The elementary schools of the diocese are urging parents who anticipate possible financial need to apply for tuition assistance monies that have been set aside by each school for the coming year.
The schools typically set aside at least 2.5 percent of their operating budgets to assist parents with tuition costs.
Tuition costs in the elementary schools in the diocese for the first Catholic child enrolled will average about $3,100 for the 2008-09 school year, with discounts for multiple children enrolled. The registration fee has been set at $100 per student. Non-Catholic students will pay a higher tuition rate. The average tuition rate increase for the first child enrolled is approximately $260 higher than the average tuition rate for this current school year.
Tuition rates within each cluster have been standardized to facilitate open enrollment, a process by which parents are free to select the Catholic school of their choice regardless of where they live, and to give each school within the cluster a fair chance to attract students.
The tuition rates charged for the 2008-09 school year are below the actual cost of educating a child, which averages $4,350.