More Information About Tuition Adjustment

The PWS Tuition Adjustment program assists in the overall health and growth of our school by seeking to balance the economic needs of families with the economic needs of the school. Tuition contribution amounts are adjusted for families for whom the current tuition amount would be a significant financial hardship, and amounts granted are based on a family’s ability to pay by considering all funds available to the family outside of core cost-of-living expenses.

Application to the TA program is an annual process, and awards are made based on family need, balanced with needs of other families and with the resources that PWS currently has available.

Admissions decisions are made independently of decisions to award a tuition adjustment. Student admission is determined by the class teacher and Admissions office prior to TA review. The TA Committee reviews family requests only after the student(s) have been admitted to PWS.

The TA amount is based on a number of factors including PWS resources and need demonstrated by TA-applicant families, as well as annual family income, savings, property holdings, investments, and family size. Applying is much like applying for a bank loan or a home mortgage. You need to submit all of the documents that provide an accurate summary of your family’s finances. Eligibility cannot be determined unless you provide all requested information. If there are two households involved, each household needs to apply.

We cannot provide an estimate of tuition adjustment prior to completion of the process; however, we encourage all families for whom tuition is a hardship to apply as early as possible as we earnestly work to meet the need of each family.

PWS does not receive funds from the government or other outside sources to subsidize tuition. Tuition Adjustment funding is drawn from a percentage of the school’s operating budget.

Divorced or separated families: the Tuition Adjustment program requires all custodial parents or guardians to submit financial information so that we have a full picture of the resources that support the financial needs of the student and family. Parents or guardians may decide to apply separately or jointly.

Families with one income: There are many wonderful reasons for being a stay-at-home parent, and this decision is one deeply rooted in family values and a lifestyle choice. When all children are school-aged and a parent is not working, PWS will impute a pre-determined income figure into the household income. This allows us to treat stay-at-home parent families equitably with a family in which both parents work. We do not impute income if one parent is disabled and cannot work, or if the parent is caring for an infant/toddler, or a disabled person in the home.

The TA process is held in strict confidence and with a deep respect for privacy and understanding of each individual family’s striving to contribute the highest amount that they are able. Enrollment Agreements are also considered confidential.

TA applications are only reviewed when all balances and fees are current. Please speak with the Business Office if your account is past due.

PWS fees, tuition deposits, and other class costs are collected in addition to the adjusted tuition amount, and families will need to budget for these annually. Information about these fees and costs can be found on the Tuition & Fees page.