Enhancing Family Experiences Through Financial Aid: Solutions and Strategies for Private K-12 Schools

With so many students taking advantage of additional financial resources, schools stand to strengthen connections with families through the right strategies and support. This same NAIS also recently published a dissertation on this very subject, entitled “Prioritizing Belonging for PreK-12 Families on Financial Assistance in Private Schools.” 

Deana Clapp of Concordia University, St. Paul explores techniques private PreK-12 schools can use to improve the experiences of families receiving financial assistance and deepen the sense of belonging. The research includes interviews with financial aid staff and parents; reveals key insights about inclusion, stigma, and financial challenges; and offers actionable insights to improve relationships. 

To do this, Clapp centers her research around two questions. 

How do private schools determine and communicate which costs are included in tuition and which are not? 

How do costs of attendance influence student and family experiences of belonging or marginalization? 

With a greater understanding of these questions, schools are better able to devise financial aid policies and determine financial aid solutions that foster greater enrollment and strengthen the bonds of their communities. 

RELATED: Providing Support to Financial Aid Awardees During the School Year 

Current Research 

While an abundance of financial aid research exists for the higher education space, Clapp found a lack of existing literature around this subject as it concerns PreK-12 schools. Clapp designates financial aid as a key element in a student’s experience, as it contributes to either a sense of belonging or marginalization depending on how the school designs and implements it. 

Also discussed: The need for financial aid policies to meet the needs of diverse student demographics, namely socioeconomic status and race. With strategies that include clear communication between administration and parents, strong buy-in from leadership, and equitable resource distribution, schools can best support families and set students up for long-term success.  

The Study 

Clapp conducted a total of 17 interviews with parents and financial assistance staff members at seven schools across the country. Parents represented a wide spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds and family compositions, while staff ranged from directors down to lower-level administrators. 

This diversity of background, expectation, and experience helped researchers get a full understanding of how both policies and human interactions influence parent experiences. 

Results 

Interviews with staff covered innovative and ongoing strategies to improve student accessibility. 

1. Rethinking funding and policies. Schools have updated strategies around how they fund financial support, evaluate student needs, and apply tuition reductions to create more equitable and inclusive policies. Examples include the following. 
   1. Expanding eligible financial aid for expenses beyond tuition, such as extracurricular activities, books, and supplies. 
   2. Providing more direct support to families filling out applications. 
   3. Having a more streamlined financial aid solution to make the process easier for families to complete. 
2. Removing stigma. Enforcing policies around student and family confidentiality, i.e., who receives financial aid and how much, works to prevent imposter syndrome and create a more inclusive environment where all students feel valued, regardless of financial status. 
3. Improving efficiency and thorough communication. Interviewees noted how simplified application processes reported higher satisfaction rates from parents and often saved money through automating menial tasks such as status updates, document access, and personalized support. Combining this with clear, consistent communication to applicants, especially concerning costs, led to fewer conflicts and misunderstandings. 
4. Prioritizing students. Financial aid administrators ultimately see themselves as championing the families they serve. By building trust, providing emotional support, and connecting them to the right resources, staff are best able to advocate for families and help students succeed in the classroom. 

Parent interviews investigated the range of emotions felt during the application process and improvements that would help schools better attract and retain families. 

1. Experiences differ based on age. Parents reported different financial aid experiences and satisfaction levels based on the grade of their student. While parents of elementary-aged students were on average more satisfied with financial aid processes due to fewer non-tuition expenses, parents of older children were often dismayed at the number of additional expenses needed per school year, including extracurriculars, technology, and field trips, which financial aid doesn’t typically cover. This discrepancy created a perceived exclusion for some students, who felt they could not fully immerse into school culture. 
2. Schools with streamlined billing processes stand out. Satisfaction often came down to how easy it was for parents to fill out documents and pay school expenses. Clearly outlining all costs and providing upfront transparency fostered more positive feedback, while complex, inexpedient billing created frustration for parents and the perception of stressful, unexpected expenses. 
3. Some families felt stigma over their financial aid status. In some cases, schools’ insensitive treatment of families’ financial situations created feelings of marginalization. Students felt excluded when they couldn’t afford optional activities and field trips not covered by a financial aid package. A lack of financial resources or empathetic staff exacerbates this problem. 
4. Despite challenges, parents are grateful for schools’ financial aid offerings. Being able to afford a high-quality education is the difference-maker for many families, and staff that are approachable and empathetic make a huge impact on overall experiences and satisfaction. 

Recommendations 

Clapp concludes with a series of recommendations for schools to improve their financial aid solutions, policies, and communication. 

1. Prioritize financial aid. It should be a tenant of any private school’s core mission and strategic plan to ensure it can provide a high-quality education and cultural immersion to any student, regardless of financial background. To do this, schools can regularly hold community workshops to discuss financial aid options, integrate this topic into school channels, and share success stories of alumni who received financial aid. 
2. Establish dedicated endowments or scholarships. These funds should cover not just tuition but also additional costs of attendance, such as supplies, organizations, and trips. To do this, schools should actively seek donations from alumni, parents, and the community for funding and management. Develop teams to create targeted fundraising campaigns and find creative ways to incentivize philanthropic contributions. 
3. Provide clear cost-related transparency. Publicizing financial practices helps reduce stigma and makes it easier for parents to complete tasks on time. To do this, schools can host workshops to explain all expected costs, answer questions, and provide additional resources. Adding this information to the school website, along with personalized communications, can help families plan more effectively. 
4. Make financial aid processes more efficient. Centralize billing and payments onto a single platform, integrating it with your financial aid solution to easily apply tuition reductions and reimbursements. Housing all expenses in one platform, coupled with features such as automatic reminders and payment installations, helps prevent payment due dates from falling through the cracks. 
5. Train staff to empathize with all financial situations. Just like training programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, your school should train staff to better understand the level of sensitivity needed to deal with family financial information, whether they work directly with students or in the front office. Train staff to avoid microaggressions that inadvertently stigmatize students and families receiving financial aid. 
6. Seek feedback from accreditation bodies. Organizations responsible for accrediting PreK-12 schools can evaluate how well schools handle financial aid with respect to inclusivity and diversity goals, providing constructive feedback and an opportunity to collaborate with similar institutions on best practices. 

How the Right Financial Aid Solution Strengthens Inclusivity 

As Clapp’s new research suggests, prioritizing family financial aid experiences from application to tuition payment is one tactic that can boost inclusivity when implemented correctly. 

Look for a solution that’s easy for parents. Financial aid applications should be straightforward, digital, and relatively quick to fill out. Automatic calculations remove bias from the equation and determine awards within hours, giving families the best opportunity to plan finances. 

On the admin side, a financial aid solution automates manual processes and digitizes documents, creating greater operational efficiency. Application submission, processing, verification, and award distribution move from pen and paper to a smooth online process, removing the need for hours of manual work. With financial and tax documentation also digitally uploaded, staff can instantly access vital information rather than needing to sift through a filing cabinet. 

Learn how School and Student Services provides these nonbiased, efficient financial aid applications.