A growing number of independent schools are answering the call to public service by focusing primarily on educating children from low-income or underserved families. Because of the nature of these schools, the traditional tuition-based financial model is not an option; school leaders have to look beyond families to fund operations.
Generally this means depending on fund-raising, resources from another school or nonprofit, or support from a major sponsor. It can also mean involving students in work study. Here are five independent schools that are making nontraditional funding models work for the benefit of low-income students.
- Independent School Has Everything but a Large Tuition Revenue Stream: Waterside School, Connecticut
- Suburban School Opens Elementary Campus in the Heart of Memphis: St. George’s Independent School, Tennessee
- Established Independent School Collaborates with Social Service Agency to Launch New School: Community Partnership School, Pennsylvania
- Work Study Program Provides Revenue to School and Experience to Students: Cristo Rey Network, Nationwide
- Major Corporation Seeks to Give Back, Funds Boarding School and Professional Development Center: Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center, Colorado
The information in these case studies is accurate as of May 2016.