Affording LCA: Indexed Tuition
Our desire is that families who are committed to the philosophy and values of Legacy Christian Academy are able to partner with us to provide their children with an excellent Christian private school education. Because of that, we offer a personalized approach to tuition through our Indexed Tuition model for families with students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Your tuition will be set based on your family’s income and expenses as well as your family’s assets.
Think You Can't Afford a Quality Christian Education?
THINK AGAIN.
Tuition is no longer a one-size-fits all model at Legacy Christian Academy.
Legacy Christian Academy is thrilled to partner with your family. We understand that there is great diversity in families’ incomes and assets. Our Indexed Tuition program recognizes those differences and provides a range of tuition so that we charge the rates that are right for our families. Application for Enrollment must be submitted (but not completed) in order for Indexed Tuition determinations to be shared with prospective families.
Indexed Tuition applications for the 2023-2024 school year opened on December 1.
Does my Family Qualify?
LCA evaluates the entirety of a family’s financial situation, such as annual income, assets and debts, and the number of students attending tuition-paying K-12 schools to determine their tuition rate. This immediately allows families to see the potential cost of their education.
FAQs
What is Indexed Tuition?
Indexed Tuition is a program that reflects LCA’s commitment to providing access to Christian education for families of all income levels. Indexed Tuition allows families to qualify for an indexed tuition rate based on their unique financial circumstances.
This is not a loan program. The amount of reduced tuition will never need to be “repaid.”
How is Indexed Tuition beneficial to LCA?
We understand that there is great diversity in families’ incomes and assets. Our Indexed Tuition program recognizes those differences and provides a range of tuition so that we charge the rates that are right for our families.
Peer schools with similar models have found that it changes perceptions about affordability and increases the number of prospective families considering a private Christian education, which in turn enriches a school's student body and the overall community.
How does Indexed Tuition work?
Any prospective or current family with students in kindergarten to grade 12 may apply for Indexed Tuition if they are concerned about affording the full tuition rate at Legacy Christian Academy. Tap here to view Tuition Information.
To determine if a family qualifies for Indexed Tuition, Legacy Christian Academy partners with FACTS, a third party financial processor of Indexed Tuition applications for independent schools across the country. FACTS determines a family’s ability to pay tuition based upon on an “Estimated Family Contribution” (EFC) calculation that takes into account many of the factors that make up a family’s overall financial picture, including but not limited to income, assets, household size, unusual expenses, and family size.
The Indexed Tuition Committee evaluates each application in a fair, consistent, and confidential manner. We take time to understand the nuances and unique circumstances of each family.
How do we apply for Indexed Tuition?
LCA partners with FACTS to process Indexed Tuition applications. Every year families submit a Parent Financial Statement (PFS) to FACTS, which processes the information and provides an analysis.
- Complete instructions are provided on the FACTS website and the Indexed Tuition Application Process.
- LCA has a generous Indexed Tuition budget; however, it is not unlimited. To be considered in the first round of tuition indexing, please apply and have all supporting documentation submitted by January 15, 2023. Beyond this initial date, applications are considered on a rolling basis. After submission of the application and all required supporting documents, FACTS can take up to 2 weeks to verify the information. Indexed Tuition rates will be communicated within 2 weeks of this completed process. It is required that families follow the Indexed Tuition timeline in order to receive full consideration.
Is Indexed Tuition available for all grades?
No. Indexed Tuition is available for families with students in grades Kindergarten through 12. It is not available for Early Learning grades (Pre-K 3- Kinder).
The availability of Indexed Tuition may vary based on the entering grade level, space in a grade, number of applicants, and budgeted funds, including evidence of the ability to pay LCA Early Learning tuition, daycare or college.
Will applying for Indexed Tuition diminish the chances of my child being accepted to LCA?
No. Admission applications and Indexed Tuition applications are reviewed separately, and submitting an application for Indexed Tuition has no bearing on an applicant’s admissibility.
If we qualify for Indexed Tuition this year, will we pay the same amount in future years? Do we need to apply again?
Families must reapply for Indexed Tuition each year and meet all stated deadlines. If the current financial picture for a family changes significantly, the amount of Indexed Tuition will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the new amount of demonstrated need.
Are all students who are offered admission automatically offered Indexed Tuition if their parents qualify?
Unfortunately, not. While LCA makes a considerable investment in the program each year, we are not able to offer Indexed Tuition to every student who qualifies for both admission and Indexed Tuition due to a finite amount of funds available.
How do families in multiple households apply for Indexed Tuition?
LCA requires that, to be considered for Indexed Tuition, each parent/guardian household must submit a separate Indexed Tuition application along with all tax documents and forms. Consideration of all available resources from both parents/guardians and their spouses is based on the principle that a family’s contribution for education is a reflection of “the ability to contribute, not the willingness to contribute,” which is standard FACTS policy.
After LCA determines an Indexed Tuition rate for the student, it is the responsibility of the parents to determine a payment schedule structure.
If a parent is no longer involved in the life of the child in any way, please speak directly with LCA’s Indexed Tuition coordinator, Whitney Younts, at 972-987-1096 to determine how to proceed.
Will My Application be Confidential?
All Indexed Tuition applications are confidential. Faculty and administrators are not privy to any family’s financial materials, nor are they aware of which families apply for Indexed Tuition.
In the case of applications from multiple households, all financial information is kept strictly confidential, and at no time will one household have access to the others’ information.
In fact, LCA considers all Indexed Tuition decisions to be confidential agreements between the school and the recipient family and expects both parties to treat them that way.