Tuition
At SMS, we strive to keep our tuition as affordable as possible while ensuring the highest quality Montessori education. For your reference, please see Tuition for the 2026-2027 school year.
Our tuition typically rises between 3–5% annually in support of staff raises and program growth. The tuition and program fee schedule for the upcoming school year is announced in January.
Primary Morning Tuition for ages 3 and 4 covers 8:15 to 11:45 AM. Tuition for Extended Day and Elementary Programs covers 8:15 to 2:45 (Extended Day) or 3PM (Elementary). We offer care before and after school for an additional fee; spaces are limited. Early Bird care is available from 7:30 to 8:15 AM and Mockingbird Aftercare is available from 11:45 until 6 PM.
Starting with the ‘27 - ‘28 school year, the Terry LeMasurier Scholarship Fund will be administered by the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge.
Funds are collected by the Community Foundation and distributed to the school as tuition payments for awarded scholarships, ensuring 100% of public donations are used to offset tuition costs.
The Community Foundation administers the application and awards process to provide an objective, confidential, and independent review of each family's financial need.
Families will apply through the Community Foundation. Scholarship amounts vary depending on the family’s calculated financial need.
Awards are determined through an objective financial need assessment. Once a scholarship is granted, the Community Foundation sends the funds directly to Staunton Montessori School as a tuition credit on behalf of the student, maintaining the family's privacy within the school community.
Montessori education is based on a three-year cycle, where children stay in the same multi-age classroom community with the same guide for three years. Accordingly, scholarships will be multi-year awards coinciding with the three-year cycle (Primary 3-6, Lower Elementary 7-9, Upper Elementary 10-12). As long as the student remains financially eligible, they will receive similar assistance through the entire cycle.