International Montessori Council

Part of the mission of any Montessori school is to demonstrate that intelligence is not rare among children, and that it can be cultivated by providing children with the right intellectual and emotional environment from an early age.

To fulfill this mission, it is vital that our schools attract families while their children are still very young, and convince them of the value of keeping them at Barrie up through graduation.

Over the years, we know that some of our families are likely to go through a period of financial stress, which may lead them to transfer their children to the local public schools at the first sign of financial pressures on the horizon.

Most painful of all is the case where a family is devastated by divorce, illness, injury, or even death mid-way through the year.

Only less so is the case of the family who has been loyal and enthusiastic, but finds themselves faced with financial problems that should reasonably last only a year or two.

These families need a temporary bridge of assistance to give them not only the financial aid, but also the emotional support, to renew their commitment to their children's Montessori education.

Many other independent schools, being much less integrated ethnically and socio-economically than most Montessori schools, use financial aid to bring in a small number of less affluent minority students each year.

The primary goal of a typical Montessori school’s financial aid program is to support the school’s present families through times of economic stress, rather than to make the school more affordable to new families.

This does not mean that aid will not be awarded to prospective students, but rather that present families in a time of need will always have first priority.

Sources of funding for financial aid

Independent schools normally have to support themselves from tuition and fees, along with whatever contributions come in from annual funds, scholarship drives, and special event fund raising. We are not aware of any outside source of help.

We recommend that Montessori schools establish an allowance that they want to set aside for financial aid in their annual budget, and build it into tuition. Ideally, this number should represent an allowance of an additional 5-10% beyond the total cost to operate the school, which in itself should include a 5 to 10% contingency fund allowance to cover unexpected expenses or shortfalls in tuition income.

Separately, many schools will earmark some or all of the money raised from special event fund raising for the financial aid program.

It is not uncommon for parents to resent and resist appeals for outright donations to the school for the financial aid program. This tends to stir up parent anxiety over their own finances, and can lead to resentment. “Why should I give money to send someone else’s child to the school/” However, when funds are raised through some sort of entertaining experience, such as an auction, carnival, dinner dance, or other special event, most parents tend to accept it graciously.

A third strategy used in some Montessori schools in an “Angel Fund.” This is a program in which a family can contribute some or all of the cost of bringing or keeping a deserving child at the school. Often these donations are done anonymously by an “angel.”

Independent schools commonly award three kinds of tuition assistance:

1. Financial aid, which is defined as a reduction in tuition granted to families who have demonstrated eligibility through an objective assessment of their financial position.

2. Temporary loans, in the form of extraordinary tuition payment plans, made at reasonable interest, to a family whose finances reasonably suggests that they will be able to afford the tuition over the course of the school year, but can neither pay within the school's normal payment plans nor secure a bank loan.

3. Scholarships, granted as a reduction in tuition to a student on the basis of extraordinary talent that is greatly desired within the student body, without strict regard to the family's financial position.

The Financial Aid Committee

A Board of Trustees will typically appoint a Financial Aid Committee consisting of five members. Membership might include at least one board member, who will chair the committee; the Head of School; one or more teachers, and the school's Business Manager.

Financial aid decisions will be made by the committee working within the guidelines established by school policy, granting aid up to the amount approved by the Board of Trustees for that academic year.

The amount of financial aid available to be awarded by the committee for the upcoming academic year is normally set by the Board of Trustees when it establishes the budge for the coming year.

The Financial Aid Committee reports to the Board upon request, providing a summary and list of financial aid awards made in the last school year.

Conditions of Financial Aid

Financial aid is normally awarded on a one-year basis only. A student receiving financial aid or a scholarship is not automatically guaranteed that aid will be provided the following school year, although the Financial Aid Committee shall strive to give said students first and careful consideration in this regard.

In many schools, the amount of financial aid or scholarship that the Financial Aid Committee that can be awarded to any student cannot not exceed 50% of his or her tuition. In the event that the Committee believes that an individual case is exceptional, it might refer the question to the Board of Trustees for special consideration.

