Our Funding
Learn how we support our mission.
Our Funding Model
San Miguel School Chicago is unique —and so is our funding model. Unlike Chicago public schools, we don’t receive state or local funding. We’re a faith-based school, but we’re not funded by the Archdiocese of Chicago or sponsored by a local parish.
Keeping Education Accessible
In a community with more resources, tuition fees might cover the lion’s share of our operating costs. But 100% of our students live in households with incomes near or below the federal poverty line. We set tuition fees at a level each family can afford, so most families pay less than 5% of the $15,000 annual cost of educating a San Miguel School Chicago scholar. For this reason, we are considered a non-tuition-driven school.
An Investment in Human Potential
So where does our operating support come from? St. John Baptist de La Salle—who founded the first Brothers of the Christian Schools—might have said, “through God’s providence,” and that is surely true.
But we also rely on a development team that works year-round to fund 90%–99% of our operating expenses by securing grants and donations from foundations and friends.
While this may raise our administrative costs, we consider this additional expense an investment in human potential. Our alumni earn high school degrees at nearly twice the rate of their neighborhood peers—and more than half continue on to college. In a community where fewer than five percent of residents have college degrees, that’s an excellent return on investment!
Connect With Our Development Team
To learn more about our mission or arrange a personal tour of our school, please contact our Development Office at development@sanmiguelchicago.org or (773) 890-1481. Thank you for your interest!