Sun Valley Community School

Tuition & The Value Of Sun Valley Community School

Education Is The Investment Of A Lifetime.

When you choose to invest in a Sun Valley Community School education, you are choosing to transform your child's future. Our students are known, challenged, and inspired through a dynamic academic environment, engaging outdoor programming, and invaluable opportunities to connect with their community and earn the confidence to share their voice.

Tuition And Fees

Current Year Early Childhood Center Tuition

• 3-Day Program: $9,000
• 4-Day Program: $10,800
• 5-Day Program: $12,000

Please note that the ECC school day ends at 1pm, and aftercare is available until 5:30pm at an additional cost. Sun Valley Community school does not offer Tuition Assistance for Early Childhood Center tuition.

Elementary School Tuition (K-5)

Current Year Elementary School Tuition

• Kindergarten: $16,500
• 1st Grade: $18,000
• Grades 2-3: $21,500*
• Grades 4-5: $24,750*

Additional Fees for Outdoor Trips are as follows:

• 3rd Grade: $250
• 4th Grade: $500
• 5th Grade: $1,400

Middle School Tuition (6-8)

Current Year Middle School Tuition

• Tuition for Grades 6-8: $29,000
• Additional Fees:* $1,400

Additional Fees include Books, Outdoor Trips, Athletics, Yearbook

Upper School + Boarding Tuition (9-12)

Current Year Upper School + Boarding Tuition

• Tuition for grades 9-12: $32, 250
• Boarding Fee: $18,000
• Upper School Tuition + Boarding Fee: $50,250
• Additional Fees:* $1,800

Additional Fees include Books, Outdoor Trips, Athletics, Yearbook

Additional Fees And Expenses

Please note that books, supplies, and trip fees listed in the tuition sections above are approximate and vary from year to year. Costs in addition to those listed in the sections include:

• Cutthroat Cafe lunch option or lunches purchased from outside vendors, if applicable
• After-school care
• Athletic extras
• Learning specialist fees
• Dances or other social events
• College Application-related expenses (SAT I & II, AP testing, college application fees, college visits)
• Senior project-related expenses, if applicable

The Sun Valley Community School Difference

• Be known and inspired by faculty committed to connecting with you and supporting your passions.
• Find meaningful academic challenge through engaging classroom and experiential learning.
• Connect with your community through Outdoor Program experiences that allow you to push past your comfort zone and develop skills practical and profound.
• Earn the confidence to share your ideas and effect change, among your peers and in the wider world.

Tuition Assistance

We recognize that investing in your child's education is one of the most significant financial decisions you will make as a family. We want to help you navigate this process and provide support throughout. Please review the responses to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) we have provided below, and don't hesitate to reach out at any point with questions: admissions@communityschool.org or 208.622.3960, ext. 174.

Tuition Assistance FAQS

Our Tuition Assistance Policy

Sun Valley Community School has a need-based tuition assistance policy. For a school our size, we award a substantial amount of tuition assistance each year to families who qualify. We seek to make a Sun Valley Community School education a reality for as many families as possible within our budgetary constraints. We review each application for tuition assistance with consistent guidelines and evaluate individual family needs while weighing each grade's capacity and needs as well. We recognize that an independent school education is a choice for families, and both the school and families make significant financial sacrifices to support this choice.

Should Our Family Apply For Tuition Assistance?

Few families find it easy to pay private school tuition. Most families adjust their spending priorities, maximize both parents' earnings, and carefully manage assets to do so. We would like to provide firm guidelines to help you decide whether to apply for assistance, but we have found that each family's circumstance is unique. The most helpful guideline comes from your own knowledge of your family's finances. A good rule of thumb is, if in doubt, apply.

How Is Our Family’s Financial Need Determined?

The School and Student Services for Financial Aid (SSS) processes the information you provide on the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) according to their standard methodology to assess the resources your family has available to contribute towards your student’s educational expenses. The result of this evaluation is printed on a Report of Family Contribution (RFC) and sent to Sun Valley Community School. Some factors that SSS takes into account are: income (both taxable and nontaxable), assets (home equity, savings, bonds, etc.), expenses, indebtedness, family size, age of parents/guardians (to allow for retirement savings), and the number of students attending tuition-charging schools.

There can be some variation between the SSS estimation of a family's financial need and what Sun Valley Community School actually awards. While SSS merely keys in the data provided on the PFS, our Business Office Manager reviews and recalculates the family's financial profile based on information gleaned from taxes and other documentation provided by the family. The Tuition Assistance Committee then meets to discuss each family's situation and allocates awards accordingly. Our committee also considers the reality that we live in a high cost area.

Understanding Your SSS Family Report

After your Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) has been received and processed, you can view your Family Report in the Parents’ Financial Statement Online. The Family Report shows you how SSS estimates the amount your family can contribute to educational expenses (your “Estimated Family Contribution”). Reviewing the Family Report can help you understand the information that schools may reference as they make tuition assistance decisions. Click here to learn how SSS estimates your family contribution.

If Our Student Receives Tuition Assistance For One Year, Will We Automatically Receive Assistance Each Of The Following Years?

Parents are required to apply for tuition assistance annually because tuition increases and changes in family resources may affect the amount of the awards. As long as your family’s financial situation does not change drastically, you should continue to qualify for a similar level of assistance.

Who Will See The Information In Our Tuition Assistance Application?

Only the members of the school’s Tuition Assistance Committee see this information. We strictly maintain the confidentiality of all financial materials you provide.

How Much Does It Cost To Apply For Tuition Assistance?

The fee to apply online is $51. SSS begins accepting applications on last year October 2, for the curernt school year. There are limited fee waivers available if applying for tuition assistance is a strain on your budget. Please contact Julie Siegel in the Business Office.

Is Tuition Assistance Available For Outdoor Program Trips?

For students who qualify for tuition assistance, parents may request trip assistance on a case-by-case basis. Parents should submit the trip invoice with a written request for trip assistance to the Business Office. The Tuition Assistance Committee then awards assistance based on availability of funds and the family's demonstrated need. The amount of assistance you may receive for any given trip will not exceed the percentage of assistance you receive.

How Many Students Receive Tuition Assistance?

For the recent school year, Sun Valley Community School will provide 37 percent of our students with some form of tuition assistance for a total of $2.5 million awarded in tuition assistance.