FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While many private schools are increasing their tuition because of financial restraints brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, one private school in Fayetteville is doing the opposite.
The New School in Fayetteville is hoping to make private education more inclusive. They are doing this by completely resetting their tuition costs. Meaning, there's a new lower price to pay, and instead of tuition going up with each grade, it will now stay the same kindergarten through 12th grade.
The tuition reset at The New School goes into effect during the 2021-2022 school year.
The tuition drop comes at a convenient time for families impacted by the global health emergency brought on by Covid-19, but Nancy Lang says dropping tuition price has been in the works for over a year.
“It took me a full year of really listening," said Nancy Lang, the Head of School at The New School.
And that's just what she did, listened. Lang met with students, teachers and parents to hear what they thought.
“Every kid I’ve talked to said oh, it’s great, but it’s too much money,” said Will Sturner.
Students like sophomore Will Sturner pushed for the tuition reset after hearing friends say they couldn't come to The New School strictly because of the cost.
“For the last few years, I’ve been saying this is what we're going to have to do if we want more students to come," he said. "And it’s just awesome that Mrs. Nancy and the rest of the administration heard our thoughts out and decided to act on it."
Lang told 5NEWS that's what they want to do, get people to the school who originally thought it wasn't financially possible.
“We really want to make our education accessible and affordable, so the reset is really a part of what I would say is a larger commitment to inclusion,” said Lang.
An inclusion that Student Body President Marleigh Hayes says she and her classmates are passionate about.
“We all, all of the students, definitely pushed for a tuition reset and to lower the cost so we could have more students in our classes and bring more people into this community that we all love so much,” said Hayes.
The price change couldn't have come for a better time for parents making hard decisions between budgeting and their child's education.
"The news has been well received by current families who many are impacted by Covid but also those who say we really want to stay here, and this is helpful,” said Lang.
Along with tuition reset, the school says they have more financial aid opportunities than ever with music and academic scholarships.
The tuition reset comes as The New School celebrates its 50th year.