One of the oldest independent boarding schools in the country, Cheshire Academy stands out for delivering an internationally minded education—one that challenges students to maximize their potential by developing the confidence, character, and critical thinking skills that enable them to thrive as global citizens.

In 2022-23, CA also stood out for another reason: it became the state’s first independent school to lower tuition for all students.

Starting with the 2022-23 academic year, day tuition was reduced by nearly a third—an amount better aligned with the income levels of more families in the region. Boarding tuition was reduced by 10%. The international boarding student fee was adjusted to $10,000, reflecting the ongoing expanded support these students receive to successfully acclimate to the country and the school. This includes supervised room and board for some school vacations as well as the services of CA’s international student coordinator, who manages the visa process along with translation and native language support.

This tuition reset was designed to increase access and affordability, encouraging more families to consider the kind of personalized, life-changing education that Cheshire Academy provides. “With this plan, we are aligning value with pricing while better meeting the needs of students and families,” explained Head of School Julie Anderson. “As an added benefit, resetting tuition will allow our financial aid budget to go further, bringing a greater number of students into the CA family.”

The bold, new tuition structure came out of Cheshire Academy’s strategic planning process. “We conducted an extensive study of tuition over the past two years,” Anderson continues. “From 2009 to 2019, while the average income in the U.S. rose approximately 15% and the Consumer Price Index rose by 20%, day and boarding tuitions at private schools increased, on average, more than 40%. In essence, during a decade when everything became moderately more expensive, the sticker price for private school education increased dramatically, putting the opportunity out of reach for more and more students. This can’t continue. That’s not the school we want to be.

“We are lowering our tuition to make CA accessible and affordable to more families. We are not—nor have we ever been—a school solely for the financial elite,” Anderson continues. “With this change, we are committed to continuing to foster a student body that more accurately reflects the socioeconomic diversity students will encounter in college, in their communities, and in their workplaces. Historically, independent schools are slow to change—particularly in Connecticut, which has the highest tuitions in the nation. But we felt that now is the time to be proactive. We are implementing this initiative on our own terms, from a position of strength—with exciting new developments in motion across campus from the classroom to campus life to facilities.”

The cost of operation remains higher than the tuition families pay. However, through decades of generosity from alumni, parents, parents of alumni, foundations, and friends, CA can meet the gap and offer financial assistance to applicants with demonstrated need. Most recently, the school has raised funds toward upgraded campus facilities and to support scholarships, financial aid, and endowment, helping to ensure accessibility and continued innovation.

Lowering tuition was just one of many initiatives Cheshire Academy took on. Several facilities improvements were also completed, including the addition of a new, all-purpose turf field, replacement of the turf and track at the Simosa Field & Track complex, and the installation of three new tennis courts adjacent to the Markin Tennis Courts.