Capitol Hill Day School is committed to an educational environment that includes economic diversity in its community. As stated in the School’s Strategic Plan: “To fulfill this commitment, the School maintains a strong financial aid program. Need-based financial assistance is the key to School affordability.”
While the responsibility for financing a student’s education lies solely with the student’s family, Capitol Hill Day School recognizes that an independent school education is a major investment and one that could exceed a family’s resources.
Capitol Hill Day School offers a number of options to assist families in financing their children’s education: monthly payment plans, tuition insurance, and need-based financial aid.
Approximately 20% of the School’s students receive financial aid. The financial aid program is financed through the generosity of parents, friends, and other donors to the Financial Aid Endowment Fund, restricted gifts, and through an allocation from the School’s operating or annual budget. The School awards nearly $500,000 in financial aid each year to eligible students.
The Financial Aid Process
The application process for financial aid is separate from the admissions process. Assistance is provided based on a compelling case of financial need. The School only makes financial aid awards; we do not offer academic scholarships or merit awards. Financial need is defined as the difference between the family’s resources and the student’s educational expenses. A family’s resources include annual income, parent assets, student assets, and sources of financial assistance from outside parties (grandparents, other family members, awards, grants from churches, etc.).
Applicants for admission to Capitol Hill Day School will receive information on the financial aid process along with application materials; parents of returning students will be mailed a financial aid package in November or December of each year.
The application process for financial assistance is an annual event. Parents must submit an application and provide the needed supporting documentation each year, regardless of the student’s status as a new student, returning student, or a previous recipient of financial aid. Returning students are given first priority in the disbursement of financial aid.
Step 1: Submit a Parent Financial Statement (PFS) to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS)
Capitol Hill Day School uses a standardized needs assessment developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) on behalf of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Parents complete a form transmitting basic financial information to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) in Princeton, NJ.
In accordance with National Association of Independent School (NAIS) guidelines, Capitol Hill Day School expects parents that are divorced, separated, or parents that have never been married to contribute to the education of their children whether or not there is a legal agreement between them or a court order to do so. Each parent must complete the full application process. If either parent remarries, the financial information of the stepparent must be included in application materials for financial aid.
Any change in a family financial situation, such as a job loss or extraordinary expenses associated with caring for an aged parent, should be noted on the SSS form.
SSS completes an initial analysis of the information and calculates an amount of discretionary income, or the amount of income and assets that are available after the deduction of a family’s estimated living expenses to cover additional costs such as tuition at an independent school. This calculation is sent to the Business Office.
Applicants may receive a copy of the SSS determination by checking the appropriate box on the Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and paying an additional fee.
Step 2: Submit supplemental information to the School
Parents are required to submit IRS Form 1040 along with supporting schedules and copies of all W-2’s directly to Capitol Hill Day School, Attn: Business Office. This information supplements the calculations provided by the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS).
Step 3: Evaluation of the Request The Financial Aid Committee will review the forms and supporting materials reviewed by SSS along with each parent’s IRS Form 1040, supporting schedules, and W-2’s. The Business Manager may request additional information if unusual expenses, indebtedness, or conflicting entries prevents the committee from determining an equitable amount of financial assistance.
All applications are held in strict confidence to protect families’ privacy.
After a complete evaluation of the information that has been provided, the Committee makes an award recommendation. Financial aid will not be awarded for any applicant whose file is incomplete.
In recent years, the demand for financial aid has exceeded the funds that the School has available. The School reserves the option to make an award consistent with the calculation of financial need as recommended by SSS, offer a reduced amount of financial aid, or decline to offer any financial aid.
Step 4: Notification of Award Newly admitted students receive the financial aid award along with the offer of admittance to Capitol Hill Day School. Returning students are notified along with the re-enrollment contract or as soon thereafter as possible. Parents must return a signed re-enrollment contract by the due date to guarantee a space in next year’s class even if the financial aid offer has not been issued or accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
- Does Capitol Hill Day School offer merit scholarships?
No. All financial aid is awarded based on demonstrated need, not upon academic, athletic, or another basis of merit.
- Will applying for financial aid affect my child’s chances for admission?
No. Students are admitted to Capitol Hill Day School following an evaluation of ability and potential, and not based on a family’s financial resources. Admission decisions are made separately from decisions on financial aid.
- I am not sure if our family will qualify for financial aid. Is it worth applying?
Since many financial factors enter into the determination of financial aid, it is usually best to apply. In general, single parent families with an income of $75,000 may qualify for some financial assistance and two-parent families with income up to $150,000 may qualify for a limited amount of assistance. Families in any income bracket may qualify for assistance depending on unique circumstances or family size.
- What do I do if I do if I have not received my W-2? What do I do if my IRS Form 1040 and supporting schedules are not ready?
It is very important that all applications for financial assistance be complete in accordance with the School’s deadlines. The amount of financial assistance is limited, and incomplete files will not be considered for an award. Often a December pay slip will contain the same information as that provided by a W-2. Parents using a tax preparation service must insist that their tax forms are completed on a priority basis.
- Will my child’s financial award change from year to year? What if my finances change?
Financial aid is recalculated each year using current information. While financial aid grants do not automatically renew from year to year, a family may expect that future grants will be made at the same percentage level of tuition in future years. Thus, a portion of future tuition increases will be shared with the parents.
- Does Capitol Hill Day School offer full financial aid?
Capitol Hill Day School does not offer full financial assistance to families. Every effort is made to meet the needs of families, but we expect parents to contribute towards the cost of tuition as well as participate in the fundraising activities of the School.
- What happens if a family enrolls two or more children in independent schools?
SSS computes an estimated amount the family can contribute to the costs of independent school education. This amount will be applied to one child or apportioned among two or more children depending on a family's composition. The remaining balance is considered "financial need" for the purposes of financial assistance.
- What happens in cases where parents are divorced or separated?
In cases of divorce, separation, or if parents have never been married, Capitol Hill Day School requires each parent and his/her spouse to complete the full financial aid application process.
- Are there any other sources of financial aid?
Many families have obtained financial aid awards from outside sources such as these organizations.
Contact and Mailing Information Send the completed Parent Financial Statement (PFS) and applicable fees to:
School and Student Service for Financial Aid
SSS PFS (ETS)
P. O. Box 15250-7478
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7478
Information can be entered on line at: https://sss.ets.org/
Send the IRS Form 1040, supporting schedules, and W-2’s to:
Business Manager
Capitol Hill Day School
210 South Carolina Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003-1940
Parent Financial Statements (PFS) and information on financial aid for students applying for admission to Capitol Hill Day School are available from the Admissions Office.
Parent Financial Statements (PFS) and information on financial aid for current students are available from the Business Office.
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