Tuition
As a private school dedicated to inclusion, City Garden School takes very seriously our mission to provide meaningful education for all who desire it. We strive to keep our costs reasonable through careful planning and good stewardship of resources. Through our Scaled Tuition model, CGS is proud to be able to provide a high-quality independent school education at a tuition that’s within reach of a range of families.
Our tuition for the 2024-2025 school year is a multi-tiered model allowing families to choose a monthly tuition rate with a corresponding volunteer hour requirement (the tiers are shown below). This model is reflective of the fact that City Garden School believes that parent involvement is a necessary part of our community. These three tiers are based on a 10-month year.
Each family also pays a Materials Fee, which is due prior to the start of the school year. The materials fee covers all school supplies.
Kindergarten:
$8,600 annually plus 10 hours of volunteer time per month
$9,700 annually plus 5 hours of volunteer time per month
$10,800 annually with no contractual volunteer hours
The Materials Fee is $350
Elementary (1st-5th grades):
$7,600 annually plus 10 hours of volunteer time per month
$8,700 annually plus 5 hours of volunteer time per month
$9,800 annually with no contractual volunteer hours
The Materials Fee is $300
Middle School (6th-8th):
$8,600 annually plus 10 hours of volunteer work per month
$9,700 annually plus 5 hours of volunteer work per month
$10,800 annually with no contractual volunteer hours
The Materials Fee is $350
Volunteer hours should be completed each month. We have multiple committees for parents to choose how they would like to complete their hours. These hours contribute to a thriving school community!
*We offer a sibling discount when multiple children from the same household attend CGS.
Aftercare
We are so happy to include an after-care program for all students.
After-Care (2:40 PM-5:30 PM): Have peace of mind knowing your child’s experience will extend throughout the day. A gentle rhythm guides the afternoon with more time outside and time set aside for older children to complete homework. Available to Kinder - Middle School CGS students Monday-Friday.
The program does not meet on school holidays and unplanned school closings (snow days). Unexpected closings, teacher work days, and holidays have been factored into the monthly cost of aftercare. No refunds will be given for sick days or missed aftercare days. Appropriate outdoor clothing and gear for the season is required. Please pack a nutritious and filling snack.
The fees listed are based on a contracted amount of $18 per day for 3 hours of aftercare. The drop-in rate is $10 per hour.
*Payment is per month, per child. You will be charged a flat monthly rate if your child is enrolled for contracted aftercare. The cost per month factors in 6 unexpected closings/snow days, all teacher work days, and scheduled holidays for the year.
We offer a sibling discount of 20%. (*For contracted families only.)
Materials for activities are included.
Contracted Rate: $18/day per child
1 day a week: $57 per month
2 days a week: $114 per month
3 days a week: $171 per month
4 days a week: $229 per month
5 days a week: $286 per month
Drop-in Rate: $10/hour per child:
*The second sibling discount does not apply to drop-in services.
Scholarships
We offer a limited number of partial scholarships, according to need.
We welcome applications from students who can contribute to the diversity of our community, have financial need, have a demonstrated ability to meet academic requirements, and are interested in engaging in an education that includes a balance of academic, artistic, and practical work.
The needs for financial assistance are always greater than the resources we have to meet them. The primary responsibility for financing education rests with families. We expect all parents to contribute honestly toward tuition and to prioritize education as a part of their household budget.
Use a 529 Plan to Pay Tuition
529 plans are educational “IRAs” that are administered at the state level. 529 plans are considered tax-advantaged accounts. Savers can invest in the 529 plan, and the gains from the investments are free of capital gains, so long as the funds are used to pay for qualified expenses (which now include up to $10,000 of private elementary and secondary school tuition).
To take advantage of this rule, you’ll simply cash out investments, transfer the funds to your checking account, and use the funds to pay for primary or secondary school tuition. Be sure to keep track of how you use the distributions for tax purposes (in case you get audited).
The State of Missouri offers MOST, Missouri's 529 Plan.
MOScholars Program for Tuition
Missouri created its first private school choice program, an education savings account, in 2021. This MOScholars program provides families with flexible scholarship funds (up to $6,375) that they can put toward attending the eligible public, charter, virtual, private, or homeschool of their choice. Families can even use the funds for educational therapy or school transportation!
To be eligible for this program, students must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or be from families earning up to 200 percent of the federal free-and-reduced-price lunch program. Students must also be from charter counties or cities with more than 30,000 residents. Find out if you qualify HERE.
City Garden School is a partner school with Herzog Tomorrow Foundation.
The Garden Fund
All CGS families are encouraged to make a meaningful contribution to the Garden Fund. Every donation made to City Garden School directly affects a child's education. The Garden Fund fills a critical gap, allowing CGS to offer its rich programming in full to every student. We are committed to keeping fees and tuition as low as possible to maintain affordability and keep CGS education as accessible as possible.