Variable Tuition at CCS

We understand that paying for Christian school can be a challenge. Please take time to find out a lot of information before you make affordability decisions. Our student finances department and support staff are available to answer questions about how the process works, and how to make sure that you receive all that is available in order to help you be a part of Champion Christian School! We strongly encourage everyone who feels they need help to finance their education at CCS to explore this page and then contact the department. We only ask that families bear in mind the amount that a CCS education costs and the challenges it takes to fund excellence at our school as well as what they can reasonably afford!

Please check out the following links to find out more, or contact us at info@champion.org or by phone at 724-593-9200 or 724-455-2122.

Overview of Tuition and Admission Process at CCS

1. To start the enrollment process complete the regular application for admission and pay your registration fee.

2. Talk with the Student Finances Director about the overview of tuition and our Variable Tuition Model option.

3. Affordability is a question that many families wonder about. Here are some examples of our model of variable tuition principles and examples that can give you an idea of what your tuition might be at CCS.

4.    Preschool families can also apply for tuition grants through the Financial Services Office.

5. Variable Tuition Model
Guiding Principles
        a. The Board of Directors at CCS recognizes that all families cannot afford to pay full tuition at CCS. Our goal is to be able to provide a Christian education for every child whose family wants that education and that student is a good match.
        b. Determining affordability is a difficult concept. The research indicates that families should be able to afford about 10% of their income going to pay for a private school. This would mean that if your family earns $100,000 a year, an affordable tuition would be about $10,000 a year. However, as with all generalizations, this is not always true.
        c. That affordability number applies to ALL STUDENTS IN A FAMILY, not just one child. So the more children a family has, the less the average amount of tuition paid per child will be. In our example above (b) if the school tuition was $10,000 a year, a family with one child may be able to pay for that child. However, the same family with two children would be able to pay $10,000 of the total tuition bill of now $20,000 (two children). So the average tuition paid for each child would be $5000 under the variable tuition model and the family would receive $5000 of help to attend CCS.
        d. Because affordability is a complex issue CCS uses general guidelines for determining Variable Tuition Amounts and uses an outside source to help determine those amounts. Having families apply to an outside source (Simple Tuition Solutions- STS) assures a confidential and profession source of financial determinations.

This Year's Specific Information:
        a. We are limiting the examples to elementary tuition here because of potential complexity of a family's variables. These examples work for each of the levels and combinations of tuition. Please contact our Student Finances Department for your particular situation.
        b. All Families Receive a Financial Grant for Tuition for their family. This year's amount is: $2520
        c. This year's Elementary Tuition with no variable tuition grant (and receiving the Family Grant): $7350
        c. CCS Board determination of what percentage of income can be used for paying tuition: 7%
        d.   Preschool has special variable tuition grants for tuition that can be received from the Student Finances Office.
       e.    There are no variable tuition grants available for child care, with the exception of support provided through ERLC.

Specific Examples for this Year:
Family Making $100,000 a year with a variety of children under the Variable Tuition Model:
        a.    One Child: All Family Tuition Grant received $2520 plus an additional $350 to pay the annual fee of $7000 (7% of their income).
        b.    Three Children: All Family Tuition Grant of $2520 and will receive additional grant of $19,940 and will pay the
               annual tuition of $7000 (7% of their income).
Family Making $ 50,000 a year with a variety of children under the Variable Tuition Model:
        a.    One Child: All Family Tuition Grant of $2520 and receive an additional grant of $3850 and pay the annual fee of
               $3,500 (7% of their income).
        b.    Two Children and above the Total Variable Tuition for the family will be: $3,500 (7% of their income)total for the
               year.
Family making $250,000 a year with a variety of children under the Variable Tuition Model:
        a.    One Child: All Family Tuition Grant of $2520 and will pay the annual fee of $7350.
        b. Two Children: All family Tuition Grant of $2520 and will pay the annual fee of $17,220.
        c.    Three Children and above: All Family Tuition Grant of $2520, and additional grant of $9590 and will pay $17,500                    total tuition (7% of their income).

If the Variable Tuition Model doesn't meet a family's special circumstances, then you may request that the Board review your case for a special exemption. To do this, you must complete a Simple Tuition Solutions financial aid application, and submit a detailed financial analysis as well as explain in detail why you need additional help. These requests are given careful attention to make sure that people are paying the appropriate amount of tuition in fairness to everyone.

The Admissions Process

Once you have applied for admission to CCS and paid your registration fees you will be given an iChampion account which will allow you to complete the Parent Introduction to iChampion. iChampion is our online blended learning and web based parent portal. It is located on the web at http://www.champion.org/iChampion. Once your account is active you can log in by using your firstname_lastname as a username and the password which was assigned to you by the Center support staff. You will be required to change your password to one uniquely known to you after you log in.

Once on iChampion, all families must first complete the Parent Introduction to iChampion Class, which will require you to agree to electronic signatures and provide you information about how the system works. After completing the Parent Introduction to iChampion Course, you can go to the Variable Tuition Class. That class has the appropriate directions for you to complete the Simple Tuition Solutions (STS) Financial Aid Application.

For Kindergarten-12th Grade Families:

1. Go to the Variable Tuition Class on iChampion. Read the instructions and click the link to setup your account and begin your Simple Tuition Solutions (STS) Eligibility Application.

2. Click on the Simple Tuition Solutions (STS) Link on iChampion and complete and submit a STS Eligibility application (https://app.simpletuitionsolutions.org/register?sc=24110). The Champion Christian School code is 24110. Please remember to submit your proof of income to STS. Keep in mind that depending on the volume of applications STS receives, it can take a couple of weeks to process your application. The closer it is to the start of school the longer it takes. Look for a response to your application within 2 weeks through STS.