Continuous Enrollment

Christian Heritage Academy wants to convey to families that we want to provide your children a distinctive and biblically based Christ-centered education through graduation. We desire to make your children's continued enrollment as easy and seamless as possible. The continuous enrollment process is positive, paperless, and convenient.

Christian Heritage Academy normally has 92%–95% of our students re-enroll each year. We recognize the vast majority of our families choose to have their students remain at CHA until they graduate. To serve our families better, we are transitioning to a simplified and seamless enrollment process—continuous enrollment. Students are automatically enrolled for subsequent school years until they graduate or the family OPTS OUT by completing an Intent to Withdraw Form by January 31 each year. 
 

As we prepare for the 2024–2025 school year, beginning in October, prior to the typical early re-enrollment season (December 1-January 15) we will provide families with information and continual reminders regarding the designated OPT OUT period.

Families, returning to CHA for the 2024–2025 and each subsequent school year, will submit an abbreviated packet. The packet consists of four or five forms for parents to sign: the Parent Agreement, Student Agreement, Standard of Conduct, and Drug and Alcohol Policy (only parents and students in grades nine through twelve sign the drug policy). Families must maintain an active FACTS Financial Tuition Management account so that the school can deduct the Annual Commitment Fee, by January 31, 2024, and utilize the existing payment plan to draft tuition.

The Annual Commitment Fee per student, previously referred to as the enrollment fee, confirms that your students will attend CHA for the next academic year; secures a place for your students; and confirms your financial contract. The $200 fee per student is non-refundable. For families who submit the packet (one per student) between December 1 and January 15, the Annual Commitment Fee per student is $200.00. Families who submit the packet (one per student) after January 15; the Annual Commitment Fee is $250.00 per student. For current families, the school will deduct the fee from your family’s FACTS Financial Tuition Management at the time you submit the packet each school year between December 1 and January 31. For new families, the school will deduct the fee for each student when the family submits the initial online enrollment agreement and financial contract.

Submitting an annual fee secures placement for each child in the upcoming year.

Yes; however, the packets will consist of four agreement forms for elementary students and five agreement forms for secondary students. Once a parent (and the student, where applicable) signs the forms and submits the packets, the Annual Commitment Fee will be drafted from the family’s financial account.

Families can update demographic information at any time. Parents may choose to update demographic information (address, telephone numbers, etc.) when they sign the agreement forms, but that will not be part of the continuous enrollment process.

Your payment plan from 2023–2024 will automatically roll forward into the 2024–2025 school year and subsequent school years. If you want to change your payment plan, please contact the Director of Business. 

CHA uses FACTS Tuition Management to manage our tuition payment program and scholarship applications. CHA requires all families to have a FACTS Financial account established to process the Annual Commitment Fee, incidental expenses, and tuition payments. Families are responsible to maintain their accounts and ensure financial information (bank account or credit card account) is accurate.

You will access FACTS Financial Home via FACTS Family Portal to update your financial information.

All accounts (tuition, lunch, athletic, etc.) must be in good standing to maintain your Continuous Enrollment Contract. Students will not be considered enrolled for the upcoming school year until the family’s account is in good standing and the applicable Annual Commitment Fee is paid for each student.

Opting out is a designated time for families to notify the school of their plans not to return for the new academic school year. The family must complete the Will Not Enroll Form. The opt-out period is from December 1–January 31. When a family “opts out,” identifying they do not plan to return for the coming year, their Continuous Enrollment Contract concludes at the end of the applicable school year. The school will not draft the Annual Commitment Fee nor the applicable school year’s tuition. A place will not be reserved for the student. A withdrawal occurs outside of the “opt-out period.” To withdraw your student at any time during a current school year, you must contact the Office of Admissions to withdraw enrollment.

CHA desires to maintain our partnership with you for your student’s complete education, but we recognize that sometimes plans change for our families. Please contact the admissions office to discuss your plans and then complete the OPT OUT/Will Not Enroll Form by January 31, 2024.

Withdrawals have a significant impact on our planning, hiring, and budgeting for the next school year. We base staffing, instructional programs, materials, curriculum, and facility needs on the number of students we expect for the upcoming school year. Late withdrawals negatively affect all these plans.

Families, who submit a Will Not Enroll Form by January 31 each year, will not have a financial obligation for the approaching school year. February 1 and beyond, the Annual Commitment Fee, regardless of the notification date, is non-refundable.

For withdrawals occurring after February 1 and payments have been made for tuition, CHA will release families from their Continuous Enrollment Contract. The financial obligation will be based on two (2) factors—the timing and the reason for withdrawal and four (4) qualifying events.

The four (4) qualifying events, which may reduce the amount of tuition the family owes, include but are not limited to the following.

• Death of a parent or guardian who is a member of the student’s household, or is providing significant financial support.
• Unemployment that persists for more than 60 days of a parent or guardian who is a member of the student’s household, or is providing significant financial support.
• Relocation of the student to an address more than 30 miles from the CHA campus. To qualify, the student must reside at this address more than 50% of the school week, on average, during the school year.
• Significant decrease in a tuition scholarship for returning students when there has been no corresponding improvement in the family’s financial position. To qualify, the student must have received a tuition scholarship from CHA and completed the prior school year at CHA. If a family received a tuition scholarship, the funds will be returned to the scholarship fund.

The following chart outlines the financial obligation, in addition to the non-refundable annual commitment fee.

The Head of School will consider four qualifying events that may reduce the amount of tuition owed or release of the family’s obligation for tuition. Consideration for release of the financial obligation for tuition must meet one or more of the four qualifying events that must have occurred after January 31. The family must submit in writing their submission for withdrawal to the Director of Admissions. Within seven days of the receipt of the withdrawal notification, the Director of Admissions will notify the family of the Head of School’s decision.

If a family opts out, thus canceling their Continuous Enrollment Contract and then decides to return, the family must pay the late fee ($250.00 per student) and submit an enrollment packet. The student may be granted a spot based upon available openings in the grade. If a grade is full, the student will be placed in a wait pool with prospective students.

To enroll a new student, families

• Submit an application for the new student.
• Complete all the applicable admissions steps.
• Once enrollment is offered, pay the Annual Commitment Fee.

Each year families must apply for a tuition scholarship. It is important that families apply by the designated deadlines.

We encourage families to contact the Admissions Office to discuss an appeal. If the family chooses to withdraw, CHA releases them from their Continuous Enrollment Contract and their future tuition obligations.