Dear HCA and WCS Families,

We want to begin by sincerely thanking you for your patience, support, and unwavering commitment to Christian education at both Harvest Christian Academy and Westminster Christian School as we continue to take steps towards officially launching River Valley Christian School in the Fall of 2026. We recognize that change often brings uncertainty, and we deeply appreciate the questions, prayers, feedback, and trust you place in our school during this important time of transition.

One of the main tasks of an independent School Board is to establish a financial plan, including approving an annual budget, to ensure the financial health and success of the school both in the short and long term. Key components of the annual budget are tuition and tuition assistance. As the first ever tuition and assistance structure set for River Valley Christian School, it is of great importance towards ensuring a healthy financial starting point for the school.

The School Board has approached this process with great diligence and care. Over the past few months, we have engaged in extensive research, sought expert consultation, studied both schools’ financials, and, above all, grounded our decision-making in prayer. Our aim is to ensure River Valley Christian School stands on a solid financial foundation, able to serve our students and community for years to come.

2026/2027 Tuition Schedule

After thorough review and careful planning, here is the tuition schedule for the 2026/2027 academic year. We have worked to ensure that our tuition rates are competitive; reflect the quality and value of the education we provide and are more in line with the cost of education for our students, as set out more thoroughly below.

Tuition Assistance

Tuition assistance for families will be allocated as either a fixed discount or a needs-based scholarship. The fixed discount structure has been set to promote fairness and financial sustainability. The list of discounts, including removed discounts, can be found here.

Whether a family is receiving tuition assistance in the form of discounts or needs-based scholarship, all tuition assistance has a maximum tuition reduction of 50%. In rare and extreme circumstances where a current family has a need in excess of the maximum 50% reduction, a committee will review requests for additional support on an individual basis. We hope this approach will provide clarity and consistency while supporting families who require extra assistance.

Guiding Principles

The tuition schedule and tuition assistance are designed with several guiding principles in mind:

Consistency: This tuition and tuition assistance structure ensures all families are treated fairly and equitably.

Simplification: We have streamlined the previous discounts to move away from certain fixed discounts and towards more need-based assistance, as experts in the industry recommend.

Financial Health and Sustainability:

Cost of Education: Our accrediting agency, ACSI, recommends tuition be able to cover the full cost of education for a student, along with additional funds for operating reserves. The cost of education is the cost of what we want our school to be (academic excellence, compensation/benefits for staff/faculty, programs, facilities, extracurricular activities, etc.) divided by the number of students. Setting tuition more in line with the cost of education is necessary to have a balanced budget and avoid financial hardship for the school. 

Financial assistance (whether discount or needs-based scholarship) as a percent of gross tuition is a key indicator in the financial health of a school. This percentage is closely connected to the school’s ability to provide compensation for staff and faculty, cover annual operating expenses and provide excellence in mission delivery. A healthy financial school should be striving for financial assistance not being above 10% of gross tuition.

The tuition and discount schedule as set for 2026/2027 does not yet fully attain these goals, but moves our school in the right direction. The Board will annually review and assess the financial health of the school and adjust the tuition and assistance structures as needed. 

Our Commitment to Care

Our heart is to care for every student and family as we move forward in launching River Valley Christian School. We understand that tuition represents a significant financial sacrifice, and we are grateful for your dedication. Needs-based scholarships remain available for families who need additional assistance and our admissions team will be sending details on how to apply. If you wish to discuss your situation, please reach out - we are committed to finding solutions together.

If you have further questions on the process, plan and decisions by the Board, please email either board@harvestchristianacademy.org or board@westminsterchristian.org.

Also, Board representatives will be available in person to answer questions on:

Friday, January 9, 8-11:30 on the HCA campus (2nd floor conference room)

Friday, January 9, 12:30-3 on the WCS campus (HS conference room)

Tuesday, January 13, 8-11:30 on the HCA campus (2nd floor conference room)

Tuesday, January 13, 12:30-3 on the WCS campus (HS conference room)

Thank you again for your partnership, faith, and commitment. Your support allows us to continue the mission of our school.

In His service,

The School Board