Financial aid awarded covers tuition only, and does not include any fees for books and materials, special activities, supervision, or transportation.

Any financial aid or scholarships awarded shall be credited to the student's account. The family may elect to pay the balance according to any of the optional payment plans, which are currently available.

Once financial aid has been offered and accepted, the family should be treated like any other family in the school, with no special expectations for additional volunteer service. Families receiving financial aid are expected to pay the balance of their accounts on time according to the payment plan selected.

Financial aid will often not be renewed in a case where a family receiving aid fails to keep the balance of their account up-to-date.

The Financial Aid Committee needs to prepare and distribute a published explanation of the school's financial aid policies and process.

Set a date by which all applications for financial aid from returning students must be submitted to be considered for the following school year. Commonly this will be in February or March. Some schools may remain open to consider applications submitted after the initial applications have been processed if funds are still available.

It is normally the obligation of the family to ensure that all appropriate applications and documentation are submitted by the due date.

Applications for financial aid commonly include:

A personal financial disclosure made directly to the School Scholarship Service* in Princeton, New Jersey, with instructions to send a copy of the report to the school’s Financial Aid Office

* The School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS), is the best-known and most widely-used tool for schools that want to offer and manage financial aid programs equitably and professionally. SSS is a division of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). It provides school administrators with an objective assessment of what families can pay for independent education, extends training workshops for financial aid administrators, and offers support software, including Comp*Assist and Tax*Assist, to make managing financial aid decisions easier and less time-consuming. SSS P.O. Box 6662 Princeton, NJ 08541-6662 Phone (866) 387-2601 https://sss.ets.org/

A letter submitted directly to the school's Financial Aid Office stating the family's need for financial aid, along with any information that they feel will assist the committee in considering their application.

Some schools also request a copy of the family's tax returns for the last two years. Others prefer not to get involved in reviewing such highly confidential information.

Letters of recommendation from the child's teachers regarding his or her academic progress, social and emotional development, and contribution to the class, along with an informal assessment of the families support and cooperation with the school.

A report from the business office regarding the financial history of the family's accounts with the school.

Priorities in considering applications for financial aid or scholarships

1. Faculty children, who can demonstrate financial need.

2. Children of parents who were themselves graduates of the school, who can demonstrate financial need.

3. Families who already have two or more children enrolled in the school, who can demonstrate financial need.

4. Families of present students enrolled at the elementary level or above, who can demonstrate financial need.

5. Families of present students enrolled at the early childhood level who can demonstrate financial need.

6. New elementary or older students who you want to bring into the school who you want to bring into the school, often to build up your enrollment at that age level, and who can demonstrate financial need.

7. Any other new early childhood students who you want to bring into the school, and who can demonstrate financial need.

Normally, a school will give additional consideration according to the number of years the family has been with your school and any special contributions the student or family has made to the life of the school.

Families who have been with the school for many years, and who have been extraordinarily support, are much more likely to receive financial aid than someone who is either new to the school or who has been o=uninvolved or unsupportive.

Closing Thoughts

Many schools will offer modest financial aid ($500-$1000). Do not feel that you have to offer a routine 50% discount

Use your financial aid program to keep students in the school who are most important to the school as a school.

Focus on the family as a whole, not just on the child. Most of us feel guilty when we envision a child leaving the school. The decision as to whether the child stays or withdraws is the family’s to make. You are making a decision as to how much you feel you can afford to give back from your projected income to retain a particular student. The people benefiting directly are the child’s parents. Focus on them as well.

Remember that if your school is independent, you almost certainly depend on tuition to keep your school alive. Be thoughtful before you casually discount tuition that should be paying for one child’s share of the school.

And finally, remember that some families will apply for financial aid even though they could afford to pay full tuition, they just don’t want to. People who really value a school will typically find a way. Make it your priority to see that people like them get the help they need.