Transparency at VCS
It is a true honor to serve your family. We consider it a high calling to partner with our parents (one of our core values), knowing you have choices about whom you entrust your children to. Part of this mutual trust and partnership includes regular reporting from VCS to our families about the financial health and overall direction of VCS.
On this page, we are pleased to provide transparency in as many areas as possible. These documents, graphs, tables, and narratives provide additional insight into the overall operations of VCS.
If you have any questions about the information you see here, please do not hesitate to complete the contact form below. Thanks, and Go Trojans!
VCS Budget
A majority of our annual budget (60-70% each year) supports our amazing faculty and staff. For every dollar families pay in tuition, currently $0.65 pays for our beloved staff members’ salaries/benefits. Valley Christian’s tuition typically increases by 3-7% each year (sometimes higher during periods of high inflation) in order to provide a cost-of-living increase for our #1 resource, our staff.
FINANCIAL INFO
Revenues & Expenses Makeup
On the revenue side, tuition accounts for 91% of the school’s budget each year. The other 9% is accounted for via fundraising (6%) and other miscellaneous revenues (3%) like facility rentals and a small amount of earned interest.
On the expenses side, salaries and benefits account for 60-70% of our budget each year, meaning that tuition and salaries are almost entirely correlated. Of every dollar that comes in, $0.64 pays our teachers and staff. As we work to properly staff our organization and compensate our employees fairly, we will always plan for some level of tuition increase.
In addition, the school spends ~$750,000-$1,500,000/year on capital expenditures on our campuses to keep them safe, functional, and updated.
Budgeting Process
Managing a school budget is no small task. With more than 400 expense accounts and more than 160 employees, it costs nearly $50,000/day to run Valley Christian Schools. Our annual budgeting process is robust; here’s a glimpse into how it works:
- December: the Head of School and Chief Financial Officer put together preliminary enrollment projections and an initial estimate of our next-year expenses, in collaboration with our Admissions, Marketing and Communications, and Accounting teams, along with all of our department Directors.
- December/January: Our Finance Committee, made up of Board members, VCS parents, the Head of School, and Chief Financial Officer, review an abundance of information, including: our historical enrollment, projected enrollment over the next 5 years, expected retention, a nearby zip code analysis, a comparative analysis of local Christian schools, a review of our current-year (23-24) budget progress, our historical teacher pay, a comparative analysis of teacher and staff pay in other Christian schools and public schools, recommended tuition updates from our accrediting agency, our currently planned capital expenditures and maintenance plan, our long-term financial sustainability goals, and tuition recommendations, among other things.
- January: After this review and discussion, including significant collaboration and prayer, the Finance Committee officially recommends specific tuition amounts for the following year, presenting these findings and recommendation to our Board of Directors. Board members are then able to review the overall analysis, ask questions to the Finance Committee, and review the research, eventually approving the next-year tuition amounts.
- January-April: The school spends the next few months updating each of the items above, as needed (projections, enrollment numbers, etc).
- April-May: A preliminary budget for the next school year is prepared by the Head of School, Chief Financial Officer, and Finance Committee that provides the resources VCS needs to successfully fulfill its mission.
- June: The VCS Board approves the proposed budget for the following school year.
- Late August: Since enrollment and tuition drive 90-92% of our revenue, we review the year’s budget at the end of August (2-3 weeks after school starts). Specific budget items are adjusted up or down, as needed, and the rest of the school year then operates on the final iteration of the budget. A few months later, the budgeting process begins again for the following year.
Current Year Tuition
VCS is unique in offering an “all-in tuition” model. Tuition includes nearly everything needed to provide a quality education for each student. It includes any required books, technology/iPads, athletic participation (except high school football), lab/field trip fees, class specific required apparel, initial school supplies at the K-4 campus, etc. Our goal is to make tuition as all-inclusive of a number as is reasonable, allowing families to use tuition assistance and scholarship opportunities towards each piece of tuition, minimizing out-of-pocket expenses.
More information re: VCS tuition can be found on our Tuition & Financial Aid page.
| 2025-26 TUITION (TOTAL COST OF EDUCATION) | |
|---|---|
| ANNUAL TUITION Before Financial Aid |
|
| Kindergarten | $12,400 |
| Lower Elementary (1-4) | $13,100 |
| Upper Elementary (5-6) | $13,400 |
| Junior High (7-8) | $14,900 |
| High School (9-11) | $18,400 |
| High School (12) | $19,100 |
Average Teacher Salary
VCS teachers are our #1 resource and are compensated based on their total years of experience and academic credentials. Teacher and staff salaries are funded completely by tuition dollars, and 60-70% of our annual budget is made up of salaries.
