeka and Wichita television news stations, and the local radio stations (KVOE 1400 am) before 7 a.m. Information is typically also posted on the ESU home page. If the CECE closes due to inclement weather, parents are billed for the day.

CECE reserves the right to cancel services or alter our hours if weather conditions are extremely dangerous for our staff and families. In the event there is an emergency affecting only CECE (no heat, water, etc.), we will be closed or will operate on reduced hours. In the rare case of a serious health emergency affecting the center or the ESU campus, we will notify all families and will follow directives from the local Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) concerning our operations.

Note: In case of severe weather, particularly in the spring and summer, all students at the CECE will be moved to severe weather shelters. The bottom floor of the Butcher Education Center (the level below the CECE) contains such a shelter.

While this web page contains most of the information about CECE Financial Policies, please consult the CECE Handbook.pdf for more information.