Donelson Christian Academy desires Christian education to be available to all families. The balance between the cost of quality education and the affordability to parents is the most challenging aspect of Christian education today. With the rising cost of education, many families with reasonable incomes are increasingly feeling financial pressures. Unfortunately, some parents come to the conclusion that they cannot afford quality Christian education.
The sole purpose of financial aid is to make Christian education available to as many families as possible. DCA has administered a financial aid program for over twenty years and a summary of our current program is as follows:
How is financial aid awarded?
Financial aid is awarded on the financial need of the parent. It is determined by an independent agency, School & Student Service (SSS),
a service of The National Association of Independent Schools. SSS calculates the amount a family can afford for private education based on information provided by the parent.
Upon receiving the computation, DCA reviews the needs based analysis and determines the amount of financial aid to be awarded to the family.
How much financial aid can I expect to receive?
A student can never receive more financial aid than is determined by SSS. Within this parameter, DCA’s policy is to award up to a third of tuition based solely on the financial need of the parent. The school may award financial aid above a third of tuition, generally up to 50%, to middle or high school students who demonstrate an excellence in academics, athletics, or fine arts. These students must be recommended by the principal, fine arts department chair, or athletic director to the financial aid committee for final determination of the amount of financial aid to be awarded.
How is financial aid funded?
Financial aid is principally funded from the operating fund of the school and supplemented by donations to the annual fund specifically designated for financial aid.
Financial aid application forms can be obtained from the admissions office beginning on January 3rd. It is best for the forms to be filed as soon as possible after that date. We desire, but do not require, all new student applications to be submitted prior to March 31st and existing student applications prior to April 30th. Naturally, the sooner the application is received the more likely funds will be available.
What type of financial information do I provide?
Information provided is primarily from your prior year individual tax return and a listing of your personal assets.
To whom do I submit the application?
The financial information is submitted directly to SSS. An Application Form, a copy of the first two pages of the family’s tax return, and a signed IRS Form 4506 “Request for copy of Tax Return” is submitted to the Director of Finance, Steve Barkley. All information is strictly confidential.
When will I know the amount of financial aid to be received?
Approximately, one to two months after the application is submitted.
Who will know I receive financial aid?
Only necessary staff personnel will have knowledge of any financial aid received.
Thank you for your interest in Donelson Christian Academy. We hope this program will meet a valuable need for your family
