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-one Quest Choice breakfast and lunch meal daily. This includes a main choice,  choice of fruit, vegetables or fries, and choice of milk or bottled water.
• 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.

How to Apply:

Applications are submitted through PowerSchool in the Student Forms tab. The current  application will be located in the Financial Aid section. Supporting documentation can be  uploaded through this form.

A pdf version of the application is available on the website. This form may be submitted  electronically or dropped off at the Northfield campus. Supporting documentation must be  included with the application or review will be delayed.

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:

• Federal Income Tax Return (1040)- If you have not filed for the current tax year or  have requested an extension, an affidavit must be completed and W-2’s for each wage  earner in the household for the current tax year are to be submitted.
• Two current, consecutive pay stubs for each wage earner in the household.

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.

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