Understanding Pulaski Academy Tuition and Affordability

Choosing the right school for your child is a significant decision, and understanding the financial aspects is a crucial part of the process. This article provides a comprehensive overview of Pulaski Academy's tuition, fees, financial aid options, and payment plans, empowering families to make informed decisions about investing in their children's education.

Pulaski Academy Overview

Pulaski Academy, located in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a nonsectarian, city-based school serving 1,333 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Founded in 1971, the school boasts a student-teacher ratio of 12:1 with 114 teachers on staff, ensuring personalized attention for its students. The student body includes 19.6% students of color, reflecting moderate diversity within the Rock Creek neighborhood. Pulaski Academy is a member of the Alternative School Network and National Independent Private Schools Association. The campus spans 32 acres in a midsize city location, making it among the largest private schools by enrollment in Arkansas. The average private school tuition in Little Rock, AR is $11,806 for elementary schools.

Tuition and Fees: An Investment in Education

Pulaski Academy recognizes that the cost of attending an independent school represents a significant investment in a child's education and future. While specific tuition figures were not provided in the source data, the school is committed to working with families to explore ways of making a Pulaski Academy education a reality.

Additional Fees

Beyond tuition, families should be aware of potential additional fees. Each student is expected to pay a school fee of $75, which will be collected at the start of the school year. For 5th-8th graders who receive a school-issued Chromebook for use at home and at school, there may be an additional fee to cover repair of accidental damage. Student fees vary by grade level and are related to costs associated with field trips and school supplies each year.

Financial Aid: Making PA Affordable

Pulaski Academy offers financial aid to qualified students based on demonstrated need. Demonstrated need is defined as the difference between the school's tuition and what the family can reasonably afford to pay. PA is proud to use the Clarity Application to determine a family’s level of financial need based on the information that families share in the application, which includes assets, income, expenses, and debts.

Read also: A Closer Look at Pulaski Education

The Clarity Application

To apply for financial aid, families must create an account at the Clarity Application. The application typically takes less than 30 minutes to complete and is mobile-friendly. The application itself is also fully translated into Spanish. Also, you can refer to the Clarity Family Information Guide for assistance.

Clarity offers a streamlined, mobile-friendly application that can be completed in as short a time as 20 minutes. Additionally, Clarity removes the need to upload your W2 and 1040 by transferring them directly from the IRS. This reduces the amount of information that you will need to enter manually and makes it possible to complete the application quickly and efficiently.

Pulaski Academy takes the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously. Clarity is certified for both GDPR and SOC2 and uses enterprise-level security standards including end-to-end encryption of all personally identifiable information.

Families must submit a Clarity application each year in order to qualify for financial aid; however, Clarity retains information from previous applications, so it will be even easier to reapply.

Important Financial Aid Documents & Forms

Pulaski Academy Financial Aid Application Checklist
Family Application Guide
School/Organization Financial Aid Application (SOFAA): This form must be completed and forwarded to Clarity immediately after you have completed your Clarity application. Financial Aid applications will not be processed until the SOFAA Form has been forwarded to Clarity.

Key Considerations for Financial Aid Recipients

Financial aid is applied towards tuition only - not books, building fund, or any other costs associated with attending PA.
PA does not grant awards equal to 100% of tuition; therefore you will be required to pay some costs to attend.
You will not be considered for an award if you owe a balance for a prior year’s tuition. You must submit a payment plan to the Business Office, and adhere to this agreement, in order to be considered for an award.
You must be enrolled in order to be considered for financial aid. To be considered “enrolled,” you must have completed and returned the student enrollment contract and paid the deposit.

Financial Aid FAQs

Why did PA choose Clarity?

Pulaski Academy has chosen Clarity as its financial aid application provider in order to better serve both current and prospective families. The school is confident that this change is going to make the process of applying for financial aid easier for families.

How will this impact my award?

Just as in prior years, if your financial circumstances have not changed, you will not see significant changes to your award.

WHEN WILL I KNOW HOW MUCH AID I MAY RECEIVE FROM THE SCHOOL?

Please call the Office of Enrollment and Financial Aid at 501.604.1923 for questions.

WHAT IF I STILL OWE FOR COSTS TO ATTEND PA FOR THE PAST OR CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR?

You will not be considered for an award if you owe a balance for a prior year’s tuition. You must submit a payment plan to the Business Office, and adhere to this agreement, in order to be considered for an award.

WILL I BE CONSIDERED FOR FINANCIAL AID IF I HAVE NOT PAID MY DEPOSIT, FOR RE-ENROLLMENT OR FOR BEING ACCEPTED TO PA?

No. You must be enrolled in order to be considered for financial aid. To be considered “enrolled,” you must have completed and returned the student enrollment contract and paid the deposit.

