Now Accepting Applications for the 2027-2028 School Year!

A Community Built on Shared Investment

Tuition and Affordability

At The Co-op School, Community Action is one of our core values, and one of the reasons our Equitable Tuition model exists. A cooperative school is built on every family showing up for one another, and that only works if tuition doesn’t stand between a family and our community. That’s the whole idea behind Equitable Tuition: creating a school community where families with different financial circumstances can contribute at different levels while participating fully in the life of our school. From our 2s program through 8th grade, this model helps our classrooms reflect the vibrant, diverse fabric of Bed-Stuy and Brooklyn.

Equitable Tuition Model

Co-op families contribute between 17% and 100% of the top-rate tuition, and about 48% of our families contribute below the top rate.

How Tuition Level Is Set

Tuition levels are designed to reflect each family's circumstances while supporting access to a Co-op education.

Total Confidential Process

The application is handled independently of admissions and kept completely confidential.

Applying for Equitable Tuition

The Co-op School uses Clarity Application to help us understand each family’s individual financial picture. Families provide information about their income, assets, liabilities, and other financial circumstances, which helps us determine an Equitable Tuition level for the coming school year.

You can pay tuition in one payment, two payments, or an extended plan. 

Applications are due November 15, 2026 for returning students and December 15, 2026 for new students.Families should use the code 7792.

Apply through Clarity

Rates for the 2026-2027 school year:

5 Days -$35,000 tuition*

 

3 Days (Mon/Wed/Fri) – $26,000 tuition*

 

2 Days (Tue/Thu) – $19,000 tuition*

 

 

Annual Rates for Half-Days

5 Days – $27,000 tuition*

 

3 Days (Mon/Wed/Fri) – $20,410.00 tuition*

 

2 Days (Tue/Thu) – $16,000 tuition*


*Please refer to tuition insurance tab below

$35,000 tuition*

 

*Please refer to tuition insurance tab below

$37,750.00 tuition*

 

*Please refer to tuition insurance tab below

$40,000.00 tuition*

 

*Please refer to tuition insurance tab below

After-school care is available Monday through Friday until 6 pm at a rate of 13-15 dollars per hour. The exact rate will be determined once we know participation numbers. We must adjust staffing based on the number of students registered to determine that we can keep cohorts small. The confirmed hourly rate will be shared once registration is finalized.

Our Application Fee is $85.


Alongside tuition, every family joining The Co-op School takes on a few shared costs:


Joining Fee of $2,500 for new students / $1,250 for siblings of currently enrolled students. This one-time fee covers onboarding, technology setup, and the materials that help your child start strong.


Annual Administration Fee of $400. Charged once at the start of the year, this covers daily snacks, classroom activities, field trips, and guest speakers.


Annual Gala Fee of $650. This funds our Gala, the community celebration and fundraiser whose proceeds go directly back into school programs and the student experience.

 

* All fees and tuition are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Tuition insurance is designed to offer families reassurance should an unexpected situation arise. This ensures that families are protected in the event of unforeseen circumstances while allowing the school to plan responsibly for the year ahead.

 

Enrollment in the Dewars tuition insurance plan (2.05% of the annual tuition) is automatic for all families, with the option to opt out. *Families may elect to waive coverage by submitting an opt-out request by the stated deadline. Failure to do so constitutes acceptance of the policy.

 

Coverage details, including qualifying circumstances and reimbursement amounts, are outlined in the Dewars brochure (pdf attached).

Frequently Asked Questions about Equitable Tuition

If you still have questions please email us at admissions@thecoopschool.org

Tuition covers everything, except for Fees and After-School & Enrichment.
No. Admissions and Equitable Tuition are separate processes. Families may be admitted to Co-op regardless of their Equitable Tuition application. Because the number of families requesting tuition levels below the top rate can exceed the tuition capacity available in a particular grade, some families may be placed on an Equitable Tuition waitlist. We encourage families to complete the application so that we can determine the tuition level available to them.
Yes. Because a family's financial picture can shift, we ask everyone in the program to reapply annually. If your situation hasn't changed much, you can generally expect to land in a similar tuition range again. Returning families must be current on their prior-year tuition account to remain eligible for Equitable Tuition.
Tuition insurance is designed to offer families reassurance should an unexpected situation arise. This ensures that families are protected in the event of unforeseen circumstances while allowing the school to plan responsibly for the year ahead. Coverage details, including qualifying circumstances and reimbursement amounts, are outlined in this Dewars brochure.

Enrollment in the Dewars tuition insurance plan is automatic for all families, with the option to opt out. *Families may elect to waive coverage by submitting an opt-out request by the stated deadline. Failure to do so constitutes acceptance of the policy.

  • 1. Information for every parenting adult and dependent in your child's life. Please complete separate applications for each household.
  • 2. With your permission, Clarity will transfer your most recent personal tax returns directly from the IRS. Please note, business owners will be asked to upload their business returns. Other tax documents may be requested as needed.
  • 3. Additionally, you will need to input the following information: income estimates for the current year, approximately monthly out-of-pocket expenses, information about assets and liabilities.

There's a step-by-step guide to walk you through the application. Most families finish in under 40 minutes. The application is mobile-friendly, so you can work on it from anywhere, save your progress, and pick it back up later. Clarity charges a $65 application fee upon submission.

Absolutely. All financial documentation and Clarity reports are kept strictly confidential and are accessed only by the Equitable Tuition Committee.
For new students, Equitable Tuition levels are communicated with admission decisions in February. Current Co-op families receive their Equitable Tuition level for the following year with their re-enrollment contracts in January.
We're here to help. Reach out to equitabletuition@thecoopschool.org or admissions@thecoopschool.org. There is also in-app support available and email support at support@claritytuition.com (available in both English and Spanish).