Continuous Enrollment

• Continuous Enrollment is a common-sense approach to enrollment that reflects Westlake's commitment to your family. Our goal is to be your partner throughout your child's entire education. 
• Rather than an opt-IN annual re-enrollment process, Continuous Enrollment is an opt-OUT process. Your student is automatically re-enrolled for the following school year, unless you follow the withdrawal procedure to let us know that your plans have changed. 

Continuous Enrollment depends upon designating one month’s tuition payment—April—as a down payment for the next year. A full year’s tuition payment schedule provides for the April payment not to be included in the current year so that it can function as the next year’s down payment without adding any extra burden to returning families.

As part of the enrollment process, new families sign a financial commitment form which includes the following points:

• I hereby opt-in to continuous enrollment. This means that my children enrolled at WCA will keep returning to WCA every year unless I complete the withdrawal form.
• I understand that I have until March 31st every year to notify the WCA Business Office of any changes in enrollment plans for my child(ren).
• I understand that the Continuous Enrollment down payment will be drawn from my FACTS account in April each year.
• If I withdraw my children after March 31st, I understand that my April down payment is non-refundable.
   

Unique circumstances: Westlake Christian Academy recognizes that family plans change. For any unique circumstances (such as the following), families withdrawing after March 31 will be entitled to a refund of the April down payment:

• Moving/relocating away from the area served by Westlake Christian Academy.
• Educational needs for the student that can no longer be met at Westlake Christian Academy.
• Withdrawal at the request of Westlake Christian Academy.
• Other circumstances as approved by the Board of Trustees.

January

• Tuition for the next year announced
• Variable Tuition application period begins January 15

February

• Opt-out (withdrawal) period begins
• Pre-K and Kindergarten Commitment Forms due Feb 15

March

• Opt-out (withdrawal) period ends March 31

April

• Variable tuition application period ends April 30
• Continuous Enrollment tuition down payment for next year is due (this is tuition payment #1 for next year)
  • For families on the monthly payment plan, the amount will be automatically withdrawn as your April payment
  • For annual/semester payments, your family will be billed 1/12 of the tuition amount for the current year. 

May

• Current families receive their updated financial agreement form for the upcoming school year. No action is required, unless changes need to be made. In some cases, updated financial agreement forms may not be available until June.

June through March of the next year

• Tuition payments 2-11 (of 12 payments) due
• Single payments and the first of two semester payments due in July (for families on those plans)
• The second of two semester payments is due in December (for families on that plan)

April of the next year

• Continuous Enrollment tuition down payment for the following year due

May of the next year

• Tuition payment 12 (of 12 payments) due

As a current Westlake family, if you would like to enroll a sibling who is not currently attending Westlake, priority enrollment will be awarded to that student through January 31.

•  Enrolling a sibling of a current student is similar to enrolling a new student. The application process is online.
  • Login to your FACTS Family Portal account
  • Select “Apply/Enroll” to start a new application
  • Siblings do not require a new church reference, unless they are in junior/senior high. 
  • After the application is received, one parent and the sibling will be invited to attend a sibling interview.
  • After the interview, an enrollment packet will be emailed to the family. The sibling's enrollment is not finalized until the enrollment packet is submitted (which includes paying the one-time enrollment fee).
  • Siblings will be added to your family’s financial agreement form for the payment cycle that begins in June.

• The Continuous Enrollment tuition down payment is a financial commitment for currently enrolled families. The down payment is a one-month tuition payment towards the next school year to indicate your family’s commitment to having your children enrolled at Westlake for the next school year.
• There is no April tuition payment scheduled for the current year, so that the down payment for the next year can be made that month without additional impact upon your family’s finances.
• If you are currently receiving a variable tuition rate, that rate will be applied to your down payment charge as well, so that the April payment will be the same as the other months’ payments.
• The April down payment is non-refundable, but exceptions may be allowed in certain situations. Families should contact the Business Office for more information. 

All families are on one of three payment plans:

• One payment for the full year tuition (less the Continuous Enrollment down payment) due July 1
• Two semester payments (less the Continuous Enrollment down payment) due July 1 and January 1
• Twelve monthly payments, starting with the Continuous Enrollment down payment in April and continuing June-May (the following April payment is for the next year)

• Yes, all families will set up a FACTS financial account as part of the online enrollment process. 
• In addition to automatically collecting tuition payments, FACTS manages the collection of the Continuous Enrollment down payment and other fees as needed. Examples of other fees collected through FACTS would be band, sports, and extended care.
• Families who are on a one- or two-payment plan may submit their tuition payments directly to the Westlake business office without using FACTS. However, the Continuous Enrollment down payment will be collected through FACTS unless specific arrangements are made with the business office.

• For those families on the monthly plan, the Continuous Enrollment down payment will be drawn from your FACTS account in April unless Westlake receives a withdrawal form by March 31.
• For those families on the annual or semester payment plan, the Continuous Enrollment down payment will be billed separately and will be due on April 1 unless Westlake receives a withdrawal form by March 31.

The Continuous Enrollment down payment is non-refundable. In certain situations, an exception may be allowed. Families should contact the Business Office to discuss their personal situation. 

• All accounts must be current in order to keep your continuous enrollment status active.
• If an unexpected circumstance or hardship arises that impacts your ability to make tuition payments, please contact the Business Office to discuss your situation.

• FACTS begins accepting Variable Tuition applications on January 15 for the following school year.
• For current students to be considered for Variable Tuition, applications and all supporting data must be submitted and verified by April 30.

If you are receiving a Variable Tuition rate, the same rate will be used for the Continuous Enrollment down payment. This does not necessarily guarantee that Variable Tuition will be extended for the next year at the same level.
 

• When a completed Variable Tuition application and supporting documents are submitted to FACTS and verified by April 30, the student’s enrollment becomes contingent upon acceptance of the awarded rate. Variable Tuition will only be awarded when accounts are current.
• If the awarded Variable Tuition rate is not adequate for the family’s needs, the Continuous Enrollment down payment will be refunded only if the Variable Tuition application deadline has been met and paperwork is completed.
• We urge families to contact us if the Variable Tuition rate offered does not meet their needs. We will make every reasonable effort to accommodate a family’s reasonable financial circumstances.

February and March are the opt-out months for current WCA families. During that time, families who need to withdraw their students for the upcoming school year may do so by filling out an online withdrawal form, found below.
 

For families who discover they are moving after the opt-out period but before the school year begins, the Continuous Enrollment down payment and any tuition payments made will be refunded. In that case, Westlake requires a letter of explanation.

Families who withdraw and later decide to enroll must follow the procedure for new applicants, which requires an enrollment fee. Withdrawn students who wish to re-enroll will also be placed at the end of the waiting list. Families who wish to re-enroll should contact the Admissions Office for further instructions.

Please contact the admissions office with further questions:

• Email: Mrs. Erica Bucey
• (847) 548–6209 x2011