Affording a Mirman Experience

List of 5 items.

• 2022-2023 Tuition & Fees

  Lower School Tuition: $37,950*

  
  

  Upper School Tuition: $41,975*

  
  

  Bus Service (optional): $3,700

  
  

  New Student Fee: $2,250

  
  

  Flexible Tuition includes:

  — Books and classroom materials

  — Annex (after-school care) / Enrichment Programs

  — School and Athletics uniforms

  — Parent Service League community events

  — Co-curricular/Outdoor Education Field Trips

  
  

  Flexible Tuition does not include the cost of the school lunch program provided by an external vendor. The program does provide partial support for the cost of the school’s bus program and Upper School outdoor education trips.

• 2022-2023 Payment Plans

  Annual: pay in one installment due on June 1.

  
  

  Semi-Annual: pay in two installments, due on June 1 and October 1. A per student processing fee applies of $1,067 for Lower School and $1,181 for Upper School.

  
  

  Monthly: pay in eight monthly installments, beginning June 1 through January 1. A per student processing fee applies of $1,778 for Lower School and $1,968 for Upper School.

• Flexible Tuition Application Process

  Our need-based Flexible Tuition program application starts by assessing financial need. Mirman School uses the Financial Aid for School Tuition (FAST) financial assessment tool to collect current federal and state tax returns as well as other supporting documents. The Flexible Tuition Committee reviews all applications, considers the FAST recommendations, and determines the Flexible Tuition grant amount based on the information provided. In some cases, additional information will be requested by the Flexible Tuition Committee. All financial information provided is strictly confidential and viewed only by this committee.

  
  

  Step 1

  Visit the FAST website and begin the application process by entering your family’s financial information. For children with parents/guardians who live in separate households or file separate tax returns, all households must submit their own FAST application. The FAST application fee is $48. 

  
  

  Step 2

  Once you have completed the FAST application, the next step is to upload your financial documents to FAST. We understand that Current Year tax returns will not be completed by January, so those may be uploaded within one week of the actual filing. (Please note, that curent families that have previously submitted tax returns to FAST do not need to upload them again.) As indicated on the FAST site, you will need to submit:

  • Prior Year Federal Tax Return Form 1040.
  • Current Year Federal Tax Return Form 1040 (to be submitted by the original or extended filing date).
  • Prior Year State of California Tax Return Form 540.
  • Current Year State of California Tax Return Form 540 (to be submitted by the original or extended filing date).
  • 2020 and 2021 Form W-2’s
  • Financial institution statements as of December 31, 2022: bank, investment, retirement accounts.
  • If applicable, prior Year Business Tax Returns (Partnership or S-Corps to be submitted by the original or extended filing date).
  • If applicable, current Year Business Tax Returns (Partnership or S-Corps to be submitted by the original or extended filing date).
  • IRS form 4506T (signed, but not dated) — available for download here

  Please do not drop off or mail any documents directly to Mirman School.

  
  

  The Flexible Tuition Application must be received by FAST no later than December 12, 2022 for current families and January 13, 2023 for applicant families. Preliminary Flexible Tuition grants will be awarded without the current year’s return, however we will verify the information upon the submission of the final tax returns.

  • FAST Parent User Guide (English)
  • FAST Parent User Guide (Spanish)
    
    
    

• We're Here to Help!

  We understand that applying for Flexible Tuition can be daunting when added to the whirlwind of preparing for a new school year. We are happy to walk you through the initial steps of the process and answer any questions. The easiest way to submit questions to the Flexible Tuition Committee is via email at flextuition@mirman.org.

• Frequently Asked Questions

  What is Flexible Tuition?

  Flexible Tuition is a program that reflects Mirman’s commitment to economic access for all families of gifted children at all income levels. It is a need-based program similar to those used by most independent schools.

  
  

  This program allows families to apply for reduced tuition based on their family’s individual financial circumstances. Instead of “receiving financial aid,” families pay a tuition amount based on their demonstrated need. At no time will this amount of reduced tuition need to be repaid to Mirman.

  
  

  How do I know if my family is eligible for the program?

