How Do Families Afford Christian Education? Tips For Families Seeking Faith-Based School
When you think about your child’s year at school, how are you feeling? Are you excited for the teacher he or she has or the friends in his class? Are you looking forward to hearing what the class will be learning throughout the year? Maybe, like many parents, you’re feeling a little anxious about the school’s curriculum and the conversations that might happen in and outside of the classroom.
At Sussex Christian School, we are hearing from more and more families who are anxious about what is being taught in their child’s school. Sometimes, it’s because they’re hearing rumors about curriculum changes in public schools. Other times it’s because they have first-hand experience with their child encountering troubling discussions in class that seem attack their budding faith.
Christian parents are growing more curious about faith-based education that is aligned with their family’s values, but the price tag on Christian schools can be intimidating. You may be one of the many families asking, “How do families like ours afford Christian education?”
Well, I’m here to tell you that affording Christian schools is not easy, but our families tell us it’s worth it. At Sussex Christian School, we serve families from diverse economic backgrounds. How do they all make it work? Here are some tips from families who are making a financial sacrifice to attend Christian school.
Check out Tuition Reduction Programs
Many schools (Sussex Christian included) run programs that are designed to help families save on tuition wherever possible. TRIP is a program run by SCS that allows families to earn tuition credit through a gift card program that acts like a cash-back credit card. Families who use TRIP can purchase gift cards for retailers they buy from anyway (Walmart, ShopRite, Home Depot, QuickChek and more). With each gift card purchase, the family receives a percentage back in tuition credits. Families who are committed to affording Christian education and who use the program diligently can save anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand dollars a year through the program!
Bonus tip: You don’t have to be a parent to start a TRIP account. If you may want Christian education for your children in the future, you can start now and get several years of savings under your belt for your future children! Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends can also start TRIP accounts and assign their credits to your future students.
Volunteer or Work at the School
Parents who are involved at their child’s school can often save even more on tuition. Sussex Christian School offers tuition discounts to families who volunteer or work at the school. Volunteers can save through the Volunteer Tuition Credit program, which credits families for each hour served at the school up to a certain amount. Teachers and staff can also receive discounts as employees of the school. As a mom or dad, your schedule is already packed, but finding a few hours on nights, mornings, weekends or summers to volunteer at your child’s Christian school can help make the investment more affordable.
Talk to Your Church
Local churches and Christian schools share similar missions to grow disciples. Several churches right here in Sussex County have made commitments to support members of their congregation who choose Christian education. Each church is different, but it’s certainly worth asking to see if your church is one of the many who are committed to partnering with Christian schools. A conversation with your church’s pastor, elders, or deacons is a good place to start.
Don’t Hesitate to Request Tuition Assistance
Christian schools want to make school as affordable as they possibly can. Through the generosity of donors in the community, many schools have a tuition assistance fund available for families with demonstrated financial need. Do not hesitate to take advantage of these programs! If you are concerned about affording Christian education or if the numbers just don’t seem to be fitting in your budget, make sure to ask the school how they can help. At SCS, the Stallion Opportunity Fund distributes around $80,000 each year to families with financial need, and our community of supporters has helped to fund those scholarships every year because they believe in the value of Christian education.
Get Plugged-in to the Community
Community is one of the awesome benefits of Christian schools, primarily because you’re surrounded by like-minded families who share your family’s values. An additional benefit is that these families are as committed to Christian education as you are, so the moms and dads you’ll become friends with may also become an extra set of helping hands. It’s common to see members of our community doing what they can to save financially, whether it’s taking friends meals during times of need, passing down hand-me-downs that are dress code approved, or carpooling to and from school to save time and gas money. When you get plugged-in to the Christian school community, you’ll be a part of a network of care that is deep rooted and committed.
Is it worth it?
SCS families will tell you that affording Christian education is a sacrifice, and each family’s budget becomes a bit tighter when you add a “Christian school” line item. But families who are committed to making Christian school work for their family have learned to ask for help, take advantage of programs that are available, and budget creatively to make it work. If you are curious about Christian education but concerned about how to make it work in your family’s budget, give us a call. We would be happy to talk to you more about how families at SCS make Christian education work or to connect you to a family who would be happy to share their story with you.
