New Trier Township High School offers financial assistance for families who qualify in accordance with Board of Education Policy 4:140: Waiver of School Fees. To qualify for free lunch/fee waiver/textbook assistance, families must meet the income thresholds under the Federal Poverty Guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the National School Lunch Program.

Families may also be eligible for financial assistance due to temporary financial hardships caused by the loss of one’s home due to fire, unemployment, illness, or other emergencies that create a severe impact on family income levels.

To be considered for financial assistance, families must complete an application and submit supporting financial documentation. Financial assistance is granted only for the current school year and is not retroactive. Families must reapply each school year. Fees not covered by financial assistance are the responsibility of the families. Payment plans may be enacted for balances on student accounts.

Financial Assistance available:

• Free Lunch-funds are directly loaded to the student’s ID card. The District provides $11/day for the school year. 
• Student fee waiver-School fees and selected program fees are waived, including fees for Driver’s Education, PSAT and AP exams.
• Textbook waiver-Textbooks (physical or digital) required for course work are waived. This includes art packs for certain programs or items needed for science lab courses.
• Transportation-Round trip to /from school is provided to your student if you reside in area with existing bus routes. This does not include any Pace card purchases.
• iPad loan program-Rising freshmen and other incoming students are provided with an iPad to use throughout their time at New Trier. These are returned when a student graduates or leaves New Trier.

All supporting documentation and income verification must be submitted with your application. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed until all documents are submitted.

Required supporting documents:

• 2023 Federal Income Tax Return (1040)- If you have not filed for 2023 or have requested an extension, an affidavit must be completed.
• two current, consecutive pay stubs for each wage earner in the house.

OR:

• SNAP/TANF benefit letter with case number
• SSDI award letter
• Unemployment Compensation eligibility notice from the Illinois Department of Employment Security
• Employer’s notice of lay off or termination
• Disability award letter
• Documentation of participation in Medicaid or All Kid’s Program
• Other applicable supporting documents as requested by New Trier

If there is no source of income, please provide information on how housing, clothing and food is supplied for your family.

If your gross family income (AGI) exceeds the amount indicated in the USDA Eligibility Guidelines, you may apply for assistance under special hardship conditions. Examples of hardship include:

• Unusually high medical bills
• Shelter costs that are more than 30% of the family’s gross income
• Loss of home due to fire or natural disaster, foreclosure, or eviction
• Bankruptcy

An explanation of the hardship circumstances must be provided, and documentation included to describe the nature of the hardship. Each family’s individual circumstances are considered.

Instructions for completing the application:

1. List all students attending New Trier for the 2024-25 school year.
2. List parent/guardian name, address, email address and contact phone number.
3. List all residents living at the address listed (parents, relatives, etc.).
   1. Please check the income boxes that apply to each person.
   2. Income tax forms and pay stubs are only required for the parents of the students applying for assistance.
4. Please check all assistance benefits you wish to be considered for. Approval for free lunch and fee waiver/textbooks is based on household income as defined by the US Department of Agriculture.
5. Please describe any extenuating circumstances that you feel are pertinent to your situation. (Job loss or layoff, loss of home, hospitalization, or death of primary caregiver, etc.)
6. Provide the Social Security number for the adult household member completing the application. If the applicant does not have a Social Security number, please check the box indicating such.   

The chart below indicates the income guidelines from the US Department of Agriculture for the National School Lunch Program.