• What kind of school are you and who do you serve?
• What are your school hours and typical school schedule?
• What is your teacher/aide to student ratio? How large is your class size?
• What does it cost to send my child to Clear Horizons Academy? 
• If I cannot afford the tuition on the reduced fee sliding scale, is there anything more I can do to reduce tuition?
• What happens if our financial situation changes during the year? 

What kind of school are you and who do you serve?

Clear Horizons Academy is a nonprofit private school that specializes in educating children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and similar learning styles (such as Aspergers, PDD-NOS, etc.) ranging in age from three to 13 years old. An official autism diagnosis is not a requirement for application or admission. We are also a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, approved by the IRS.

What are your school hours and typical school schedule?

During the regular school year, children attend Clear Horizons Academy from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 11:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Mondays. We typically follow the yearly academic calendar of nearby school districts. Each child’s daily schedule includes time for educational instruction, independent and group activities, lunch and recess. We also offer an optional six-week summer program, which allows children to attend school and participate in fun activities within the community.

What is your teacher/aide to student ratio? How large is your class size?

Each class is supported by a state-certified teacher and several teacher aides. We strive to keep the class size small and the student-teacher ratio low. The maximum class size is 12 children, but most classes average eight students per class. The teacher-student ratio will always be kept below 1:3 and typically will be 1:2 for most activities. Based on a child’s needs, a 1:1 ratio for certain activities can be planned into their individual program. We strongly focus on the child receiving as much individual help as possible for them to succeed.

What does it cost to send my child to Clear Horizons Academy? 

While a private education geared specifically to each child is expensive, we work very hard to keep expenses as low as possible. The average cost to educate a student at Clear Horizons Academy is approximately $2,200 per month. Because we understand that most families cannot afford that full amount, we offer a reduced tuition fee based instead on a sliding scale(link to Sliding Scales 2011-2012.pdf document).

To qualify for the financial assistance that allows parents to pay the reduced fees listed on the sliding scale, they must be willing to fulfill the following three requirements:

1. Apply for the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship available through the State of Utah Office of Education (for children five years old and above).
2. Turn in all applicable paperwork requested to verify income at time of application and each year at re-enrollment, such as copies of tax returns, pay check stub, etc.
3. volunteer at least 15 hours a year to Clear Horizons Academy. If these three requirements are met, the family can then apply the reduced fee sliding scale tuition rate. Whether or not your child receives a Carson Smith scholarship, the tuition will still be the same as that listed on the reduced fee sliding scale.

If I cannot afford the tuition on the reduced fee sliding scale, is there anything more I can do to reduce tuition?

We do our best to make Clear Horizons Academy affordable and fair to families of all financial situations, and are more than happy to talk with you about your specific situation and needs. If your child is accepted to the school, you can request a “Donor Scholarship/Financial Assistance” application. At this point in time, Clear Horizons Academy is not able to offer any full scholarships, but our school board is able to award a few partial scholarships each year to families to help further reduce their tuition. We also encourage parents to call the school at 801-437-0490 to discuss additional things you can do to help fund your child’s education.

What happens if our financial situation changes during the year?

If your household income decreases or family size increases, you will need to bring in documentation to show the change. The school board will re-evaluate your tuition based on your new situation. If your income goes up, such as a raise in pay, families need to notify the school within 30 days and provide the financial documents needed to adjust their tuition.