Tuition and Affording Hartsbrook

Hartsbrook is a non-profit independent school and our funding comes solely from tuition revenue and annual giving from community and business donations.  We do our best, within the context of the overall financial picture of the school, to stretch toward families who are themselves stretching financially to pay tuition.  Our sliding scale is designed to assist families in making a Waldorf education affordable.  We work with each family to plan an affordable year that also covers the cost of educating all our students.  Each family’s contribution to tuition revenue is an investment in their child’s education and helps to sustain the teachers and the unique programs we offer.

If, after considering all possible means to fund your child’s education here, you still feel it is out of reach, then yes!

In order for the Sliding Scale Model to be successful, all families must maximize their children’s tuition and their contributions to the Annual Fund.  Once a family joins Hartsbrook paying sliding scale tuition and assuming the family’s financial situation remains the same, the student will be placed at a similar level for all of the years they remain a student at Hartsbrook.  If a family’s financial situation changes, placement on the sliding scale will be adjusted accordingly.  In all cases, we highly encourage families to strive to increase their contributions over time as their resources allow. Together, we can build a school that assists in our growth and contributes in the spirit of community.

Families seeking placement on the sliding scale must apply using a third-party financial assessment software program called FACTS.  FACTS will make an impartial determination on your family’s financial need which the Tuition Adjustment Committee will use to place your family on the Sliding Scale.  If an extended family member is contributing to your family’s tuition payments, please indicate this on your application so we can more accurately consider the actual tuition amount that will directly affect your family’s budget.

Please note that submitting a financial analysis through FACTS will in no way influence an admissions decision which is conducted independently.

Families paying the published tuition rates do not need to complete a financial analysis.

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New families: The FACTS application may be completed anytime during your admissions process. The FACTS application can be accessed here.

Returning families: The FACTS application must be completed annually by February 15th in order to receive appropriate placement on the Sliding Scale. If an application is submitted after the deadline, we cannot guarantee a similar placement on the scale on which you have been previously placed.

Our Business Office will send your family a letter indicating your placement on the Sliding Scale. In order to secure your placement, the letter and the enclosed contract must be signed and returned within 14 days.

We have increased the capabilities within FACTS for families to accurately portray their financial picture.  We hope this will decrease the need for appeals. In some cases, families will need to engage in a more dynamic process to determine their placement.  These families should contact the Business Manager at (413) 586-1908, ext.104 or email dlbarge@hartsbrook.org to discuss their financial picture.

In order to make Waldorf education more affordable for large families, the school also offers an optional discount to families with three or more children concurrently enrolled at Hartsbrook.

Families who do not qualify for sliding scale placement: Optional 10% discount for the third and subsequent children with the lowest tuition rates
Families who qualify for sliding scale placement:  Optional 50% discount for the third and subsequent children with the lowest tuition rates. The 50% discount is applied when the family is placed on the sliding scale.

Please note that the above discounts apply to tuition and does not apply to any other fees or programs such as Extended Day.  Since this is an optional discount, families may choose to waive the sibling discounts in support of the school.

If you have additional questions or need assistance with the Sliding Scale placement process, contact the Business Manager at (413) 586-1908, ext. 104 or at dlabarge@hartsbrook.org.