Scholarships for Education Choice



Template for a Tuition Assistance Policy:Introduction: State the goal of the programSample: A goal of the Clear Creek Christian School is to provide a Christian education for every potential student that desires it. However, we realize that many families have financial barriers that impede their ability to enroll their children in a private Christian school. Therefore, the Tuition Assistance Fund (TAF) and the Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) Fund are established for the purpose of assisting qualified families with tuition based on their financial need. This policy describes the criteria used to assess need and make tuition assistance awards.Our intent is that this policy be considered a Qualified Scholarship Program under the Internal Revenue Code and that awards be tax free to the recipient.Contributions: Identify how the school will interact with the donor. Identify the giving process, the receipt letter, and any additional steps the school will take with the donor.It is important to indicate that gifts given to the SGO program cannot be directed to particular students. The gifts are all combined into one account and the scholarships are disbursed according to the financial aid policy. (The sample below does not contain a statement like this and should).Sample: Contributions to these programs are typically tax deductible. A tax advisor should be consulted to determine deductibility and credits for SGO contributions. Contributions to the TAF should be directed to the Treasurer of the Clear Creek Christian School. Checks should be payable to the Clear Creek Christian School Tuition Assistance Fund. Contributions to the SGO fund should be directed to our SGO partner. An Annual Report will be sent to each Contributor.Confidentiality:Identify the steps that are taken to maintain confidentiality.Sample:A minimum number of people should be aware of the existence of pending applications for tuition assistance. Schoolteachers and staff members should not know which families are receiving tuition assistance. Knowledge of pending applications should be confined to the School Board and members of the Tuition Assistance Committee.Applications:Identify the application process the school utilizes.It is highly recommended that the application be open and made available to ALL parents. Problems can arise when the applications are only offered to certain families. Only families who are income eligible and provide income documentation will be eligible for the scholarship. The families can decide if they wish to apply and if they believe they will be eligible.If the SGO scholarship is one piece of a financial aid package it is important that parents are aware of the program and “sign off” with their permission for the school to apply on their behalf.SEC provides a Parent guide that indicates the steps and income eligibility guidelines.If the school uses a third party processor; this is the appropriate place to identify that and the steps necessary for that process.It is here that the school can indicate the order in which applications are considered. Having a “first come first considered” policy helps ensure applications are completed by parents in a timely manner. The order in which scholarships are funded can be handled in a subsequent section.Sample:Application forms are available at the school office. This includes a one-page form that is returned to the school office and a multi-page form that is sent directly to the application processing company.Applications for tuition assistance must be submitted directly to the processing firm (Private School Aid Service) by May 1st for the next school year. A complete submission includes all data requested on the application forms, a copy of the family’s Federal tax form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ for the most recent tax year with accompanying schedules, W-2 forms, and the applicable fee. The processing company will evaluate the data and determine the applicant’s “adjusted available income” and analyze the “student need”.Applicants for SGO scholarships must also complete the brief on-line application on our SGO partner’s web site.Financial information is strictly confidential; the raw data will not be viewed or evaluated by the Tuition Assistance Committee of the Clear Creek Christian School. Fully completed tuition assistance applications will be considered only after a family has applied for enrollment and paid the appropriate enrollment fees. In the case of extenuating circumstances, late applications may be considered at the discretion of the Tuition Assistance Committee. However, applications received by the deadline will be considered first.The Tuition Assistance Committee will review the findings of the processing company, evaluate applications with special circumstances, and submit a confidential report to the Board with recommendations for the distribution of tuition assistance to the applicants. The Committee will be chaired by a School Board Member or school Treasurer and include three members at large.Eligibility:Identify any additional eligibility requirements beyond what the legislation requires for the tax credit scholarship.Sample:Parents must demonstrate an understanding of and desire for Christian education. To qualify for tuition assistance, they should be able to provide specific examples of financial sacrifices they have made or are prepared to make in their own lives to enable their children to attend a Christian school (working extra jobs, cutting back on discretionary spending, selling vehicles, delaying major purchases, etc.). This sacrifice balances the sacrifice of the tuition assistance donors and the staff of the school.¨ Eligibility shall be based on demonstrated student need and space availability in the classroom.¨ Consideration is given for support to siblings of currently enrolled students.¨ Any balances owed by the applicant from a prior school year must be paid current in order for a tuition assistance application to be accepted.¨ Continuing good behavior by the student both in and out of school is required or the remainder of the assistance award may be withdrawn upon written notice.¨ Parents must demonstrate a cooperative attitude toward the school administration and staff or the remainder of the assistance award may be withdrawn upon written notice.¨ Tuition assistance does not renew automatically. Families must re-apply for tuition assistance each year.¨ Once tuition assistance is granted, it will accrue in the same manner in which the family receiving assistance pays their portion of the tuition, i.e. if the family pays monthly, tuition assistance will accrue monthly; if the family pays an entire semester, tuition assistance will accrue for the entire semester. Tuition assistance will only continue as the family receiving assistance keeps up with their payment of tuition.¨ If a student withdraws from school during the year or is expelled, all unused portions of the tuition assistance will be retained in or returned to the Fund.¨ Additional criteria for SGO scholarship eligibility are specified by Indiana law. Please refer to application packet for the current eligibility requirements.Tuition Assistance AwardsIdentify the structure and order in which awards are given.The school may decide to limit a maximum award to a certain percentage of annual tuition.It is here that the school can identify the order in which funds are allocated depending on their availability. Most schools prioritize the minimum award ($500.00) necessary to ensure a student’s eligibility into the Choice Scholarship (Voucher) system the following year. For example: In order to ensure that students are eligible for the Choice Scholarship (Voucher) in subsequent years; priority will be given to students that are not currently eligible. A minimum $500.00 award will be awarded to income eligible students who do not currently have a pathway to a Choice Scholarship (Voucher).Sample statements for additional funds:If available funds permit, additional awards can be made and will be offered to applicants in proportion to their need.If available funds permit, additional awards can be made and will not exceed $750.00 per student.If available funds permit, additional awards can be made and will not exceed the maximum award of ___% of the annual tuition.If available funds permit, additional awards can be made using those additional funds. The funds available will be allocated equally among all eligible students.Sample: In order to meet the needs of the greatest number of families, the maximum award will be 50% of the annual tuition. The amount of the award will be based on the applicant’s “adjusted available income” and “student need” as determined by the application processing company (Private School Aid Service). The Tuition Assistance Committee will review applications and verify eligibility based on requirements defined in this policy. Once eligibility is established, assistance will be offered to applicants in proportion to their need as ranked by the outside company using TAF and SGO funds The Tuition Assistance Committee will take into account special circumstances recorded on the application forms. Students eligible for SGO funds may receive aid from both funds.Any funds that are awarded and subsequently not used due to withdrawal of the student or other loss of eligibility as defined by this policy will be returned to the pool of funds available for award to other eligible students under this policy. Any grants awarded during the school year will apply only to tuition due from the date of the award to the end of the school year.Non-discriminationIt is important to include a non-discrimination clause. Sample:The Clear Creek Christian School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policy, tuition assistance policy and athletic and other school administered programs.Other suggestions:Include a calendar of dates when applications are due, when the family will hear if they are approved etc.If available run the finished policy by an attorney. ................
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