There will not be a tiered pricing structure for the Walden@Home remote learning program because delivering the successful experience that Walden students had this past spring does not cost less than the on-campus program. 77% of Walden's tuition-driven budget goes directly to personnel. Distance learning does not reduce our staffing structure—on the contrary, we will be adding additional staff this fall to serve the needs of students and parents during these challenging times. In addition, remote learning comes with new investments for technology and teacher training that are funded by our program budget.

To support our families, we made the strategic decision to flatten our tuition this year. This is an exception amongst local independent schools, and a direct benefit to our families for their partnership and loyalty. We established additional COVID-related financial assistance, and allowed for extended payment plans in an effort to make it possible for every family to stay a part of the Walden community during this unpredictable time, rooted in our deep belief in the benefits of consistency for children. 

When participating in the Walden@Home program, your child benefits from 50 years of experience in child-centered education, delivered by highly-trained teachers who understand that a wholesome elementary education nurtures both children’s academic development and their social-emotional wellbeing; being part of a collaborative community of learners where every child is known; an excellent track record for matriculation to the top area middle schools; and consistency for each of our students. Walden will continue to offer children and families a reliable support and engagement system of relationships with known adults as well as rituals, routines, and patterns to ground children and help create the optimal conditions for learning regardless of the model it is presented in. We know that these essential distinctions will help children remain whole and intact to navigate this temporary unknown with resiliency, and continue to grow into well-rounded citizens.

We are using student enrollment numbers to staff for a program delivery based on both an in-person and distance learning model, and also to make the necessary facility and technology preparations and upgrades to be ready for a strong start for both models in the fall. This all incurs cost, and we are therefore not in a position to offer a discounted tuition rate beyond the additional financial assistance funds.

Grade level configurations will be divided into cohorts with a roster that remains stable throughout the year. In order to build consistent cohorts of learners and strong student-teacher relationships, as well as to support COVID-related health and safety measures, we are asking families to choose either the on-campus/hybrid model or the Walden@Home remote learning model for the duration of the 2020-2021 school year.

We will not require surveillance testing for students.

School faculty and staff are considered essential workers. Currently, guidance from the California Department of Public Health states that schools “shall test staff periodically, as testing capacity permits and as practicable.”  Examples of recommended frequency for testing provided by the CPDH include testing all staff over two months, where 25% of staff are tested every two weeks, or 50% every month to rotate testing of all staff over time.  

Following this recommendation and guidance from Pasadena Public Health, Walden is creating schedule for periodic COVID testing for faculty and staff, using the Pixel at home test.