Tuition Assistance
Friends of Raintree Tuition
Assistance Application Process
Friends of Raintree (FOR) provides limited tuition assistance for toddler through 8th graders who wish to attend Raintree Montessori School.
Friends of Raintree is a separate entity from Raintree Montessori School. Any questions regarding FOR tuition assistance should be directed to [email protected].
Families will be expected to contribute some amount towards tuition. That is, Friends of Raintree does not award any family 100% of tuition expenses.
If you are receiving tuition assistance from any other agency, individual, or organization, the amount of assistance received must be disclosed to Friends of Raintree in a timely manner. Failure to disclose this information may result in ineligibility for tuition assistance.
Tuition assistance is based on financial need, not academic performance.
Tuition Assistance Application
Friends of Raintree is dedicated to equality and fairness in awarding tuition assistance. Accordingly, FOR uses a need assessment tool called FAST (Financial Aid for Student Tuition), which is administered by Independent School Management (ISM). The application can be accessed here.
FAST charges a small application fee, payable by credit card at the end of the application. Parents who do not have a credit card or cannot afford the fee should contact [email protected] for a voucher.
The application includes information about income, assets, debt, and specific family circumstances. Friends of Raintree also requires that applicants have their current income tax return verified by FAST.
Please ensure you are reading all communications from FAST after submitting your application. You will be notified by FAST if additional information is needed. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required documentation is provided prior to the application deadline. Incomplete applications, including incomplete tax documentation, will not be reviewed by Friends of Raintree. Friends of Raintree is not responsible for ensuring the application is complete.
If support is needed in filling out the application, families should e-mail [email protected] to connect directly to a FAST Support Team Member for assistance.
Families that believe their financial documentation is not reflective of their financial situation may submit additional information regarding their financial situation.
All applicants must complete the FAST application process.
Once your application is complete, any questions regarding the status of your application should be directed to [email protected].
Short-term Tuition Assistance
This type of tuition assistance is designed to cover short-term financial needs for current Raintree families. Examples include, but are not limited to, parental job loss that is temporary, or family medical issues that result in a short-term financial hardship, such as a cancer diagnosis. In addition to tuition assistance, support may be provided for a student medical issue that requires more one-on-one attention than Raintree teachers can provide.
Families may apply for short-term tuition assistance at any time. Friends of Raintree may provide assistance depending upon the need, long-term plan for the student, and available funds. Friends of Raintree will endeavor to provide a response to the application for funds within 60 days of the request.
Short-term support is capped at $2,000 per student.
Long-term Tuition Assistance
This type of tuition assistance is designed to cover longer-term financial needs for students who wish to attend Raintree. They are intended to cover an academic year. Because the Montessori “cycle” is three years, Friends of Raintree will give preference to students who have already received tuition assistance for part of a cycle (primary, lower elementary, upper elementary or the Erdkinder).
Divorced/Separated/Non-married Parents
FOR requests that both parents or guardians, whether married, separated, divorced, or non-married, and regardless of custody arrangements, be responsible for the obligations of tuition and fees. Divorced, separated, or non-married parents or guardians make separate FAST applications, and each submits a current tax return. Neither parent has access to the information provided by the other. An applicant’s financial aid file is not considered complete if both parents have not completed the FAST application. In the event of a history of non-support on the part of one parent or outright refusal to complete the FAST application, FOR has the discretion to waive the noncustodial parent requirements.
Financial Assistance Awards
After receiving the FAST report(s), tax returns and the optional family financial report, the FOR Board will meet to make a financial aid award. The Board will make a fair financial aid allocation, basing its decision on all information in the file and the financial aid budget. All family and financial information in the student’s file will remain confidential, except to the extent it has to be reviewed to validate and provide the award.
Please note that FOR is a new organization and our funds are limited at this time.
FOR will contact the family with its financial aid award. Should the family choose to accept the award, it must reply with its acceptance. The funds will be distributed directly to Raintree on behalf of the family.
Note that each family that receives financial aid must complete this process every year in order to continue to receive financial aid. FOR cannot assure that families will maintain the same award from year to year.
Deadline to Apply for Financial Assistance
Applications for financial assistance for the next school year, including all tax documentation, should be submitted to FAST by April 15th of the current year. Award decisions for applications completed by the April 15th deadline will be made in June of the current year.
Applications that are incomplete, including tax documentation, as of April 15th, or are received after April 15th, will not be included in the first review by the applications committee. Award decisions for applications completed or received after April 15th will depend on the remaining funds available in the budget.
Students enrolling in Raintree Montessori School after the school year has begun are encouraged to apply at the time of enrollment. Friends of Raintree will endeavor to provide a response to these applications within 60 days of the completed FAST application.
Tuition Assistance Appeals
Families may appeal award and should clearly state in writing why it is inadequate to meet the family’s need. Friends of Raintree makes no assurance of a successful appeal but will thoroughly review each request.
Tuition Assistance Acceptance Requirements
Should the family choose to accept the award, the family must reply with acceptance. Failure to sign and return the tuition assistance acceptance letter by the stated deadline will result in forfeiture of the tuition assistance.
In accepting tuition assistance from Friends of Raintree, the family is agreeing to abide by all Raintree Montessori School policies and procedures. The student and the family agree to comply with and be subject to the school’s regulations, rules, expectations, consequences and various standards for academic and behavior established by the school. Friends of Raintree believes that a positive and constructive working relationship between the school and the student’s parents (or guardians) is essential to the fulfillment of our mission. Thus, and without limitation, Friends of Raintree reserves the right to suspend or rescind financial aid if the board concludes that the actions of the student or a parent (or guardian) make such a positive and constructive relationship difficult or impossible or that the actions interfere with the school’s accomplishment of its educational purposes and stated mission. The decision by the Friends of Raintree board in these regards shall be final.
Families accepting tuition assistance agree to notify Friends of Raintree of any significant change in financial situation including receipt of additional tuition assistance from another organization or individual within 14 days. A change in financial circumstances or additional tuition assistance may result in an adjustment to the tuition assistance provided by Friends of Raintree.
Families accepting tuition assistance also agree to allow for free and open communication between Friends of Raintree and Raintree Montessori School concerning all payments and charges to the families account with Raintree Montessori School.
Raintree Admittance
The Raintree admissions process is separate from financial aid. All families wishing to apply for financial aid must also be accepted by Raintree. Please contact Raintree directly for more information. Raintree Montessori and Friends of Raintree are two separate organizations.