Tuition & Aid

Tuition for 2024-2025 School Year

Grades K-5: $35,950

Grades 6-11: $38,400

Tuition Payment Schedule

Full payment of tuition balance on April 1

Monthly payments from April 1 through March 1.

Important Details

*Families using a payment plan are required to enroll in tuition insurance. Dewar tuition insurance insures families for tuition expenses in case of a move or unexpected withdrawal from school and reduces school budget uncertainty. Tuition insurance is 1.7% of tuition. Costs for families with financial aid or using the Student Support Program will vary depending on actual tuition and fees paid. Families who pay full tuition April 1st are NOT required to buy insurance, but it will be available.  

*There is one-time building use fee for all new students.  The building use fee for the 2024-25 school year is $3000.

*Student Support Program is a fee based support program, and costs are in addition to regular tuition fees.

*Families must provide a current Apple laptop for their older-elementary or upper-school aged students. Younger elementary students can license a Chromebook through the school.

Tuition Insurance

Tuition insurance is both a financial safeguard for Acera families and school and a standard practice at over 1200 independent schools nationwide.

As a young, growing school without an endowment, Acera depends on tuition payments to fund our exceptional, experiential learning program. Based on careful research of best practices and different providers, we are adding tuition insurance to reduce your financial risk, to increase our financial stability, and to ensure the highest quality program for our students. Dewar tuition insurance protects families for tuition expenses in case of a move or unexpected withdrawal from school while also reducing school budget uncertainty.

For more information on how tuition insurance works, email trp@dewarinsurance.com or visit Dewar Tuition Insurance website at www.tuitionrefundplan.com .

Financial Aid

Acera recognizes the sacrifices families make to send their children to independent schools.  We continue to offer a limited number of need-based financial aid awards that cap tuition at approximately $16,900-$17,800 per year.

We partner with School and Student Services (SSS), part of Community Brands, in our financial aid process.  To begin your financial aid application, you will complete SSS’s Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS).  The PFS is a comprehensive application that will take some time to complete.  To support families, especially those new to the process, SSS has put together videos, webinars and other useful materials that help navigate the financial aid process.  They can be found at www.sssbynais.org/parents .  Awards are based on demonstrated need.  To be considered, new and returning families must complete and submit all required SSS paperwork including a financial aid application, 2020 tax return, and recent paystub(s)/paycheck(s).  Families must re-apply each year.

We will communicate our financial aid decision to you. To make our decision we use the information from the PFS as the starting point into our financial aid committee’s decision.

Acera Diversity Scholarship

Founded in June 2020, the purpose of Acera’s Diversity Scholarship Program is to make Acera’s core school day program more accessible for BIPOC students who qualify for gifted education.  Acera’s focus on communities that have been historically marginalized aligns with our school wide commitment and ongoing work towards a more accessible, equitable, and just school community. The Diversity Scholarship Funds, as they are available, enable Acera to grow the financial aid we offer BIPOC families.  For more information or to apply for the Diversity Scholarship Program, please contact admissions@aceraschool.org.  If you are interested in donating to the Diversity Scholarship Fund, please contact giving@aceraschool.org.

Things to Note Before Applying for Financial Aid

We expect families to consider all external resources (relatives, scholarships, etc.) before requesting financial assistance, which enables us to prioritize families who do not have an extended familiar network that can offer monetary support.

Paying tuition must be a priority for the family. Both parents are expected to contribute to tuition through full time employment and other sources of income.

If the financial aid applicant’s parents are living apart or not filing taxes jointly, both parents must complete a PFS.

For families in which one parent is not working outside of the home, we ask for a letter explaining employment status of the non-working parent.  Our financial aid budget does not subsidize choices made by families returning for graduate studies, business ventures, or the choice not to work when dependents are school-aged.

All financial aid information is kept confidential.

How to Apply

Go tohttps://sssandtadsfa.my.site.com/familyportal to create an account and apply for financial aid.

Important Dates and Deadlines

For returning students:  To be considered for financial aid, please submit your financial aid application and required paperwork no later than December 15th.  Families will be notified of awards on January 15th.

For new applicants:  To be considered for financial aid, please submit your financial aid application by January 15th (or November 15 if applying for early decision).  Financial aid awards will be communicated at the same time as admissions decisions.

**New or returning families applying after January 15th will be considered on a rolling basis if there is any remaining aid available.  

For questions about financial aid, please email admissions@aceraschool.org .

Testimonials

Ever since my first day at Acera, I was surrounded by incredible people. I had (and still have) friends who never cease to interest me, mentors who are happy to point me in the right direction but also willing to push me out of my comfort zone, and resources like the woodshop and lab.

GRADUATION SPEECH BY ACERA STUDENT