Every WSM family is required to invest in their child's education. However, the school is committed to maintaining and growing our dynamic and diverse educational community to enrich the learning experience for every child. Therefore, the school provides need-based financial assistance to families who otherwise could not afford to enroll their children.

This packet contains our policies and procedures, FAQs, and important dates.

Everything submitted by families is reviewed carefully and confidentially, and we appreciate the time families take to complete this process.

If you have any questions, please email us at tuitionassistancecommittee@montessoritoledo.org.

2027–28 Tuition Assistance Important Dates

Priority Deadlines:
December 15, 2026 Currently enrolled students	Clarity Financial Aid Application completed online at https://app.clarityapp.com/sign-up
February 1, 2027 Admission applicants	All required documents must be uploaded to the Clarity Financial Aid Application. Please do not email or drop off documents.
Awards:
February 2027	Tuition Assistance awards will be on Enrollment Contracts for Currently Enrolled families who met the December 15, 2026 priority deadline.
March 2027	Tuition Assistance awards will be on Enrollment Contracts for Admission Applicants who met the February 1, 2027 priority deadline.

Need-Based Tuition Assistance

Eligibility & Basis	Need is calculated considering income, net worth, standard living expenses, family size, and non-graduate school tuition expenses. Earning potential of non-working parents is evaluated. Families with children at other independent schools or colleges must apply to those schools as well.
Family Contribution	WSM believes the family bears the primary responsibility for funding their child’s education and will not fund 100% of the cost of tuition.
Award Duration & Renewal	Granted for one year at a time. Reapplication is required annually. Award amounts may change year-to-year based on circumstances.
Form of Assistance	Awarded as grants. Starting in the 2027–2028 school year, some funds may come from tax credit-funded scholarships.
Confidentiality	All financial data is strictly confidential. Data is never shared with faculty, donors, or between separate households.
Award Priorities	If assistance demand exceeds available funds, applicants are prioritized in this order: Reenrolling students currently receiving assistance Reenrolling students new to assistance New students
Refund Policy	Before school starts: Deposits are refunded if written notice is emailed to the Tuition Assistance Coordinator within two weeks of the award notice stating the award is insufficient. After school starts: Refunds follow WSM’s standard Payment and Refund Policies.

Application Deadlines & Steps

Currently Enrolled Families: December 15, 2026
Admission Applicant Families: February 1, 2027

Step-by-Step Instructions

Submit Online Application

Fill out the Clarity Application.
Use WSM Code: 2497.

Complete Tax Verification (US Taxpayers Only)

Complete the Enhanced Tax Verification (ETV) in Clarity to authorize sharing your W-2 and personal tax return transcripts. Preview the steps of this process: Tax Verification Guide
Pathways: Choose either Clarity or IRS.

Note: The IRS pathway transfers documents within 24 hours and is required if applying after the priority deadline. Creating an IRS.gov account beforehand speeds up the process.

Upload Supporting Documents

Return to your Clarity dashboard after submitting to check for requested documents.
Deadlines: Upload by December 15 (Enrolled Families) or February 1 (New Applicants).
Non-U.S. tax filers may need to upload separate income verification.

Important Notes

Incomplete or Late Applications: Will delay committee review and may jeopardize award eligibility. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
New Admission Applicants: Financial reviews occur only after submitting an Admission Application and completing a child visit.

Need Help?

Email: support@clarityapp.com
Phone: 206-210-3752
Live Chat: Click the chat icon or select "Get Help" inside your Clarity account.

Frequently Asked Questions: General Tuition Assistance Information

Q: Are all students eligible to apply for tuition assistance?
A: Priority is given to students enrolled in Monday-Friday, full-day programs. Typically, there are no funds available for part-time students.

Q: Does applying for tuition assistance have any bearing on the admission decision?
A: No. Admission decisions are made completely independent of tuition assistance.

Q: Is there a cutoff in terms of income to qualify for tuition assistance?
A: No. Income is just one of several factors taken into consideration when calculating need. Two families earning the same income may receive different awards due to family size, assets, debts, and tuition expense for children attending a tuition-charging school (excluding graduate school).

Q: Who determines “need” for tuition assistance?
A: WSM uses Clarity to help determine eligibility. The WSM Tuition Assistance Committee may make adjustments based on the documents and information.

Q: Is there an appeals process?
A: To appeal a decision, send an email to the Tuition Assistance Committee at tuitionassistancecommittee@montessoritoledo.org explaining the change in income or financial situation. New information must be submitted along with documentation. If there are funds remaining, the Committee may reassess the tuition assistance decision.

