How much
will it cost for my child to attend Shining Rivers School?
A unique policy for a unique school.
Tuition for Shining Rivers School grades and kindergarten is determined
by a sliding scale, depending upon family
income. We want anyone who values Waldorf educational philosophy
to consider Shining Rivers.
The Morning Garden pre-school fees are
based on the number of days attended. The Morning Garden program
is available is available in half- and full-day programs, as well
as 2-, 3-, and 5-day schedules.
Parent-Toddler class fees are $320
per 10 week session. Enrollment is per session. Second child enrollment
is available at 50% tuition (siblings under 9 months may attend
at no cost).
Why do we offer sliding
scale tuition?
It’s simple and direct.
We think the sliding scale reflects the school’s values and
aspirations. Sliding-scale tuition makes the school accessible and
encourages meaningful diversity. Most people can look at the tuition
schedule here on our website and easily determine what it will take
to send their children to the school. Many private schools give
tuition breaks as part of a complicated and time-consuming financial
aid process, which can be daunting to navigate and produce uncertain
results. In contrast, sliding-scale tuition is simple and direct.
How does the sliding scale
work?
Just find your spot on the table.
For most families, simply look at your family’s most recent
tax returns to find your adjusted gross income. Then, find this
income along the sliding-scale tables to find your child’s
tuition. (In addition to tuition, there are some materials
fees.)
Openings in each tier of the sliding scale are limited. If a tier
is full, applicants may opt to pay tuition of an open higher tier.
After your child is accepted for admission, we will request a copy
of your tax return. If you own a business, we will request additional
information and may adjust your place upon the scale accordingly.
Also, if you have substantial income from assets or unreported income,
your placement on the scale may be at a higher tuition level to
reflect this income. Families that do not want to submit the requested
information can simply elect to pay at the highest level, which
is still lower than that of most local independent schools (see
the Value of Shining Rivers School on this
page).
What if I have more than
one child?
You get a break if you enroll at least
two children
Families with two children enrolled in any of the school's five
day programs will receive a 25% discount on the tuition of the younger
child. Families with three or more children enrolled in any of the
school's five day programs will receive a 25% discount on the tuition
of the second oldest child in a five day program and a 30% discount
on the tuitions of the younger children in five day programs.
When are tuition and fees
due?
Classroom fees are due on July 15th, or at the time of acceptance
if after July 15th. We will be unable to admit any child to the
first day of class with outstanding fees.
How do I pay my tuition?
Families have two options for making tuition payments:
Annual Payment: You may pay
your tuition in one lump sum and thereby avoid the SMART fee for
monthly billing statements. All lump sum payments are due by July
15th, or at the time of acceptance into the class if between July
16 and September 1st.
Monthly Tuition Payments: All
families paying tuition monthly do so through SMART tuition service.
There is a one-time fee to SMART of approximately $50 for this service.
Tuition payments through SMART are made in ten installments due
the 10th of each month, for the months August through May. If you
are enrolling in the SMART monthly tuition program after July 20th,
you may be asked to pay Shining Rivers School directly for the first
month or two of tuition.
Tuition payments more than 30 calendar days late
will require a meeting, in person, with the finance committee to
discuss resolution of the problem. The entire account will be turned
over to collections if a payment is more than 60 calendar days late.
What about financial aid?
Because the sliding scale by its very nature takes into account
each family’s financial situation, Shining Rivers School can
offer very little financial aid. What financial aid we do offer
is generally reserved for special diversity goals as determined
by the teachers and for families facing catastrophic events occurring
mid-year.
For a downloadable, printer-friendly version of the tuition and
fee schedule, click
here.
Kindergarten and Grades
Schedule (scroll down for Pre-K)
|
Income Range |
Grades |
Kindergarten |
Tier |
Range |
1st - 8th |
5 Full Days |
3 Full or 5 Half Days |
3 Half Days |
IV |
90,000 and up |
9996 |
8468 |
6473 |
3944 |
70,000-89,999 |
9298 |
8016 |
6099 |
3819 |
III |
65,000-69,999 |
8601 |
7555 |
5694 |
3695 |
60,000-64,999 |
7871 |
7054 |
5290 |
3553 |
55,000-59,999 |
7144 |
6512 |
4885 |
3409 |
II |
50,000-54,999 |
6421 |
6027 |
4478 |
3266 |
45,000-49,999 |
5826 |
5609 |
4149 |
3140 |
40,000-44,999 |
5352 |
5230 |
3868 |
3058 |
I |
35,000-39,999 |
4997 |
4905 |
3644 |
2964 |
30,000-34,999 |
4758 |
4667 |
3484 |
2875 |
25,000-29,999 |
4566 |
4522 |
3375 |
2816 |
24,999 and under |
4419 |
4398 |
3283 |
2756 |
Morning Garden Tuition
Morning Garden (9:00am – 12:00) |
Amount |
With optional afternoon program (12:00
– 3:00 pm) |
Amount |
3 Days |
3836 |
3 Days |
6904 |
2 Days |
2557 |
2 Days |
4601 |
5 Days |
5113 |
5 Days |
9205 |
Following
are the Classroom Fees for each class:
|
Morning Garden |
Kindergarten |
Grades 1-8 |
2 Half Days |
98 |
NA |
NA |
3 Half Days |
146 |
173 |
NA |
5 Half Days |
246 |
289 |
NA |
2 Full Days |
163 |
NA |
NA |
3 Full Days |
246 |
289 |
NA |
5 Full Days |
257 |
306 |
245 |
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