Children’s Community School is committed to fostering a community that reflects the diversity of Los Angeles. Diversity is defined broadly: racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, and socio-economic. To meet that goal, CCS is proud to offer more financial aid than any other non-parochial independent school in Los Angeles. These are some questions that we’re typically asked about Financial Aid:
Should I apply for Financial Aid?
Affording an independent school education can be difficult. Many families sacrifice significantly to attend CCS. By adjusting spending priorities, maximizing incomes, and carefully managing assets, many families are able to pay the entire tuition. However, other families, no matter how hard they try, will not be able to afford some or all of the tuition. We encourage those families to apply for Financial Aid. Each family’s combination of circumstances is unique and the response to the application will also be appropriately unique.
Who is typically awarded Financial Aid?
At CCS, at least 30% of all students receive some financial aid. Half of those students (15% of our student body) come from families with a gross annual income of under $20,000. The other half of our financial aid students come from families with a wide range of incomes. The Board considers each application carefully, and many factors are considered when assessing a family’s need for financial aid including: the number of children in the family; the number of children in tuition-charging schools; a family’s assets, liabilities, and debt ratio.
Does applying for Financial Aid affect our chances for admission?
No. Students are accepted to CCS regardless of family financial circumstances. Decisions regarding admissions are made by a committee of staff members which is entirely different than the Financial Aid Committee which makes financial aid decisions. By striving to make this process “blind”, sometimes students are accepted for admission, but placed on a waiting list for financial aid.
Who makes the decisions regarding Financial Aid?
Children’s Community School is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of current and alumni parents as well as community activists. The Financial Aid Committee is made up of current Board Members who are not current parents. This volunteer committee works very hard with the guidance of institutionalized goals to review each application thoroughly.
Does CCS offer 100% tuition grants? What, if any, are the limitations of CCS’ financial aid program?
Yes, CCS is proud to offer our neediest families 100% tuition remission. This is the only way to ensure true socio-economic diversity in our student body. There is a limit to the amount of financial aid offered to any one family. By Board policy, each family is eligible for up to but no more than one and one half tuitions meaning that second and third children are not awarded full financial aid grants. This ensures that no one family receives a predominant amount of CCS’ financial aid.
What information do I need to provide the Financial Aid Committee?
CCS (like most independent schools) requires Financial Aid applicants to complete the application provided by FAST, our financial aid service. Supplementary materials also required include: payroll stubs, W-2 forms, and tax returns.
We are divorced. How will that affect our application for Financial Aid?
The School expects both parents to participate in the financial support of a child’s education, and therefore asks both parents to submit financial aid applications and supporting materials. All materials remain confidential.
If we should receive a partial financial aid award, what options do we have for payment of the balance?
A payment plan for completing tuition can be made with CCS’ Business Manager. We strive for all payments to be complete by the end of the calendar year. It is also worth looking into the low-cost loans offered by Sallie Mae specifically for private school tuition. The link to this program is here: SALLIE MAE
Do we need to apply every year?
Yes. In order to ensure equitable distribution of financial aid funds, CCS reviews all applications each year – of both new and returning students. Because financial circumstances often change, all supporting materials are required to be provided each year. Although future financial aid is not guaranteed, the goal of the Financial Aid Committee is to continue to support current families as they attend the school.
Where do Financial Aid funds come from?
Financial Aid is a priority for Children’s Community School and for that reason the amount of aid available in a given year is not dependent on the success of any single year’s fundraising efforts, but is built into the expense budget of the school. However, the entire CCS community does participate in vigorous fundraising programs that contribute to many aspects of the CCS program, including significant contributions to financial aid. We are grateful for the support of the CCS parent body, alumni and friends of the School for understanding that a diverse learning community is an intrinsic part of education for democracy.
How do I apply for Financial Aid?
Simply check the appropriate box on the CCS Admissions Application and complete the information requested for on the link below. CCS encourages families to contact FAST directly with questions at 1.877.326.FAST about the application anytime of the day, seven days a week. However, Helen Stevenson, CCS Assistant Director (818.780.6226) is also available to assist families.
