Catholic families receive the gift of the In-Parish Tuition rate provided deadlines and criteria outlined below are met. This benefit is available to students entering grades Kindergarten to 8th Grade and families must be a registered household at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish for at least 6 months prior to the first day of school.
The in-parish tuition rate takes into account the additional financial/volunteer support parishioners provide to both OLG Parish and OLG School. Effectively the cost to educate a child does not differ for an in-parish family versus an out of parish family. The cost to educate each child remains the same and needs to be compensated, whether it comes from a family paying the out-of-parish rate, or from the support that comes from the parish which is only possible through the generous support of parishioners through Sunday Giving. Currently, our school receives approximately $100,000 annually in the form of a parish subsidy. The reduced in-parish tuition rate is a benefit for active OLG parishioners and is only possible through this circle of support.
Who is eligible for In-Parish tuition?
To be eligible for in-parish tuition, families must be active and participating members of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish and meet certain criteria:
- Families of students entering grades K-8 are eligible and must request to receive in-parish tuition each school year during school enrollment
Families must be a registered parishioner at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish for at least 6 months prior to the first day of school. In-parish discounts will not be granted after the start of the school year.- Families must be committed to providing financial support to the parish:
- Parish Annual Stewardship Pledge & Fulfillment…
- Participate in the annual Stewardship of Treasure pledge campaign in October. We ask for a minimum of $75 per month.
- Fulfill pledge by donating according to the terms of your pledge.
Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) participation (begins in April).
- Parish Annual Stewardship Pledge & Fulfillment…
- Families must actively participate in the spirit and social life of the parish. We encourage volunteer hours to include 5 hours supporting parish ministries and activities.
These criteria do not in any way stand in judgement of a person’s depth or quality of faith, but rather an objective way of establishing a person’s commitment to Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. So that each parent/guardian might be treated equally and fairly, one of the most objective means of monitoring parishioner status is through the financial giving records kept by the parish.
Annual In-Parish Verification Process
Families are expected to honor requirements throughout their student’s enrollment at Our Lady of Guadalupe School. The parish and school will regularly check the status according to the criteria outlined.
School families who don’t fulfill critera will have their Finalsite account adjusted to the out of parish tuition rate. (Regularly check for email communications from parish/school for notification of missing items. You can also check the latest parish bulletin, web site, atttend mass for the latest parish happenings). Note that December and June will be at least 2 of the deadlines to verify family’s in-parish status.
Criteria Timeline
These criteria do not in any way stand in judgement of a person’s depth or quality of faith, but rather an objective way of establishing a person’s commitment to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.
| Timeline | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| One time (anytime) | Parish Registration | New parish family registers as an OLG parishioner at least 6 months prior to the first day of school. |
| Feb/Mar (annually) | OLG In-Parish Tuition Verification | During school enrollment, families submit their intent to fulfill in-parish tuition criteria for the following school year. (Preliminary approval does not fulfill the in-parish tuition requirement until further criteria is met by June). |
| Apr – May (annually) | Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) | Each year families participate in the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) through a donation. |
| Oct – Nov (annually) | Pledge to Parish Stewardship | Each year families participate in the Stewardship of Treasure to pledge their financial commitment to the parish for the following calendar year. A minimum donation of $75/month is asked. |
| Jan-Dec (annually) | Donate to Parish Stewardship | Families make donations to fulfill their stewardship pledge (as pledged in Oct) |
Verification Timeline
In-parish criteria will be audited throughout the year, however make sure your family’s criteria is up-to-date during these checkpoints.
| Timeline | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Feb/Mar (annually) | School Enrollment for the following school year | During school enrollment, families submit their intent to fulfill in-parish tuition criteria: OLG In-Parish Tuition Verification |
| June (annually) | Mid-Year Verification | A secondary review is done to verify families continue to meet criteria. Families that do not meet criteria will be contacted and if not resolved will be moved to the out of parish tuition rate. |
| December (annually) | End of Year Verification | A third review is done to verify families continue to meet criteria. Families that do not meet criteria will be contacted and if not resolved will be moved to the out of parish tuition rate. |
Q: Why is this an annual process?
A: The reduced in-parish tuition rate is a benefit to OLG families. To ensure that this discount is applied fairly and consistently the In-parish tuition verification process exists. If you have questions about the verification form or process, refer to the information on this page, or contact the school office or the parish office.
Q: What if my family runs into financial hardship?
A: If there is a financial challenge being incurred by a parish family and they are unable to meet the in-parish criteria, the family should notify the school and parish directly. Any Catholic families challenged by their stewardship commitment may make an appointment to discuss this matter privately with the principal and the pastoral leader.
Bridge the Gap
School tuition only covers part of the cost to educate a child. Parish subsidy, the Annual School Fund Drive and Parent Organization fundraisers make up the difference. School families are expected to invest time and financial resources to Our Lady of Guadalupe School. Your tax-deductible donations help close the gap between tuition and the actual cost of educating each student.
If you are an OLG parishioner (who has been verified) and would like to waive the in-parish discount for your family to bridge the gap between tuition and the true cost to educate a child, please contact the school office, or call (206) 935-0651. You will receive a 501c tax donation confirmation at the end of the school year. Thank you for your unwavering support of OLG education!
Q: We are members of the parish but we can afford out of parish tuition rate. Do we still need to go through the verification process each year?
A: Please enroll at the school as a an OLG parishioner and adhere to the in-parish verification criteria each year. We encourage you to bridge the gap (see above) and greatly value your commitment.