Q: Are there scholarships that do not require financial need?
A: A Leadership Scholarship is available once students are in the Upper Elementary program. This scholarship is based on leadership within the classroom as well as leadership in activities outside of WSM.

Q: I’ve chosen to retire or work reduced hours. Will my child qualify for tuition assistance?
A: Families bear the primary responsibility for financing an education. It is expected that parents will maximize their earning potential to contribute to their child’s education. If you choose to reduce or eliminate your work hours, your full-time earning potential may still be considered by the Tuition Assistance Committee.

Divorced/Separated/Never Married Parents

Q: If parents are divorced, separated, or never married, do you need the same information from all parents?
A: Yes. Each biological parent is required to fill out a separate tuition assistance application. If either has remarried or established a permanent relationship with another adult, the stepparent's or partner's income and assets need to be included. The family’s entire financial picture will be considered, keeping in mind the obligations of a stepparent or partner to their biological children. The School is happy to speak with any noncustodial parent reluctant to provide their information to Clarity. However, WSM’s policy requires noncustodial parents to submit their financial information on the FACTS Financial Aid Management application.

Q: What if one parent has disclaimed responsibility for supporting the child’s education?
A: Under WSM’s approach, all parents, guardians, domestic partners, and step-parents are expected to play a critical role in financing a student’s education. These expectations apply regardless of any legal agreements between family members, such as alimony agreements, prenuptial agreements, divorce, custody, or other similar arrangements. A refusal to provide information or support does not waive participation in the tuition assistance process.

Application Process

Q: What if I don’t know what a question on the Clarity application is asking for?

A: You may call Clarity for support at 206-210-3752 or email support@clarityapp.com.

Q: If I have more than one child, can both be put on one application?
A: Yes. A single application should be submitted to cover all students in the household, both new applicants and current students.

Q: I own a small business, and my reported income is -$10,000. Does that mean that I automatically qualify for a large financial aid award?
A: Not necessarily. What you report to the IRS is different from actual cash flow. Gross income is considered, and documentation may be requested for the committee to understand how you afford your living expenses.

Q: Why do I have to report nontaxable income?
A: To be fair among all applicants, any income that is available to a family must be reported. For example, some families receive untaxed income for common expenses such as housing; some families choose to invest pretax income in retirement funds. All income is considered when assessing a family’s need.

Q: When will we be notified of awards?
A: Current students are informed in February on their enrollment contracts. Admission applicants receive award decisions in March on their enrollment contracts. Late applicants will receive a later decision, if there are funds available.

Payment and Refund Policies

Each family must have an established and current Blackbaud Tuition Management payment account. All payments must be current for the child to start and remain in school.
The tuition deposit is applied to the total annual tuition. Both the tuition deposit and Blackbaud Tuition Management fees are non-refundable.
Families who withdraw prior to July 1 forfeit the tuition deposit only. Additional tuition paid shall be refunded.
Families who withdraw any child between July 1 and the first day of school owe 10% of the total annual tuition.
Families with children enrolled in Little House and Children’s House programs can decrease the number of program days or decrease from full to half-day once without financial penalty. Tuition will be adjusted accordingly. Additional changes in program are charged at $100 per change.
Children new to West Side Montessori may be withdrawn during the first six weeks of their enrollment, with an obligation to pay a pro-rated share of the annual tuition based on the number of days enrolled, with a minimum payment being the tuition deposit. Additional tuition paid shall be refunded. After the student’s first six weeks of enrollment have been completed, regular tuition obligations apply.
Families who withdraw after the first day of school, but prior to November 1, are obligated to pay 50% of the total annual tuition.
Families who withdraw between November 1 and January 5 are obligated to pay 75% of the total annual tuition.
Families who withdraw after January 5 are obligated to pay 100% of the total annual tuition.
Force Majeure: The School’s duties and obligations under this Contract shall be suspended immediately without notice during all periods that the School is closed because of force majeure events including, but not limited to, any fire, act of God, hurricane, war, governmental action, act of terrorism, epidemic, pandemic, or any other event beyond the School’s control. If such an event occurs, the School’s duties and obligations in this Contract may be altered, suspended, or postponed until such time as the School, in its sole discretion, may safely reopen. Due to an event under this clause, the School is under no obligation to refund any portion of the tuition paid, no reduction in tuition will occur, and tuition payments will continue as scheduled.
No tuition adjustments will be made for illness, extended vacations, gross violations of school policy, or Force Majeure events, nor will the school permit students to decrease their program prior to withdrawal in order to reduce tuition owed. The school complies with federal laws regarding military deployment.

Tuition Assistance Details

Priority Deadlines:

Awards:

February 2027

March 2027