Tuition/Financial Aid

Tuition

Tuition for the 2025-2026 school year is as follows:

Full Program: $14,500 for first child, $11,600 for the second, and $10,875 subsequent.

4 Day Unschool Drop-in Program: $11,600 for the first child in a family, $9,300 for the second child, and $8,700 for subsequent.

3 Day Unschool Drop-in Program: $10,875 for the first child in a family, $8,700 for the second child, and $8,200 for subsequent.

Tuition is pro-rated for students entering after October 1st.

Families may elect to pay annually, semi-annually, or monthly; families choosing to pay semi-annually or monthly do so via Brightwheel, our tuition management company and pay a 5% (monthly) or 2.5% (semi-annual) tuition fee. A $500 deposit is due at the time of enrollment, this amount is credited to the last month of tuition. Tuition payments are due on the first of the month from August 1st through May 1st.

The tuition is expected to increase at the following rate. Please note this is subject to change.

Financial Aid

The mission of our Financial Aid Committee is to maintain financial accessibility to Zena Democratic School for all young people while simultaneously supporting the school’s operating budget. The committee prides itself on making mutually beneficial tuition agreements with every applicant.

Note: Unschool families are not eligible for Financial Aid.

For more information, contact the school to schedule a financial aid orientation with our Finance Clerk.

Tuition

Financial Aid

Parents’ experience of the school is a crucial factor in determining their childrens’ experience of the school. Children of parents who work hard to understand our philosophy, communicate with staff, attend events, and connect with the community usually get the most out of our program.

Students may receive a diploma if they elect to undergo our internal diploma process.

Every student and staff at Zena Democratic School is assigned a cleaning job by the Physical Plant Clerk.

At Zena Democratic School, the jobs of administration and maintenance are divided into roles called Clerkships;

At Zena Democratic School, a Cooperative (coop) is a group of like-minded students and staff who organize around a common interest, like music, art, or sports.

Screens are allowed at school, with restrictions.

Each student aged 13+ is automatically enrolled in our High School Advisor Program;

Age-mixing is one of the most potent developmental experiences at Zena Democratic School.

At Zena Democratic School, rule infractions and interpersonal conflicts are resolved using sophisticated restorative justice tools.

Zena Democratic School is located on a parcel of 67 wooded acres in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

Zena Democratic School is a direct democracy; each student and member of the staff has an equal vote in managing all aspects of the school’s operation.