Illustration by Rachel Maves
A private, Catholic, single-sex education at Saint Gertrude High School comes with an $18,500 annual price tag, which is often out of reach for Richmond’s middle-income families. They make too much money to qualify for financial aid, but not enough to afford the tuition.
“For most families, including those of means, the first reaction to private school tuition rates is most often ‘sticker shock,’ especially if the family is considering a move from a public or faith-based middle school,” says Renata Rafferty, the head of the school.
After two years of research, the school, founded in 1922, is offering a solution: a flexible tuition program. Also called a “sliding scale” or “indexed” tuition model, the program allows parents to pay what they can afford, which then can make a private school education financially attainable. (See financial aid sidebar below.)
“By stating right up front that a family’s tuition is determined by that family’s unique means and circumstances, the ‘sticker shock’ is no longer a barrier,” Rafferty says. “We want to invite all young women in the Richmond area who desire the challenge, grace, tradition and sisterhood of the Saint Gertrude experience to feel welcome regardless of her family’s economic circumstances.”
The program will begin in the 2019-20 school year. To qualify for a lower tuition rate, parents submit an application, which takes into consideration annual income along with lifestyle expenses. The minimum amount a family could pay is 20 percent of the full tuition, which is about $3,500.
About 40 percent of Saint Gertrude students receive traditional financial aid through FACTS Grant & Aid and scholarships, but Rafferty says that this new program is different. With the traditional financial aid model, parents do not know how much aid they qualify for until after their daughter has been accepted to Saint Gertrude. With the flexible tuition program, parents will know approximately what tuition rate they could pay immediately with an online calculator on Saint Gertrude’s website.
Beginning next academic year, St. Gertrude will move to a flexible tuition program. (Photo by Adam Ewing courtesy St. Gertrude)
Rafferty says that a currently enrolled family’s discount percentage will remain the same from year to year if the family applies by the annual February deadline. For incoming freshmen or transfer students, the rates are on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, those who apply earliest will have the best chance of getting their desired rates.
The main goals of the program are to promote diversity, increase affordability and dissolve stigmas around a private school education. Private K-12 school enrollment numbers have dropped since the early 2000s, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
“The three greatest factors that prevent families from considering a private education are price, pride and perceived homogeneity,” Rafferty says. “Many families are seeking an educational environment for their daughter where she will be part of a community that resembles the real world. They are looking for a school that welcomes and embraces girls of all kinds, not a school that they perceive as only accommodating families that can afford a high tuition.”
With this flexible tuition program, socioeconomic status is no longer prohibitive, and the student body has the potential to become more diverse. It offers a wider community perspective, Rafferty says, exposing students to more learning styles and interests, and breaking stereotypes. It also helps remove the stigma around traditional financial aid; some families won’t apply for aid because they don’t accept charity or are embarrassed by the need for assistance.
“This approach to tuition and eliminating vocabulary such as ‘aid’ and ‘assistance’ go a long way in removing the obstacle of pride when considering Saint Gertrude,” Rafferty says.
The Benedictine Sisters of Virginia, who founded the school, say the program was the next logical move to reinforce the school’s inclusive, value-based mission. It allows parents to focus on opening doors for their daughter’s education instead of on the overall cost.
“We felt that if we could adjust our tuition so that families could actually afford the cost of a private school education, that would broaden our diversity and answer our mission, which is to educate as many young women across the board as possible,” Benedictine Sister Joanna Burley says.
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Photo by Adam Ewing courtesy St. Gertrude
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Lindsay Holtz, school counselor, leads students in prayer. (Photo by Adam Ewing courtesy St. Gertrude)
There are factors to keep in mind as the program is in its early stages. Not every family will receive the rate that they qualify for, says Alexis Finc, director of communications and media, underlining the importance of turning in applications far in advance of the February deadline. (Traditional scholarships and FACTS-based aid remain other options.)
Parents expressed a concern that Saint Gertrude would lose its small community atmosphere, but the physical limitations of the campus ensure that enrollment remains between 260 and 280 students. Another worry was that the school would need to increase tuition to make up for lost revenue. Rafferty says that won’t be the case, as research showed that the 3 to 5 percent annual tuition increase rate, along with fundraising, makes the program sustainable. However, more research will be done throughout the implementation process.
Other details about the program, including applications and important deadlines, will be available on Saint Gertrude’s website and recruiting events to reach the widest range of applicants. Burley says she is open to help other private schools take the plunge into a flexible tuition model.
“Just imagine how many families would be able to have the education for their daughters or sons, whatever it may be, that they wanted, but were afraid that they couldn’t afford,” Burley says. “The larger social justice piece to that is huge, if you look at that impact.”
Rafferty says the program is reflective of the pillars of the Catholic faith by further highlighting the values taught at Saint Gertrude, and is excited to make the school an option for more students.
“Christ embraced all, welcomed all — no exceptions,” she says. “How better to fulfill our mission than to do all that we can to form our school as a community that reflects the world we wish to create?”
Avenues for Paying for Private School
Here’s a suggested checklist to follow, with input from Betsy Hunroe, executive director of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools:
- Based on congressional action in December, funds placed into the tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawal Virginia529 program can now be used to pay tuition for private and religious K-12 education, up to $10,000 per child per year. Also because K-12 tuition is now a qualified higher education expense, Virginia offers up to a $4,000 deduction. Textbooks, room and board, supplies and other expenses for K-12 education are not covered.Homeschooling expenses are not considered qualified higher education expenses. If you have questions, visit virginia529.com
- Look at each school’s website that your family is interested in and then inquire. “Each has its own approach to financial aid and their process for decision-making,” Hunroe says. Some schools use the FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment (factsmgt.com) to assess financial need; others, use School and Student Services. FACTS is an independent company that does analysis to discern a family’s need. The school receives a confidential report outlining a family’s financial status based on application information and supporting tax documents. Statewide a median of nearly 30 percent of students receive financial aid, according to a 2017-18 VAIS report.
- A handful of schools, such as Elijah House Academy, have income-based tuition scales. Inquire at the schools in which you are interested.
- Some schools offer scholarships, based on need or merit, such as full-tuition scholarships at Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School. Ask about them.
