Indian Creek School Announces Flexible Tuition Beginning in 2018!

Last year, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Association for Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) surveyed parents who had children in both public and independent schools in the Baltimore/Annapolis region. The survey confirmed what many we have heard from prospective parents: “We think Indian Creek is an exceptional school for our children, but the cost of an independent education is a challenge for my family.” In addition, respondents in the survey said that the cost was a significant factor in their ability to provide access to the kind of education they value for their children.

Independent school education can be expensive, and when you have looked at our website, visited our school, attended an Open House, had your child shadow for a day, you have stated that you value an Indian Creek education for your children, that you value our community, that you value the experience, but cost has increasingly become an issue. Our community believes in a school that values diversity of all types - including socio-economic diversity. However, the age-old, traditional financial aid system prevalent in independent schools has forced a “barbell” effect, with a large number of full tuition families on one end, an increasing number of heavily aided families on another, and many families who could pay a significant portion – but not all – of tuition squeezed out in the middle. This is making it a challenge to enroll new families that makes for a dynamic community that is affordable, accessible, diverse, and inclusive. We heard you and we heard our families.

We are pleased to announce a new approach to Independent School tuition, appropriately named Flexible Tuition. This program allows us to build a financial model for each grade and offer a defined number of seats in each grade at different tuition levels. Our ideal is that each family’s tuition - a figure that represents the portion of the full cost of an Indian Creek education that a family is required to pay - be in line with what that family can afford to contribute. Flexible Tuition is transparent, defined, and responsible. We also believe this is the best model for current and prospective families.