The Leffell School: Tuition, Financial Aid, and Accessibility

The Leffell School, a private Jewish school located in Hartsdale, NY, is committed to providing an outstanding K-12 education that prepares students to be thoughtful, articulate, passionate, and motivated leaders in an ever-evolving world. Central to this mission is ensuring that a Leffell School education is accessible to as many families as possible, regardless of their financial circumstances.

The Leffell School Experience

The Leffell School distinguishes itself through its comprehensive, intellectually rigorous dual curriculum. This approach empowers and cultivates each student in mind, body, and soul. The school emphasizes Jewish values, critical thinking, and openness to new ideas, inspiring students to achieve academic and personal excellence, effectively preparing them for college and the world beyond.

Parents consistently express gratitude for the school's impact. One parent noted the "miraculous school year" provided during the pandemic, highlighting their son's academic progress and the incredible social environment. Another parent lauded the teaching faculty of the highest standard, within a warm, embracing environment.

The school's commitment extends beyond academics. As one parent articulated, their child's soul has grown "rich and deep" thanks to the teachers, deans, and experiences at The Leffell School.

Tuition and the Annual Fund

Like many independent schools, tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating each student at The Leffell School. Donations to the Leffell School Annual Fund help bridge the gap between tuition and fees and the actual cost of providing an education. The Annual Fund is the school's number one fundraising priority, providing critical funds for financial assistance, professional faculty development, academic and co-curricular enrichment opportunities, and much more.

Support of the fund is an endorsement of the tremendous impact that a day school education has on students and the community at large. Contributions to the Annual Fund send an important message to others in the Leffell School community: "we are all in this together."

The school also receives support from a variety of foundations outside of the Leffell School community and aggressively research and pursue new opportunities for grants.

Financial Aid: Making Education Accessible

Recognizing the importance of socioeconomic diversity, The Leffell School has a strong commitment to tuition assistance. The school is committed to ensuring that an outstanding K-12 Jewish independent school education is accessible to as many families as possible. Socioeconomic diversity is a hallmark of our school community, and we are proud of the broad participation in our tuition assistance program. The Leffell School's tuition assistance program is confidential and highly flexible, taking into account individual factors including income, assets, number of children in the school, and other financial obligations. The school believes that financial constraints should not be an obstacle to enrollment for a family who wants to be a part of the Leffell School community.

The FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment Application

To make the allocation process as straightforward, fair, and comprehensive as possible, The Leffell School utilizes the standardized FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment Application. FACTS is an independent company that is the national leader in financial aid assessment for independent schools. FACTS works with schools across the country to help evaluate family financial need, allowing schools to award aid with confidence. FACTS also works with schools across the country to provide tuition management services that make education more affordable. Through FACTS programs, parents can pay tuition and fees over time, using a variety of payment methods.

FACTS is a service that evaluates families’ financial information to arrive at the amount of tuition that a family could reasonably afford to pay each year. FACTS uses information provided through an online application as well as supporting tax documentation to make its determination.

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Eligibility and the Application Process

Families new to The Leffell School should note that a tuition assistance application can be processed only after the student’s admissions application is complete. After a student’s admissions application has been processed and provided that the family has indicated a need for tuition assistance on the application, the school will send tuition assistance application details to new families. The deadline for applying for tuition assistance for an upcoming school year typically takes place in January. Families interested in applying for tuition assistance should contact Chief Financial Officer Risa Vine with any questions about the tuition assistance process.

There is no defined income range for tuition assistance eligibility. The process takes into account several factors, of which income is one. Many families who did not expect to qualify for assistance based upon their income have received tuition assistance awards at The Leffell School. To determine eligibility, the school considers income, number of dependents, number of children enrolled in the school, support from family, and the assets of both parents. The majority of families who benefit from our tuition assistance program have annual incomes below $300,000 per year, and our school has a very strong record of meeting the financial needs of these families.

Both custodial and non-custodial parents must apply for tuition assistance and applications may be entirely separate or completed jointly. Financial information is collected to determine the ability, not the willingness, of all parties to financially support the education of their children. The school considers the financial resources of all living parents and requires the cooperation of all parties before tuition assistance awards are determined, unless one of the parents has been assigned sole financial responsibility for the student’s education in a divorce decree. Financial information will not be viewable to another parent online if separate applications are completed, nor will the school share any financial information submitted by another parent. The Leffell School does not act as an intermediary between parents and asks that all parties involved communicate directly with each other regarding the education of their children.

What Tuition Assistance Covers

Tuition assistance awards pertain to tuition and fees that are listed on the enrollment contract. Student activities that are part of the regular school program, such as overnight trips, are included in the total tuition and fees for all grades. The eighth-grade Israel trip is included in the tuition and fees and is designed to be the only Bnai Mitzvah gift the students give to their peers.

Tuition assistance awards do not cover fees for programs that are charged separately. Examples of such programs include (but are not limited to) transportation, school lunch, and afterschool programs. The Leffell School offers an optional plan to insure tuition and transportation fees in the event of the student’s withdrawal or dismissal.

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Tuition Payment Options

The Leffell School also partners with FACTS Payment Plans to provide tuition management services that make education more affordable. Through these programs, parents can pay tuition and fees over time, using a variety of payment methods.

Additional Ways to Support The Leffell School

Beyond the Annual Fund, there are several other ways to support The Leffell School and its mission:

Sponsoring a Day of Learning: This is a meaningful way to honor the memory of a loved one, celebrate a family milestone, pray for a complete healing, or acknowledge another special occasion.
Planned Gifts: These enable you to make an investment in the community that will have a significant impact even beyond your lifetime.
Gifts of Stock: Giving appreciated stock may offer a tax-saving benefit, enabling you to avoid paying capital gains tax on the increase in value of your security.
Gifts from Donor Advised Funds: Gifts can be made directly to The Leffell School from your Donor Advised Fund.
Matching Gifts: Many corporations match their active and retired employees’ donations to not-for-profit organizations, including educational institutions.

Admissions Information

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026-27 school year. Each division (Lower School, Middle School, High School) has its own unique process. Once an application is submitted, applicants will be directed to the next steps. Each division asks for several pieces of documentation, including a Release of Information, student report cards or transcripts, standardized testing, and teacher recommendations (for Middle School and High School applicants only). To schedule a one-on-one conversation, please contact Lower School Admissions Director Diana Schutt Franklin or Upper School Admissions Director Jackie Grosser.

Transportation

Daily student transportation to and from our campuses is generally provided by the public school district in which the family resides. To verify eligibility for this service, contact the local school district. Most districts’ transportation application deadline for free district busing is April 1. For most of those communities where public transportation is not provided, The Leffell School has arranged for private van and bus service, which is available at a fee.

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