FAQS

The admissions committee looks for a fit between Rashi and the student as well as the student’s family. The committee looks for a match between the child’s learning profile and the school’s educational approach, the fit of the child within the social structure of the classroom, and the child’s ability to positively add to the classroom environment. The committee also seeks to admit candidates whose families are aligned with the school’s mission, values, and educational approach, and who will partner successfully with the school to support the child’s success. Additionally, the committee seeks to create classes that are balanced in terms of gender, age, learning styles, personality types, geography, and economic background.

Rashi values community and recognizes that for many families, having all children enrolled in one school is a priority. However, we recognize that each child has a different learning profile and needs and that Rashi may not be a match for every child. Siblings are given priority for available spaces, however, sibling applicants must meet the same admissions criteria as all other applicants.

Children must be 5 years old by September 30 in order to enroll in the Kindergarten class. In some instances, we will work with the child’s preschool to determine the appropriate placement for a child who just misses the cut-off.

The financial aid process looks at many different variables to determine eligibility. The process measures the Total Family Financial Capacity by looking at income (earned and unearned, taxed and untaxed), assets, extraordinary and unusual expenses in addition to many other factors, like the size of your family and the age of parents. The only way to know for certain if you qualify is to apply.

Any student enrolled at Rashi or applying for admission to Rashi may apply for financial aid by completing an application with Clarity. Financial aid awards will be included with the enrollment contracts. Late applicants run the risk of being placed on a financial aid wait pool. Prospective students are encouraged to complete an application for enrollment and an application with Clarity.

Application Deadline

New Families: Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Returning Families: Friday, December 2, 2022

Prospective students learn their tuition obligation with their admissions decision.

No. Complete only one PFS per household.

Yes. Applying each year is a clear indication of your desire to be considered for assistance. Any number of factors may change in your family profile that will affect the outcome.

No, the maximum financial aid award is 90% of tuition.

The financial aid process looks at many different variables and so it is not possible to predict the amount of aid that will be awarded without completing the financial aid application process.

Our accessibility plans recognize your commitment to a Jewish life. Adjustments are made to the qualifying criteria for Traditional Financial Aid for the cost of synagogue membership (adjustment up to $3,000), Jewish day camp ($1,000 per student), and bar/bat mitzvah celebrations ($5,000).

529 plans have offered families tax-free earnings, growth, and tax-free withdrawals for college expenses for over 20 years. Families may now withdraw up to $10,000 tax-free from a 529 plan to pay for up to $10,000 per year in K-12 tuition expenses. Massachusetts offers a tax benefit for contributing to a 529 plan. Speak with your accountant or financial advisor to find out how this option can benefit you.

No, the financial aid process is separate from the admissions process and only the financial aid applications of admitted students are reviewed by the financial aid committee.

Yes. Clarity considers tuition commitments with other institutions from preschool through high school.

529 Plan payments are accepted for tuition charges only.

Late applicants run the risk of being placed on a financial aid wait pool. We will consider fully completed applications first.

Both custodial and non-custodial parents must apply for financial aid. Applications may be entirely separate or completed jointly. The information is collected to determine the ability, not the willingness, of all parties to financially support the education of their children. The school considers the financial resources of all living parents, stepparents, and domestic partners, and requires the cooperation of all parties before financial aid awards are determined. No financial information will be viewable to another parent online, nor will the school share any financial information submitted by another parent.

The school is not bound by any disclaimers of financial responsibility or legal arrangements that may bind either parent.

The school does not act as an intermediary between parents and asks that all parties involved communicate directly with each other regarding the education of their children.

School hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM for all grades.

Students can be dropped off as early as 7:30 AM. There is supervision in the gymnasium every day until 7:50 AM when the classrooms open. Middle School students may congregate in the Middle School Commons.

Rashi draws from more than two dozen communities. Boston, Brookline, Newton, Needham, Natick, Wellesley and Weston together make up about 85% of the school population.

Get connected with Rashi families that live in your neighborhood.

We are pleased to offer five morning bus routes serving Newton, Western suburbs (Cochituate/Wayland, Natick, Wellesley and Needham), Brookline, Jamaica Plain, Chestnut Hill, South Boston, and Back Bay as well as three afternoon bus routes serving Needham, Wellesley, Newton, Chestnut Hill, Brookline, and Boston. We also have an extensive carpool network and are happy to connect families with neighbors. See more about our bus routes on our Transportation Page.

Rashi is a nut-aware facility. Our school nurse closely monitors any food brought into the school for general consumption and provides advance notice to parents when food is provided by the school for holiday celebrations. When possible, allergen-free options are provided. In our Chadar Ochel, we offer nut-free tables for students with allergies to nuts. We also require that our Kindergarten – Grade 2 classrooms are nut-safe as snacks are eaten in the classroom.

Rashi is committed to having a socioeconomically diverse student population. Rashi grants financial aid to approximately 30% of enrolled students on the basis of demonstrated financial need. Amounts range from $1000 to 80% of tuition. Find out more on our Financial Aid page.

Rashi alumni thrive at the most challenging independent, Jewish, and public high schools in the area. Rashi graduates are capable, confident, self-aware learners who take on leadership roles and our high school placement record is the natural result. Of the Rashi graduates currently in high school, approximately 40% attend public high schools, 30% attend independent schools, and 30% attend Gann Academy, the Boston area Jewish high school. Over the last five years, of those that apply to private independent high schools, 100% were accepted by at least one school, and overall, 76% of their applications were accepted to schools typically admitting 15%.

The Rashi School is an environment that honors that multiple perspectives inform human experience. We seek to enroll students from a range of socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, from a variety of communities, and from all kinds of family configurations and structures. Additionally, The Rashi community is enriched by the presence of families from Russia, Israel, South Africa, Mexico, South America, Canada and Great Britain. Finally, Rashi is the recipient of the Morton E. Ruderman Foundation Grant which, as a partnership between CJP, the Ruderman Family Foundation, and Gateways:Access to Jewish Education, helps defray the cost of both school-based and ancillary services for students with disabilities and special needs.

The Rashi community draws families from many different Jewish backgrounds and affiliations. We strive to create an inclusive culture that is respectful of different beliefs and Jewish practices. We believe that there is no right way to observe Judaism and therefore we present and discuss different customs, laws, and understandings of Jewish culture and observance so that students and their families can make informed decisions as to how to incorporate Jewish practice into their lives. A family’s practice (aside from our communal observances) is a personal decision.