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Choose Your Tuition

A Community-Powered Model for Equity & Sustainability

 

At Wild Roots Nature School, we believe that nature-based education should be accessible to all families, regardless of financial circumstances. Our Choose Your Tuition model is a tool for economic justice and educational access, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to learn, explore, and grow in nature.

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We recognize that every family’s financial situation is unique, which is why we use a tiered tuition model. This system allows families to select a tuition rate that aligns with their financial reality while helping to sustain the school for future generations.

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How It Works

 

We offer three tuition options. You select the tier that reflects your families unique financial circumstances. 

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🌿 Pay It Forward – For families with financial flexibility who can contribute above the standard rate, helping to sustain sliding scale access for others.

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🌲 Standard Rate – The actual cost of providing our programs, covering staff wages, materials, land stewardship, and operations.

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🍃 Sliding Scale – For families who need financial flexibility, this option offers reduced tuition rates based on financial need. We trust families to choose honestly and thoughtfully.

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👉 This model only works when there is balance. Families paying the Standard Rate keep our programs sustainable, while those who Pay It Forward expand access to families who need the Sliding Scale.

 

By selecting the tuition tier that fits your family, you are helping build a stronger, more inclusive community where all children can experience the magic of outdoor learning.

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Why This Model Matters

 

✔ Equity in Education – We believe that alternative and outdoor education should not be limited by financial barriers. Our model bridges the gap between affordability and sustainability.

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✔ Community-Powered Support – Families who Pay It Forward help provide sliding scale access, ensuring that more children can experience nature-based education.

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✔ Balanced Support for Sustainability – We rely on a mix of tuition contributions:

  • Families paying the Standard Rate cover the true costs of the program.

  • Families who Pay It Forward sustain the Sliding Scale model.

  • The Sliding Scale keeps education accessible for families facing financial hardship.

 

✔ Trust-Based Tuition Model – We do not require financial aid applications or income verification. We trust you to choose the rate that best reflects your financial circumstances.

 

Which Tuition Option Fits Your Family?

Selecting the right tuition tier means reflecting on your family’s financial reality

 

Use the following prompts to help determine the best tuition option for your family. Consider which category reflects your current financial reality.

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🌿 Pay-It-Forward

Consider choosing this tier if you:

  • Earn above the adequate standard of living for your area (per the Economic Policy Institute).

  • Have significant assets, such as investments, inheritance, or a paid-off home.

  • Live partially or fully off unearned income (family support, trust funds, gifts).

  • Can choose to work less or not at all due to financial flexibility.

  • Have a high earning potential due to education, race, or class background—even if you aren’t currently using it.

  • Have expendable income for frequent travel, dining, entertainment, or luxury expenses.

 

By choosing this tier, you help sustain the Sliding Scale option for families with financial need.

 

🌲 Standard Rate

This rate reflects the true cost of our programs. It’s for families who:

  • Earn an adequate standard of living (as defined by the Economic Policy Institute).

  • Can afford regular discretionary spending (eating out, entertainment, travel).

  • Do not experience race, ethnicity, gender, or disability-related barriers to income.

  • Have some student loan debt, but it does not create financial hardship.

  • Own or rent a home and can consistently meet financial obligations.

  • Have a stable career path with opportunities for growth.

 

If tuition is a sacrifice (cutting back on extras) but not a hardship (impacting basic needs), this is the right tier for you.

 

🍃 Sliding Scale

If paying tuition would create a significant financial hardship, this option is here for you. Consider this tier if you:

  • Earn below the adequate standard of living for your area.

  • Have medical expenses, debt, or caregiving responsibilities that impact your financial stability.

  • Experience barriers to earning due to disability, chronic illness, or immigration status.

  • Receive public assistance or rely on community aid to meet basic needs.

  • Have little or no family financial support or assets.

  • Are an elder with limited income.

 

If paying tuition would cause you to struggle with essentials like food, housing, or healthcare, please use this tier.

 

Honesty, Trust & Community Support

Our Choose Your Tuition model is built on trust and community care. We do not require income verification, and we trust families to choose the rate that best reflects their circumstances.

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By selecting the tuition tier that aligns with your financial reality, you help us create a sustainable, equitable model that supports all families and our dedicated educators.

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If you're unsure which tier is right for you, please reach out—we're happy to help! 💚

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Need Help Deciding?

Use our Sliding Scale Guidance Chart (🔗 link or visual tool) to assess where your family falls on the scale.

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How to Enroll Using the Sliding Scale

✔ Step 1: Use the guidance on this page to evaluate your financial reality.
✔ Step 2: Select your tuition rate on your enrollment form.
✔ Step 3: Complete your registration and become part of our learning community!

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No matter which tuition tier you choose, every child receives the same enriching, high-quality experience.

If you have any questions about tuition, please reach out—we are happy to help! 💚

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sliding scale fee guidance

Click here to download a larger PDF of this image for better readability.

If your responses are primarily in the top ⅓ of the chart, consider choosing the Pay-It-Forward model. If you land somewhere in the top middle section, select the Standard Rate model. And, if your responses were mostly in the bottom middle or bottom ⅓, consider using the Sliding Scale to determine your tuition. 

 

Here’s another way you can use these prompts to help determine the tuition model for your family:

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Consider the Pay-It-Forward model if many of the following are true:

  • My families income is considered above the adequate standard of living per the Economic Policy Institute 

  • I have a degree(s) without having had loans

  • I live partially, mostly or all off unearned / gifted income

  • My family has plentiful assets, like investments

  • I received a large (over $50k) amount of money and gave/give it away

  • Someone else paid or pays my rent/mortgage 

  • I can choose to work or not

  • I choose to work part time or for less pay since I need less money/have external support

  • I own the home I  live in

  • I have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money

  • I travel recreationally

  • I have expendable income

  • I have access to family money and resources in times of need

  • I work part time by choice

  • I have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education (or gender and racial privilege, class background, etc.) Even if you are not currently exercising your earning power, we ask you to recognize this as a choice.

 

Select the Standard Rate model if many of the following are true:

  • My families income is considered an adequate standard of living per the Economic Policy Institute 

  • I choose to go out to eat or drink weekly (or more).

  • My race, ethnicity, skin color or gender doesn’t impact my income

  • I can cover my basic needs + some extras regularly

  • I’m able bodied

  • I can cover my basic needs regularly

  • I have student loans for professional or post-secondary education in my current field that I work in

  • I have student loans and most people in my family have higher education

  • I have a graduate degree and am paying off my loans

  • Someone in my family explained how careers work

  • My career is stable and moving forward

  • Family has many assets, like a paid-off house and/or parents have retirement accounts

  • Family of origin has assets, like a house they are paying

 

Consider using the Sliding Scale if many of the following are true:

  • My families income is considered below the adequate standard of living per the Economic Policy Institute 

  • I’m sick or disabled and that impacts my ability to work / earn money.

  • My race, ethnicity, skin color or gender(s) does impact my income

  • I have non-optional health care costs to cover

  • I have a bachelors degree and am paying off my loans still

  • I am struggling to pay more than minimums on debt 

  • I have student loans and I was among the first in my family to go to college

  • I help my family with money

  • I support others besides my own family on my income

  • My family has few assets

  • I have no family or access to family

  • My family has no assets 

  • I have significant debt

  • I have medical expenses not covered by insurance

  • I receive public assistance

  • I have immigration-related expenses

  • I am an elder with limited financial support

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