Sliding Scale Tuition

[Anonymous]

OP here. I asked because I was doing the annual fund for DC's class and the challenge is that most full tuition paying families don't come close to contributing enough to close the tuition gap. The school is pretty dependent on a couple large donors ($100K+) every year rather than $5-10k donations from the majority of families. At the same time, our school has been worried about losing middle income families ($100-200k).

The sliding scale tuition idea seems like it might address both issues. For upper income families, they would just get charged a level that eliminated the tuition gap. Anyone who didn't want to do the paperwork for the sliding scale just gets charged the full scaled amount. And more middle income families might consider independent schools if there was a more transparent way to know how much school costs.

[Anonymous]

I would choose another school. I guess I'm a dual income family with $350 -$450K income with savings. We don't have the fancy houses or cars and it ticks me off to see people driving mercedez and living in more expensive houses with a SAHM getting aid. The same thing would happen in this scenario. The more I spend the better off I am from a sliding scale. I don't resent the people who really need aid but I see way too many people gaming the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would choose another school. I guess I'm a dual income family with $350 -$450K income with savings. We don't have the fancy houses or cars and it ticks me off to see people driving mercedez and living in more expensive houses with a SAHM getting aid. The same thing would happen in this scenario. The more I spend the better off I am from a sliding scale. I don't resent the people who really need aid but I see way too many people gaming the system.

I would think it would happen less in this scenario bc it goes by income and not based on expenses. If you make $100K, you pay x tuition and if you make $350K, you pay x tuition. It puts you on an even playing field with based on your income.

[Anonymous]

And PP, I don't know of a school that gives families with a SAH parent aid - they factor in a contribution for the SAH spouse that generally puts FA out of the question.

[Anonymous]

I think it would create underlying resentment. It is one thing to be expected to contribute to financial aid via annual giving or auction. It is another thing to be required to give a certain percentage based upon some arbitrary set of facts. I would be pissed as hell and would most likely leave...and I am currently make large donations.

[Anonymous]

One schools do give aid to SAHM, they factor in a salary for them. The salary is not the equivalent of what a professional with several years would make. Also, what about small business owners, or people with other sources of income? I think our income of 350-450k put us in the middle of the pack at our school however we are one of the poorest families. Yes, I see people driving a 7 series with several kids in school and they get aid.