Tuition and Enrollment

The cost of providing Christ-centered education at Ottawa Christian School is funded by the parents of children enrolled in the school and by the supporting community. Tuition is evaluated and set yearly by the OCS Board of Directors and approved by the school membership. Our tuition rates are very competitive with the rates of other Christian Schools in Ontario and lower than most independent schools in the Ottawa area.

Tuition is based on a sliding-scale family rate, with a per student surcharge for the second and subsequent children. This means you do not pay double tuition for the second child like many independent schools. A charitable tax receipt is also available for a portion of that tuition.

The revenue derived from tuition does not cover the total cost of providing a high quality Christian education. Membership fees, donations, our annual walkathon, other events and volunteering all help to reduce the cost borne by parents. All families are expected to participate in fund-raising projects and the volunteer effort that is required to operate the school.

Tuition is based on your family income with minimum and maximum fees applying. You can calculate your tuition by reviewing and completing the information on the Pledge Forms. Since there is some tax relief and other items in calculating the real cost of enrollment, if you have any questions you are encouraged to contact Pat Campbell at the school or email finance@ocschool.org. After you have determined that OCS is the right place for your child, let us work together to find the means to make it possible.

The following table summarizes tuition fees for families with children in kindergarten only and those with children in Grades JK-8.

2010-2011
Children in Grades JK-8	Children in JK/SK Only
One Child	One Child
$12,150 maximum $7285 minimum	$4995 (SK) $3850 (JK)
Additional Child Fee	Additional Child Fee
$1030 (Grade 1-8)
$550 (SK)	$550 (SK)
$450 (JK)	$450 (JK)

The above table summarizes the more detailed information found on the OCS Pledge Forms.
Returning families can print and complete the appropriate form and return it to the school with their tuition payment. New families should contact the school directly to obtain a student enrollment package and arrange to meet with the Principal.

The Pledge forms can be found here.

Other Fees

There is a $600 membership fee that applies to New Families that have not been members of the Ottawa Christian School Association for two years.

There is a $300 enrollment fee that applies to Returning Families who enroll after the enrollment deadline of April 27, 2010.

There is a $500 Volunteer Assessment Fee required to accompany your Volunteer Commitment Form. Each family is responsible for a designated amount of fundraising and/or equivalent donation. The required amount per family is $500 (pro-rated for families with JK/SK students only). This fee is returned to families who complete and log the required number of Volunteer Hours by the end of the year. (Form and policy can be found here)

There is a busing fee for those families who choose to utilize this service to transport their children to and from school. Link to Transportation Section and Form.

Payment Options:

• Preauthorized debit payments are the preferred method of payment (link to form). Monthly cheques for the entire year can also be provided (i.e. 1/10^th the amount of total fee as per the Pledge Form)
• 10 payment (preauthorized payments or postdated cheques (June 1- Mar 1, 2011)
• New Families should review the Pledge Form for payment details as one months payment is required upon registration.
• 2 payments (60% July 1 2010; 40% Jan 1, 2011
• 1 payment dated June 1, 2010

Refund Policy
For registered families three months notice of intention to withdraw from the School is required. The three months notice applies to tuition and bussing fees. Membership and any other fees are not refundable.

AVAILABLE TUITION REDUCTIONS:

Tax Credit for Tuition Payment

Since OCS is a registered charity, a portion of what parents pay for tuition is treated as a charitable donation. The actual cost to each family paying tuition at OCS can therefore be significantly reduced due to the fact that a portion of the tuition counts as a charitable donation. The basic cost of education on a per student basis is deducted from the amount of tuition paid by each family and the remainder counts as a charitable donation. The table below shows the effective cost of tuition for a family paying full tuition for various scenarios involving different numbers of children in Junior or Senior Kindergarten or Grades 1-8. This is based on the “cost per student” calculated by Revenue Canada for 2009 and assumes a combined Federal and Provincial tax credit of 40% for each charitably donated dollar.

Full Tuition	Number of Children Enrolled	Cost per Student * # students	Charitable Donation Receipt Issued for this amount	After Tax Refund Effective Tuition
Children in Grades 1-8 Only
$12,450	1	$3,779	$8,671	$8,982
$13,480	2	$7,558	$5,922	$11,112
$14,510	3	$11,337	$3,173	$13,241
Children in Senior Kindergarten Only
$4,995	1	$1,890	$3,105	$3,753
$5,545	2	$3,780	$1,765	$4,839
Children in Junior Kindergarten Only
$3,850	1	$1,260	$2,590	$2,814
$4,300	2	$2,520	$1,780	$3,588

These calculations are based on the Cost per Student calculation that changes from year to year. The applicable tax credit will depend on your income so review your own tax situation, discuss with your accountant or contact the School if you have any questions. Membership and Busing Fees are not shown in the example above but are also subject to the same charitable donation benefits and reduced after tax costs. Tax receipts are given based on the calendar year whereas tuition rates are over the school year. Rebates in your favour can also be accomplished due to timing of payments.

CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL REDUCTION
A 25% tuition reduction is applied to families with children enrolled at Redeemer Christian High School. The tuition is not reduced below the minimum amount as a result of this reduction.

TRIP (Tuition Reduction Incentive Program)

Participation in the TRIP Program involves purchasing a variety of store gift cards at face value through the school. A family can direct 40% of the profits directly to reduce your family’s tuition. (Link to TRIP part of site)

BURSARIES

Tuition Assistance is available for eligible families and is allocated according to need and available funds. Applications are available by contacting the School at info@ocschool.org.

CHILDREN FIRST GRANTS
Children First offers tuition assistance grants so that parents who could not otherwise afford it can choose an independent elementary school for their children. Children First Grants are available to apply for each year between January 1^st and March 31^st.  For full details and application forms go to their website at www.childrenfirstgrants.ca
Note: Children First will not be offering new grants for the 2010-11 school year.