Tuition Tiers

Tuition tiers define the pricing structure for Hebrew school enrollment. They allow you to set different rates based on grade level, number of students, and other factors.

Understanding Tuition Tiers

What is a Tuition Tier?

A tuition tier is a pricing level for Hebrew school tuition. Each tier contains:

Common Tier Examples

Tier Name Grade Range Base Price Description
Kindergarten K $800/year Introduction to Hebrew and Jewish concepts
Elementary 1-5 $1,200/year Core Hebrew school curriculum
Bar/Bat Mitzvah Prep 6-7 $1,500/year Intensive Torah and Hebrew study
High School 8-12 $1,000/year Teen engagement and confirmation

Creating Tuition Tiers

  1. Navigate to Tuition Management

    Go to Settings → Tuition Tiers.

  2. Click "Create New Tier"

    Opens the tier creation form.

  3. Enter Basic Information

    • Name: Short, descriptive name
    • Description: Details about this tier
    • Base price: Annual tuition amount

  4. Set Grade Range (Optional)

    Specify which grades this tier applies to, or leave blank for manual selection.

  5. Configure Quantity Pricing

    Set up discounts for families with multiple students (see below).

  6. Set Active Status

    Mark as active to make available during student onboarding.

  7. Save Tier

    Tier is now available for student enrollment.

Quantity Pricing

What is Quantity Pricing?

Quantity pricing allows you to offer discounts when families enroll multiple children. This encourages larger families to enroll all their children.

How It Works

Define pricing for different quantities:

Number of Students Price Each Total for Family Savings
1 student $1,200 $1,200 —
2 students $1,100 $2,200 $200 (8%)
3 students $1,000 $3,000 $600 (17%)
4+ students $900 $3,600+ $1,200+ (25%)

Configuring Quantity Pricing

  1. When creating/editing a tier, scroll to "Quantity Pricing"
  2. Click "Add Pricing Rule"
  3. Enter:
    • Minimum quantity (e.g., 2)
    • Maximum quantity (e.g., 2, or blank for "and above")
    • Price per student at this quantity
  4. Add multiple rules for different quantity levels
  5. Save tier
Automatic Calculation: During student onboarding, ShulNET automatically calculates the total based on quantity pricing when multiple students are enrolled together.

Managing Existing Tiers

Viewing All Tiers

Navigate to Settings → Tuition Tiers to see:

Editing Tiers

  1. Click on a tier from the list
  2. Click "Edit Tier"
  3. Update any fields
  4. Save changes
Important: Changing a tier's price does NOT affect existing student enrollments or invoices. Price changes only apply to new enrollments going forward.

Deactivating Tiers

To stop offering a tier without deleting it:

  1. Edit the tier
  2. Uncheck "Active"
  3. Save changes

Inactive tiers:

Deleting Tiers

Only delete tiers if:

Caution: ShulNET prevents deletion of tiers with enrolled students. Deactivate instead of deleting.

Using Tiers During Enrollment

Student Onboarding Workflow

When enrolling students via the Student Onboarding Workflow:

  1. Step 2: Select number of students to enroll
  2. Step 3: Choose tuition tier
    • See list of active tiers
    • View pricing for each tier
    • Quantity pricing automatically applied
    • Total cost calculated in real-time
  3. Step 4: Invoice generated with tier pricing

Tier Selection Logic

ShulNET helps parents choose the right tier:

Pricing Strategies

Grade-Based Pricing

When to Use:

  • Curriculum complexity varies by grade
  • Teacher compensation differs by level
  • Different hours/days per week for different grades

Example:

  • K-2: $800 (1 day/week)
  • 3-5: $1,200 (2 days/week)
  • 6-7: $1,500 (2 days + tutoring)

Flat Pricing

When to Use:

  • Simplified billing
  • All students receive similar instruction time
  • Easier for parents to understand

Example:

  • All grades: $1,200/year
  • Family discounts only

Sibling Discounts

Common Approaches:

  • Percentage: 10% off per additional child
  • Flat Amount: $100 off each additional child
  • Tiered: Different rates for 2, 3, 4+ children
  • Free Threshold: 4th child free

Financial Aid Integration

Handling Scholarships

For families receiving financial aid:

  1. Enroll students using standard tier pricing
  2. Generate invoice with full amount
  3. Add line item for scholarship/discount
  4. Reduce invoice total by aid amount
  5. Keep tier pricing intact for record-keeping

Need-Based Pricing

Some synagogues create special tiers:

Year-to-Year Changes

Increasing Tuition

Best practices for annual price increases:

  1. Create New Tiers

    Option 1: Create new tiers with "2026-2027" in the name, leaving old tiers for reference.

  2. Or Update Existing Tiers

    Option 2: Update prices in existing tiers. Document old prices in description field.

  3. Announce Changes

    Communicate price increases to families well in advance (60+ days).

  4. Grandfather Exception

    Consider keeping current students at old rate for one year as courtesy.

  5. New Enrollments

    New students use updated pricing immediately.

Reporting

Tuition Revenue Reports

Analyze tuition by tier:

Projected Revenue

Estimate annual tuition income:

  1. Count active students in each tier
  2. Multiply by tier base price
  3. Apply quantity discounts
  4. Sum total projected tuition revenue

Best Practices

Pricing Strategy

  • Survey other local synagogues for competitive pricing
  • Calculate actual cost per student (teacher salary, materials, space)
  • Price to cover costs plus margin for sustainability
  • Consider member vs. non-member pricing
  • Offer meaningful sibling discounts to encourage enrollment

Communication

  • Clearly explain what's included in tuition (books, supplies, etc.)
  • Publish tuition rates on website for transparency
  • Announce changes with plenty of notice
  • Explain rationale for price increases
  • Highlight value: quality education, small class sizes, etc.

Administration

  • Review and update tiers annually
  • Don't delete old tiers - deactivate instead
  • Keep tier names clear and descriptive
  • Document what's included in tier descriptions
  • Test quantity pricing calculations before school year starts

Common Questions

Can I have different tiers for members vs. non-members?

Yes! Create separate tiers like "Elementary (Member)" at $1,200 and "Elementary (Non-Member)" at $1,500. Select appropriate tier during enrollment.

What if a student changes tiers mid-year?

Edit the student's enrollment to change their tier. Update the invoice accordingly - either prorate the difference or apply at next billing cycle.

How do I handle families who can't afford full tuition?

Create a confidential scholarship tier or use invoice adjustments. Don't turn families away - work with them on payment plans.

Can quantity pricing work across different tiers?

Currently, quantity pricing applies within a single tier. For families with students in different tiers, you'd invoice each tier separately and potentially apply a manual family discount.

Should I include books and supplies in tuition?

This is a policy decision. Including them in tuition simplifies billing and ensures all students have materials. Separate fees give families more control but require additional invoices.

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