  A wide range of families qualify for Flexible Tuition, from those who can afford only minimal tuition to those who can afford almost the full tuition. Flexible Tuition is offered to students in Kindergarten through Eighth Grade and the grant calculations take a wide variety of factors into consideration.

  
  

  We recognize that every family’s situation is different and that even a small amount of reduced tuition can make a critical difference for many families. Mirman encourages all families who believe they will qualify to apply for Flexible Tuition.

  
  

  How is Flexible Tuition determined? What factors are considered?

  Flexible Tuition applications are evaluated based on the FAST submission. FAST is an independent third party system that is used by most independent schools to calculate a recommendation for an award based on your unique financial information. 

  
  

  Mirman’s Flexible Tuition Committee is comprised of a small number of Administrative personnel. This Committee reviews each FAST application and primarily relies on the recommendation from FAST to inform decisions about awards.

  
  

  Mirman considers the following factors to determine a family's financial strength and, therefore, a Flexible Tuition grant.

  
  

  Assets

  Family assets may include: taxable wages, if self-employed, income drawn as salary but not included as business profit, taxable dividend and/or interest income, alimony received, pensions, annuities, rent, royalties, estates or trusts, household expenses paid by separated or divorced spouse in lieu of alimony, unemployment compensation, capital gains, taxable IRA distributions, Keogh plan payments, profits from a business, child support received, Social Security benefits, real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, investments and student income/assets.

  
  

  Expenses & Debt

  Typical expenses and debts: educational expenses, encumbrances against home, medical/dental expenses, debts for investments, prolonged illness, unemployment, past business debts, uninsured natural disasters, past funeral expenses, legal fees, nursing home/assisted living care, closing costs for home purchases/refinancing, child support, costs for a child with special needs, and child care.

  
  

  Non-Working Parent

  One key assumption in the FAST calculation is that all parents/guardians are employed. If one adult does not work, a full-time income is imputed to that parent/guardian at the current minimum wage ($15.50/hour or $32,240 annually).

  
  

  Who needs to complete the FAST form?

  All parents or guardians who have a legal right to make decisions on a child’s education need to complete a FAST application.

  
  

  For families with multiple households, each parent/guardian household must submit a separate Flexible Tuition application along with all required documents and forms to be considered for Flexible Tuition. All financial information is kept strictly confidential and at no time will one household have access to anyone else’s information.

  
  

  If a parent is no longer involved in the life of the child in any way, please speak with our Business Office. Mirman awards a single Flexible Tuition award to the student and it is the responsibility of the parents to determine how to structure the payment schedule.

  
  

  Does everyone who applies and is eligible receive an award?

  Mirman may not be able to provide Flexible Tuition for all families who qualify. Each year, the Board of Trustees approves a Flexible Tuition Budget that the School must adhere to, and in any given year requests for Flexible Tuition may exceed the funds available. 

  
  

  Any family who is denied Flexible Tuition has a right to appeal to the Flexible Tuition Committee. Information on the appeals processes will be shared with the Flexible Tuition decision.

  
  

  Does applying for Flexible Tuition affect our admission application?

  At Mirman, the Flexible Tuition and admission processes are completely separate. Our Admission Committee is not aware of (and does not make decisions based on) the amount of tuition a student’s family may or may not pay. Their sole focus is looking for the best fit for the student. 

  
  

  Is my Flexible Tuition information confidential?

  Yes, all information provided to FAST is highly secured. Those on the Mirman Flexible Tuition Committee are the only individuals reviewing the files, and we keep all information confidential.

  
  

  Do I have to reapply for Flexible Tuition each year?

  Yes, every family is required to submit their current financial data in FAST annually by the required deadline.

  
  

  In general, if a family receives a Flexible Tuition award, they can expect to receive a similar award for their student’s time at Mirman as long as there are no significant changes in a family’s financial situation.

  
  

  In some cases, a time-limited year award may be granted due to a significant, limited circumstance (i.e., job loss, severe medical circumstances, etc.). Such an award will be clearly denoted in your Flexible Tuition notification.