Employee compensation at VCS includes a competitive salary, one of the most generous time-off policies in Arizona, a highly competitive medical insurance benefit, dental and vision insurance opportunities, a matching 401(k), a tuition discount for staff students, and the opportunity to serve in a ministry context that is near and dear to our employees’ hearts. We do our best to compensate our employees competitively for their work. As is the case for most Christian schools, our teacher salaries are generally 80-90% of the salary of the local public schools.
| YEAR | VCS Average Teacher Salary | CUSD (Chandler Unified) | Mesa Unified |
| 2019-20 | $46,213 | Unavailable | $52,692 |
| 2020-21 | $47,368 | Unavailable | $55,826 |
| 2021-22 | $48,552 | Unavailable | $56,943 |
| 2022-23 | $50,257 | $64,895 | $62,790 |
| 2023-24 | $54,805 | $67,657 | $64,046 |
| 2024-25 | $55,422 | $67,657 | $75,299 |
| 2025-26 | $59,766 | $68,899 | Currently unavailable |
Internal/Courtesy Discounts
VCS offers three different types of discounts to our families in order to make a VCS education as affordable as possible:
- Courtesy discounts
- Competitive scholarships
- Internal financial aid
Courtesy discounts are “stackable,” meaning that families may receive both an alumni discount and a multi-student discount, if they qualify for each. Courtesy discounts include (read more here):
- VCS Staff Student discount
- Pastor discount
- Alumni discount
- Sibling/multi-student discount
- Christian educator discount
Competitive scholarships are provided from the earnings of multiple endowment funds. These range from one-time $1,000 scholarships to $6,000 scholarships over three years. More information can be found on our Endowment page.
Internal financial aid is provided by VCS out of our operating budget, dispersed based on financial need through FACTS Grants & Aid Assessment.
In total, VCS provides more than $1,100,000 each year in courtesy discounts, competitive scholarships, and internal financial aid each year to our families. This is in addition to other funding sources like STOs and ESAs.
WE ARE LISTENING
Each quarter and each year, our parent surveys help to influence our decision-making, and we’re grateful for the time and thought put into your feedback. Members of administration spend time each week reviewing these. Parents receive three surveys throughout the school year for each student. VCS Parents, we are listening. Your perspective not only matters, but it is critical for VCS to best fulfill our mission of equipping students to be culture changers for Christ.
2024-25 Quarter 3
2024-25 Quarter 2
2024-25 Quarter 1
2023-24 Quarter 4
2023-24 Quarter 3
SCHOOL INFO
VCS Board of Directors
The Board of Directors at Valley Christian Schools establishes the School’s mission, hires the Head of School, holds the HOS accountable for full classrooms, plans exercising foresight through strategic planning and strategic financial management, and provides the resources (people, money and facilities) needed for that plan to succeed. The Board is comprised of Christian leaders and believers who are committed to Christian school education.
The Valley Christian Board of Directors governs with an emphasis on biblically-based integrity and truthfulness in all methods and practices, strategic leadership, clear distinction of board and Head of School roles and responsibilities, collective rather than individual decisions, future rather than past, and proactivity rather than reactivity. To do its job effectively, the Board of Directors utilizes policy governance and follows an annual agenda that includes, but is not limited to, monthly meetings, monitoring the Head of School’s job performance, and a systematic review of bylaws and board policies.
The Head of School is the board’s primary link to operational achievement and conduct so that day-to-day operational authority and accountability of staff, as far as the Board is concerned, is delegated to the Head of School.
Read more about the VCS Board of Directors on our Board & Leadership page.
August 2025
Dear Valley Christian Community, As we begin this new school year, I am filled with gratitude for what God is doing in & through Valley Christian Schools. It is truly a privilege to serve as your Chairman, & I am honored to work alongside our Board,...
Historical Enrollment at VCS
VCS served high school grades (9-12) for 36 years from 1982 through 2017-18. In the fall of 2018, VCS began serving grades 6-12. In the fall of 2019, VCS began serving grades K-12.
Acreage and Building Ownership
The school currently owns 39 acres and operates just shy of 200,000 square feet of building space across two campuses.
In alignment with our mission and in the interest of proper stewardship, each of our campuses rents space on the weekends to local churches (Shepherd’s House Bible Church in Chandler, Sun Valley Community Church and La Roca Church in Tempe), as well as athletic space to one of our other church partners (CCV, and the CCV Stars program).
Faculty and Staff Tenure
- Our faculty averages 15+ years of teaching experience.
- 47% of our faculty hold an advanced degree, including 4 with Doctorates.
- Our average high school teacher has served for 7.5 years at VCS, specifically.
Staffing Makeup
In an era where larger schools are employing more and more non-classroom staff, VCS is insistent on employing more teaching and classroom staff than non-classroom staff. After all, teachers are the lifeblood of what we do.
- Our target is to employ ~55% classroom staff and ~45% non-classroom staff.
- In 2024-25, VCS employs 56.2% classroom staff.
- By comparison, public schools in AZ employ 46.0% classroom staff (nces.ed.gov).
- 47% of our faculty hold advanced degrees.
Nonprofit Information
As an-IRS registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, VCS submits public 990s after each fiscal year. These documents are publicly accessible on websites like Candid, Pro Publica, Cause IQ, and more.
