RICHMOND MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Richmond Montessori School is a 501 c (3) not-for-profit organization. The school is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees and daily operations are the responsibility of the Head of School. The Board and the school’s administration are committed to providing a high value academic, Montessori experience at an affordable price. They strive to make a Richmond Montessori School education available to as many students as possible and to allow a family, economic long-term sustainability, if their child is in our program. Our academic program is completely funded through tuition and school fees, allowing all other monies raised from annual fund campaigns and Parents’ Association fundraising to go to technology advancements, classroom environments, specialty programming, campus improvement projects, staff professional development and financial aid.

Tuition:

The Richmond Montessori School tuition is approximately 25 percent lower than other independent schools in the Richmond market. The tuition stays consistent and does not increase exponentially at higher grade levels of our program. In addition to the core Montessori curriculum, tuition covers specialty classes offered during the school day. There are not a lot of hidden costs and related fees beyond tuition.

The commitment of accessibility for many can be seen in the control of the school’s annual tuition increases. Richmond Montessori School has averaged a 2.5% tuition increase over the past five years. This minimal increase is as compared to the 6% average increase of other independent schools in the Richmond market and a 5.45% average increase in the National Association of Independent Schools.

Payment Options:

In addition to reasonable tuition rates, Richmond Montessori School offers several types of payment plans (annual, semi-annual and ten month) and accepts different forms of payment options (cash, check, credit card).

Financial Aid:

Richmond Montessori School offers a need-based financial aid program designed to make the School's educational experience available to academically qualified students who could not afford to enroll otherwise. Our financial aid funds are used to enroll students who will strengthen our School and who will enhance our community.

RMS uses the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) in the initial evaluation of financial aid applications. The Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) is the application used to gather pertinent family information.  The PFS asks for specific information including, but not limited to, family size, number of children attending tuition charging schools, indebtedness, medical expenses, unusual expenses, as well as, income and other assets such as savings, investments, and home equity.

The Financial Aid Team utilizes the SSS analysis along with its own institutional discretion in making financial aid awards.  Financial need is determined by consideration of the difference between your family's resources and the total cost of education.  RMS meets a portion of that difference and does not fund 100% of need. Families must reapply for aid annually.

Sibling Discounts:

Sibling discounts are not offered. However, parents with multiple children at the school are encouraged to utilize the Financial aid process for tuition support.