As tuition rates continue to rise across the country, The Pennfield School (RI) wants to be accessible to more families. Approaching its 50th year, the school has heard from more and more families that they love the school, but it’s too expensive to enroll. As part of its Making It Possible initiative, it’s cutting tuition for the 2020–2021 school year.
Founded in 1971 as the New School, Pennfield was affordable for many families, and building a diverse, inclusive student body has been important and defining to the school. The new tuition levels will move the cost for four-day preschool from $10,100 to $8,800; grades one through three from $20,270 to $14,500; and grades seven and eight from $23,230 to $20,500.
The tuition reset resonates with prospective and current families, the school reports. Alumni are quite intrigued as well. Tours and inquiries have increased 55% in a one-year period, and the school anticipates that the reset will increase enrollment over a two- or three-year period.
Rob Kelley, head of school, says more independent schools are reevaluating their pricing models. “We understand that enrollment often requires a financial sacrifice, but we are optimistic that this initiative will enable more families to rethink the possibility of a Pennfield education.”
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