IF MY Clarity REPORT INDICATES THAT I DO NOT HAVE A NEED FOR FINANCIAL AID OR THE AMOUNT OF NEED Clarity INDICATES THAT I HAVE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME TO ATTEND PA, THEN AM I OUT OF LUCK?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! According to Clarity, you do not show a need for financial aid. The reason is that Clarity indicates your family contribution (what your data says you can pay for education) is equal to or more than PA’s tuition. (PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU APPEAL THE Clarity RESULTS AND RECEIVE AN AWARD, YOUR CHILD MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN 7TH - 12TH GRADE SCHOOL SANCTIONED ATHLETICS - Arkansas Activities Association Rule.)

WHAT IF MY CHILD PLAYS SPORTS, CAN HE/SHE STILL RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID?

The Arkansas Activities Association, the governing body for sports in Arkansas, has a rule that states student-athletes in grades 7-12 can receive aid only up to the amount they qualify for according to Clarity. Therefore, a student can play sports and receive aid, but only to the extent that Clarity indicates the student has a financial need.If, for instance, Clarity indicates a student qualifies for $100 in aid, the student cannot receive more than $100 in aid. If the student does not qualify for aid, then the student cannot receive any aid and play sports. However, the student can decide not to play sports and appeal the Clarity results in an effort to receive aid.

WILL I RECEIVE 100% OF MY FINANCIAL NEED AS DETERMINED BY Clarity?

No. In some cases when the amount of need is less than 50% of PA’s tuition, the award may be close to 100% of your stated financial need.

Arkansas LEARNS Act/Education Freedom Account (EFA) Program

Pulaski Academy has been approved by the Arkansas Department of Education (EDA) to receive funds from the LEARNS Act/ Education Freedom Account (EFA) program. This program provides a pathway in which public funds will be directed for eligible students to private/independent school tuition.

Payment Options: Flexibility and Convenience

Pulaski Academy offers three payment options through FACTS Management:

PLAN A: One payment due by June 22, 2026.
PLAN B: Three payments due June 22, 2026; October 22, 2026; and February 22, 2027.
PLAN C: Eleven monthly payments beginning July 2026 on family selected draft date (either the 5th or 20th) through May, 2027.

FACTS is a convenient, online method to set up a payment plan for Pulaski Academy.

Payment Methods Offered:

Credit Card or Automatic Bank Draft

Enrollment Deposit

The deposit is applied to reduce tuition, and the balance is reflected in the payment plans. Enrollment deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. If you pay the full deposit of $750, but then determine after you receive a financial aid award that you cannot attend PA for financial reasons, you will be refunded $600, thus $150 is non-refundable. If you pay less than the full $750 deposit, the amount of deposit you paid will not be refunded.

Additional Financial Considerations

Multi-Child Discount

The third child and any additional children in a family receive a $1,000 tuition discount for students in 1st - 12th grades or a full-day Early Childhood program. A "family" for this purpose is defined as a household in which the children primarily live and are so acknowledged on federal tax returns.

529 Plans

Arkansas state legislators have amended the Arkansas Tax-Deferred Tuition Savings Program Act to allow Section 529 Plans to be used to pay tuition at K-12 private schools. The Arkansas measure allows a $5,000 (individual) or $10,000 (married, filing jointly) deduction for contributions to 529 Plans. A 529 plan (named after its section of the IRS code) is an investment account offering tax breaks that allows you to set aside money for K-12 tuition only. Contact your CPA or Financial Advisor for information about how a 529 plan could provide you a beneficial way to pay a portion of your tuition.

Community OutReach Scholars Program

In addition to financial aid options, the Pulaski Academy Community OutReach Scholars Program offers tuition assistance for new students entering grades 6th-12th to attend Pulaski Academy. The goal of the COR Scholars Program is to attract outstanding students to Pulaski Academy; students who are extraordinary leaders and scholars with outstanding character. Individual merit in these three areas and a demonstrated financial need are the criteria for selection.

Other Programs

After School & Early Morning Care

After School Care is available on a registered basis for Cubs through 8th-grade students from 3:05 to 6:00 pm. Care may be utilized full-time for the semester or on a daily drop-in basis. Limited spots are available for each option, and will be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis. All students must be registered prior to attending. Parents are required to escort their child into the building and check in with the supervising teacher. A door code will be required to enter the building, and the Director will provide it prior to school starting. will be sent to Early Care and billed for their attendance.

Childcare Enrichment

The Pulaski Academy After School Extras are enrichment-designed courses for Early Childhood, Lower and Middle School students. These classes allow students to pursue and expand their special interests as well as enhance the existing curriculum.

Navigating the Application Process

Pulaski Academy is now accepting applications for the upcoming school year. Applications must be submitted online. Doing so will allow you to submit documents faster and monitor the status of your application.

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