As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, all revenues must be used toward the operation of VCS. Our goal is to budget to approximately $0 after all of our expenses and facility investments; in cases where we are able to produce a small reserve in any given year, those dollars are invested directly back into our students and facilities. There are no shareholders and no earnings that would benefit a director, officer, or private individual at VCS. This also means that no individual owns, nor has an equity stake in, the organization. This allows us to completely and continuously focus the entirety of our budget on our students and families.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does VCS mean by a "covenant Christian school?"
Valley Christian is a covenant Christian school, meaning it is our belief that the family, church, and school should work together to reinforce Biblical principles in the lives of our young people. Our families must have a Christian testimony and demonstrate an active pursuit of their faith in order to attend VCS. Prospective students and parents must agree with the mission, statement of faith, school policies, and handbook. Prospective students must want to attend VCS and demonstrate an aptitude to meet the school’s expectations. Prospective students entering high school must be able to express an age-appropriate Christian testimony. For prospective students entering K-8, at least one parent must express a Christian testimony.
What is Valley Christian's Statement of Faith?
The school’s mission, values, and statement of faith are all published online on our Philosophy page.
Why does VCS have to fundraise?
As a private Christian school, fundraising is important because it enhances the educational experience of our students by strengthening our community and providing financial support. We do everything we can to build a bare-bones budget without the need for annual fundraising, and in most years, we are successful. Our tuition (~92% of our total revenue each year) typically covers our annual operational needs, so our fundraising allows us to add and enhance programs, offering better opportunities for students each year. In recent years, our fundraised dollars have helped us to launch our 1:1 technology program (iValley), improve existing facilities across each campus, and launch additional grade levels, among other things.
Outside of our annual fund, VCS will also occasionally raise funds for our Secure the Future Campaign. This campaign supports our master plan and expansion initiatives, allowing us to increase our capacity and educate more students. In recent years, these funds have helped us to build a two-story classroom building on the high school campus, add much-needed parking and fund the Galveston intersection at the high school, and construct a much-needed gymnasium on our Tempe campus (Summer 2024) and Valley Square (Summer 2025).
Does VCS have a Donor Privacy Policy?
Our Commitment to Our Donors:
We will not sell, share or trade our donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations.
This policy applies to all information received by Valley Christian Schools, both online and offline, on any platform, as well as any electronic, written, or oral communications.
To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation.
How do I apply to serve on the VCS Board of Directors?
If you have an interest in serving on the Board at Valley Christian Schools, please note the following:
- School Board members are Christian leaders and believers who are committed to Christian school education.
- The Board maintains a size of not fewer than five (5) and not more than twelve (12) elected members; although the terms are generally staggered, there is no guarantee that a Board position will open every year.
- When there are spots available, new Board members are elected each year in May.
- The Board nominates and selects its own members.
- Board members are elected to an initial three-year term and may be re-elected to a second three-year term.
- Prospective Board members must complete an application, agree with the expectations of VCS Board members, and interview with the Board’s nominating committee.
- To receive more information on the process and expectations, please contact [email protected].
What is VCS doing to serve ALL students?
At Valley Christian Schools, we believe that all people are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), 
and that all believers are indispensable to the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:21-27). It is our desire, and we believe God’s will, to reach out and serve all the children that we are able, including those who have learning challenges. Therefore, beginning in August of 2006, Valley Christian Schools began offering special education classes and accommodations for students with learning disabilities and other learning challenges.
We offer a program called V.I.N.E. – Valley’s Individual Needs Enhancement. In V.I.N.E. students are taught with content and methods that enhance, strengthen, and improve their individual needs so they can be successful in their classes, which in turn will help them to grow to their full God-given potential. However, we recognize that we are not able to service every child with special needs due to limitations on our finances, expertise, size, facilities, etc.
Admission to the V.I.N.E. program is based on the extent to which our resources can help each child succeed. Parents’ communication to us about their child’s needs and submission of records and testing information helps us determine our ability to accommodate his/her challenges. In an effort to make the most informed decision regarding our ability to serve each student, testing may be required prior to admission into the V.I.N.E. program. In general, significant struggles of a behavioral nature are more difficult for our program to accommodate. In addition, non-academic services and therapies (such as speech and occupational therapy) are not provided by Valley Christian Schools and must be arranged by the parent with another organization.
As a private school, Valley does not receive government funding for special needs programs. Therefore, we are not legally bound to follow existing educational plans; however, the goals and recommendations contained in IEPs and other education plans will be considered in the development of an Individual Learning Plan as part of the V.I.N.E. program.
In our desire to do all things to the glory of God, the V.I.N.E. staff will seek to do everything possible to provide the best education for each child that we are able.
Is VCS accredited?
VCS is dually accredited by both Arizona Christian Schools International and Cognia. As part of this accreditation, VCS seeks to hire a highly qualified faculty and staff. ACSI requires at least 80% of our faculty members to be certified; at VCS, more than 96% of our classroom teachers are certified and possess at least a bachelor’s degree. Nearly half of our teachers possess an advanced degree (master’s or Doctorate).
Additional Questions?
Please reach out directly to the appropriate VCS employee, or use the contact form below.