Affording a Windward Education

The Windward School uses Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS), which assists independent schools in determining a family’s financial need. The report detailed by TADS is reviewed by our Tuition Assistance Committee as a guideline in making tuition assistance decisions, but the report computed by TADS does not bind The Windward School to any specific award.

Any family that has applied for admission may apply for tuition assistance.

No. Tuition assistance files are reviewed, and awards are made only after a student is admitted. If a student is neither admitted nor placed on the waitlist, the tuition assistance file is shredded and destroyed. Tuition assistance requests by returning families must be made by the February 19, 2021 deadline in order for an award to be considered.

Families may submit the tuition assistance applications and supporting documents starting October 30, 2020. Submissions will not be accepted prior to October 30, 2020. 

Step 1 - Submit Application:

All families should submit their online tuition assistance applications to Tuition Aid Data Services (TADS).

Complete an application by visiting www.mytads.com. 

Please download the 2021-2022 Family Worksheet below to assist with completing your application.

Click to download application in English
Click to download application in Spanish

You need to complete only one application, even if you have more than one child applying to The Windward School.

The processing fee to apply for tuition assistance using the TADS system is $34.00 for a standard 1040 Tax Return and $53.00 if there are additional corporate, partnership, or trust tax documents (1120, 1120S or 1065).

If you are unable to complete your application online, forms are available from Dr. Erik Bennett, The Windward School Tuition Assistance Director. If you have questions about the TADS submission process, you may call TADS directly at 800-477-8237, or contact Dr. Erik Bennett at 914-949-6968 ex. 1271.

Step 2 – Submit Supporting Documentation

There are three ways to submit:
Mail, fax, or upload supporting documents to TADS. Returning families must mail, fax or upload supporting documents to TADS no later than February 19, 2021. Do not e-mail supporting documentation to The Windward School.

By Mail:
TADS Financial Aid Services
1201 Hawthorne Avenue, Suite 100
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403

BY FAX:
612-548-3326

UPLOAD:
www.tads.com/upload - please do not send information via email

All families must submit the following documents directly to TADS. Returning families must submit the following documents by February 19, 2021:

• • a copy of both parents' or guardians' 2020 1040 federal tax return with all schedules and W2’s,
  • a copy of both parents' or guardians' 2019 1040 federal tax return with all schedules and W2’s,
  • if either parent or guardian is self-employed, a copy of the 2020 and 2021 corporate tax return,
  • a Supplemental Information Form, which will be provided by TADS upon completion of the on-line application.

Application Deadline: Families may submit the tuition assistance applications and supporting documents starting October 30, 2020. The deadline for submitting the application and supporting materials to TADS for returning families is February 19, 2021 for returning families.

Questions regarding the financial aid process may be directed to:

Erik Bennett, PhD
Tuition Assistance Director
(914) 949-6968, ext. 1271
Email: ebennett@thewindwardschool.org

All information related to the parents/guardians’ financial circumstances will be treated
confidentially. These forms will only be used to arrive at a
fair determination of financial need.

 

Yes. All applications for tuition assistance must be started while the child is completing or near the completion of the admissions process.

Financial need is defined as the difference between what it costs to attend The Windward School and a family’s ability to pay. The TADS Financial Aid Reporting system provides the School with a general assessment of a family’s ability to pay for education. Major factors in determining financial need include, but are not limited to, income, assets (including home equity, college funds, and investments), family size, and the number of children attending tuition-charging institutions, excluding daycare, preschool and graduate school.

No. The Windward School requires families receiving tuition assistance to reapply each year. Changes in factors such as income, family status, and the number of children attending private institutions may increase or decrease an award. Every application is reviewed annually. All returning families who have received tuition assistance the previous year must have the application completed by Friday, February 19, 2021.

The Windward School believes that families have an obligation to pay for the educational expenses of their children to the extent that they are able. The Tuition Assistance Committee will consider the assets of custodial parent(s)/guardian(s), if living, before making any award, and cannot be bound by the assertion that one parent/guardian has disclaimed, legally or otherwise, any responsibility for educational expenses. If either parent/guardian has remarried, the committee will also consider the income and assets of the stepparent, as well.

Both custodial and non-custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) and their current spouses, if any, must fill out a separate TADS Financial Aid application form. If this information is not provided, the committee will not be able to consider the application for tuition assistance.

The Windward School asks that custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) file the TADS application as early as possible after October 30, 2020, with a deadline of February 19, 2021. No tuition assistance award will be made until a student has been admitted into the school and all necessary documentation has been received by TADS.

Since it is our belief that families bear the primary responsibility for financing the education of their children, it is our policy to expect both parents/guardians to contribute financially. There are circumstances such as caring for a disabled or elderly parent, or a preschool child that might exempt a family from this policy. Each application is evaluated individually.

You will need to complete your taxes early enough to meet the February 19, 2021 deadline in order to be considered for a tuition assistance award. However, you may complete the application form using “estimated” information for the current year.

Families will be notified as the committee reviews the files. The process usually extends from the middle of April through the middle of June.

Yes. To do so, please write to the Tuition Assistance Committee explaining your appeal. Include any information that will help the committee to better understand your situation, such as a detailed list of monthly expenses or any information that you feel may be beneficial for the committee to know.

Payments made for the special education provided at The Windward School may be deductible medical care expenses under the Internal Revenue Code. While ordinary education is not medical care, the cost of medical care may, under certain circumstances, include the cost of attending a special school for an individual with a disability if his or her condition is such that the resources of the institution for alleviating such disability are a principal reason for his or her presence there.

Whether tuition expenses for Windward will be deductible in a particular case will depend upon the facts and circumstances of each individual student’s situation. There are also percentage limitations applicable to otherwise deductible medical expenses, depending on the parent’s adjusted gross income. Therefore, before claiming a tax deduction for expenses relating to the special education of a student, we highly recommend that you consult with a tax lawyer or accountant about whether your payments to Windward may qualify for medical expense tax deduction