Tuition and Assistance

Kindergarten – 8th Grade
Tuition is paid in 12 monthly installments, July through June.  All families pay the same tuition rate, regardless of faith.

TUITION PLAN
-Number of Children                              ONE                           TWO                    THREE             FOUR    
-Annual Tuition                                       $5,400                       $8,520                $10,620           $11,400
-Monthly Tuition Payment                     $450                          $710                     $885               $950

In addition to tuition, there are additional financial commitments each year. They are as follows:

REGISTRATION FEE
There is a non-refundable registration fee of $125 per family in Grades K-8. If you have a child in Preschool and K-8, the Preschool registration is included in the $125. If you only have a child in Preschool, the nonrefundable registration fee is $35.

FUNDRAISING
Fundraising is a critical element of Butler Catholic’s operating budget. The Diocese of Pittsburgh expects every school to cover approximately 12% of their operating budget via fundraising.

Tuition Reducation Fundraising
The BC Bucks fundraising program is available to help families reduce their tuition costs. Families can reduce their tuition costs by participating in the BC Bucks gift card (Scrip) program. Fifty percent of all rebates earned in the program are returned to the family as tuition credits.

Please note:
Rebates are credited quarterly to families’ tuition accounts.
If a family has a credit balance at the end of the school year due to overpayment or the application of BC Bucks rebates earned throughout the year, the overage will be applied toward next year’s tuition.

SERVICE HOURS (K-8 FAMILIES)
“When you forget yourself and think of others, this is love! And with the washing of the feet the Lord teaches us to be servants, and above all, servants as He was a servant to us, for every one of us.” - Pope Francis

As Catholics, we are called to serve one another. This ethic of service is especially visible in our school community, as many of our programs including cafeteria, fundraisers, athletic programs, and student activities could not continue without significant volunteer hours. Butler Catholic families are asked to volunteer 40 hours of service to the school throughout the year.

Please note:
Service Hours may be completed by any family member 16 years of age or older. Anyone over the age of 18 must have all diocesan clearances. Service Hours must be recorded on the Service Hours log and returned to the office to receive credit. The coordinator/chairperson of the event MUST sign the log before it is submitted. Participation in service hours is not required for preschool families.

You have an important financial decision to make for your family; you must decide how to finance your child’s education at Butler Catholic School. The following is a brief summary of the tuition assistance programs available to you to help you afford this investment in your child.

We want to support you in this process of financing your child’s tuition. We want to make sure that you have investigated and understand every option available to you. Registration fees and tuition comprise 60% – 65% of the income for Butler Catholic School. Tuition assistance is available through the funds listed as well as a tuition credit program. Catholic rates are lower due to the parish subsidy. You may inquire about a parish subsidy from your own parish and possibly reduce your amount of tuition. For the 2022-2023 school year, BCS families received over $126,000 in financial assistance.

TUITION AID APPLICATION PROCESS
Aid applications are processed by FACTS Management. Families applying for tuition aid in Catholic schools within the Diocese of Pittsburgh may do so by using the Grant & Aid application link. 

2023-24 EITC/OSTC Income Maximums
NUMBER OF DEPENDENTS                              MAXIMUM INCOME
1                                                                          $123,697
2                                                                         $142,211
3                                                                         $160,725
4                                                                         $179,239
5                                                                         $197,753
*Add $18,514 for each additional dependent.

The following aid funds will be available to families depending on their eligibility.
Bishop’s Education Fund (BEF): This grant program is for Catholic students in grades K-12 attending eligible schools and registered in eligible parishes. This form requires the pastor's signature. This form will need to be signed by the pastor and uploaded to FACTS.

The application fee is $25, and families are strongly encouraged to apply by March 15, 2023.  If individual families have extenuating circumstances in meeting the deadline, we will be as flexible as possible in accommodating them.

After completing the online application, you will need to upload or fax all required supporting documentation.  For a detailed list of supporting documentation please read more on the FACTS website. If you have questions or concerns about the application process, you may speak with a FACTS Customer Care Representative at 1-866-441-4637 or call the school office at 724-285-4276.  All information needed to apply can also be found on the diocesan website.

Established in 2021 — St. Pope John Paul II STAR (Student Tuition Assistance Resource) Program
Funded by a generous donor who encourages families of all faiths to consider pursing a Catholic School education, four schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh are participating in the program this year. Butler Catholic is excited to be one of those four! The following article, written when STAR was first established, shows how impactful the scholarship is at BCS.
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STAR was established through the Diocese of Pittsburgh through the generosity of an anonymous donor.

As specified by the donor, the program will initially assist families of Butler County’s Butler Catholic, Holy Sepulcher, and St. Wendelin schools, as well as St. Joseph High School in Natrona Heights.

Sister John Ann Mulhern, principal of Butler Catholic School, said the new scholarship program is aptly named after St. Pope John Paul II. 
From forgiving his assassin to meeting some of the world’s most shunned communities, St. Pope John Paul II believed love must be lived.

Despite what popular culture often depicts, Sister John Ann said real love isn’t necessarily the “mushy, gushy kind.”

“Love is the commitment you make to put the other person first,” Sister John Ann said. “Hopefully, the STAR students will be able to feel that.”

Emily Stefaniak has two sons who transferred from a public school district to Butler Catholic last year. They are now entering fourth and eighth grades. Stefaniak said her family made the decision to transfer after seeing how her eldest son flourished in Catholic high school.

“Our oldest had such a fantastic experience that we decided to jump on board earlier,” Stefaniak said.

One of the things that Stefaniak said specifically drew her to Butler Catholic was the school’s representation of parental values. These aren’t always easy to spot in public education, according to Stefaniak.

“We just want the entire environment to align with our mission to raise fine young men,” Stefaniak said.

Small class sizes also contributed to their decision to transfer to Butler Catholic, especially in the wake of the pandemic. For Stefaniak, Butler Catholic has become a place where her sons and family feel embraced. 

“I think feeling valued and feeling like you matter in today’s word is important,” Stefaniak said. “You can’t replace that.”

Stefaniak, who often discusses Butler Catholic education with her friends, said she’s excited to be able to offer another resource to those families who might hesitate to invest in a Catholic education.

“It’s nice to be able to share these programs with them and to share these experiences,” Stefaniak said.

Ultimately, Sister John Ann said she hopes the new scholarship program shows families that students can benefit from a faith-based school with a strong academic and moral background.

“Our goal is to help them grow in a relationship with Christ,” Sister John Ann said.

STAR scholarships can be combined with assistance students may currently receive from the Bishop’s Education Fund, Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) scholarships, or other subsidies.

Families are encouraged to contact Butler Catholic at 724-285-4276 or [email protected] as soon as possible for more information about applying for the scholarships. Applicants will be interviewed by an admissions coordinator. Families do not need to qualify as low income, but must show financial need while still contributing toward tuition.

STAR is open to Catholics and non-Catholics who demonstrate commitment to some faith tradition. Families must agree to support the student’s spiritual and academic development, in part through registration and active participation in and support of their parish or faith community. Similarly, students must demonstrate commitment to academic progress and show evidence of good character. They must participate in at least one activity through their faith community.

For more information and to apply, please contact the school at 724-285-4276 or [email protected]. A simple online referral form is also available here