MAKING GONZAGA PREP ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL FAMILIES
Mission-Driven
Gonzaga Prep’s mission statement affirms that the school “exists to support the life of the Catholic Church in the Inland Northwest by seeking to serve all families who desire for their children Catholic education in the Jesuit tradition.” With this in mind, the school implemented the Fair Share tuition program in 1992. Although modeled after the Fair Share program used in the Catholic grade schools, Prep’s Fair Share program is unique in that tuition guidelines are used based on a family’s adjusted gross income. The school has a long tradition of helping students attend regardless of income.
Sacrifice
A Gonzaga Prep Catholic education embraces Gospel values, an excellent college prep curriculum, a full activities program and community service. Families who send their children to Prep understand that they are committing to a philosophy and a financial commitment, which is often a sacrifice for families. All families are asked to participate in Fair Share through prayerful reflection, payment of tuition based on ability to pay, and 20 volunteer hours per year.
Full Cost Tuition
Full cost tuition is determined each year by examining the school’s expenses and the projected number of students. Full cost tuition for 2008-09 is $8,615. In an ideal world, all families would pay this amount, which represents the actual cost of educating one student at Gonzaga Prep for one year.
Reduced Tuition
Families may request a reduction in the full cost of tuition in a meeting with a facilitator arranged by the school. Families whose adjusted gross income precludes them from paying full cost are asked to pay a reduced tuition amount based on income guidelines established by the school.
Extraordinary Circumstances
If a family is unable to meet the guidelines based on adjusted gross income, a special meeting is conducted where extraordinary circumstances are presented and an agreement on tuition is reached that is fair to both the family and the school.
Who Pays for the Difference?
No family is asked to pay more tuition than their Fair Share. Some volunteer to do so. Seventy-nine percent of the school’s revenue comes from tuition. Nine percent comes from interest from the Fr. John Hurley Foundation. (The money in this Foundation has been donated by alumni and other benefactors over the past 50 years.) The other twelve percent comes from school fundraising and other income (i.e., the annual Auction, the student fundraiser, the Annual Fund Drive, the President’s Club). The school raises over $600,000 each year and expects all families to support these efforts.
Scholarships
The school has some full and partial scholarships that are awarded after Fair Share tuition commitments have been determined. These scholarships are used to reduce tuition costs for a family and are based on particular criteria.