Flexible Tuition at Westland

Decisions regarding Flexible Tuition are made with care and a focus on fairness. We review each application holistically, looking at income, assets, and expenses. Some applications are straightforward; others require more nuance.

Clarity, our secure online service, provides an initial recommended tuition. Westland then considers additional factors such as gross and net income, housing costs, taxes paid, and savings/investments. These details help us understand a family’s overall financial picture.

We also consider what each family states they can reasonably contribute in tuition. While we aim to meet each family’s needs, our awards must fit within the school’s annual budget for Flexible Tuition.

We take this responsibility seriously and ask families to approach the process with honesty, care, and shared responsibility.

Flexible Tuition at Westland is a partnership. While the school commits funds to support affordability, we ask families participating in the Flexible Tuition Program to make tuition a meaningful priority within their household budget.

We review a combination of factors, including gross and net income as reflected on tax returns, housing costs, taxes paid, savings and investments, the number of children, and any additional tuition responsibilities. We also consider how families manage expenses and discretionary spending, such as housing, vehicles, and children’s activities, to understand overall financial priorities and how we might best accommodate each family within the resources available. We also take into account what a family tells us they can reasonably contribute to tuition.

While we work hard to support as many families as we can, our resources are finite and must be balanced across the community. Thank you for approaching this process with honesty and shared financial responsibility.

All financial information shared with Westland is treated with strict confidentiality. Only the individuals directly involved in the review process have access to an application’s details.

We strongly discourage families from sharing the amount or nature of any Flexible Tuition award. Because each decision reflects a range of individual circumstances that are not publicly known, sharing award information can unintentionally create misunderstanding within the community.

We use consistent criteria and a structured process to review all Flexible Tuition applications as fairly as possible. 

Westland does not discriminate in the administration of Flexible Tuition on the basis of any protected class recognized under state or federal law.

All families are evaluated using the same standards, and all financial information is handled with care and respect throughout the process.

Westland partners with Clarity to manage Flexible Tuition applications for the 2026–2027 school year.

Clarity provides a secure, mobile-friendly platform where families can complete and submit their applications online. A $65 application fee is charged by Clarity.

After submitting your initial application, you'll return to the Clarity portal to upload any remaining 2024 or 2025 documents.

Timeline Highlights
• Applications Now Open
• Returning families due: January 9, 2026
• New families due: January 30, 2026
• Final tax forms due: February 10, 2026

For support, visit the Clarity Tuition website or contact:
Carole Barber, Director of Finance
cbarber@westlandschool.org

Families who wish to appeal their Flexible Tuition decision may request a review. Appeals should include any new or additional information that may not have been reflected in the initial application.

While we cannot guarantee changes to an award, we will revisit the application carefully and communicate clearly about the outcome.