School Funding Plan

Together, we financially support this exceptional Christian school.

This school is more than a private school. Any ministry funding plan must begin with values.

	Since this school is established to share the love of Jesus, the school must be made available to children of families with varying economic resources.
	The school must attract and retain exceptional workers.
	Without extravagancy, this school provides the supplies and equipment supportive of an exceptional education.
	While emphasizing the academic basics and learning of God and His word, this school also provides specialized teachers and instruction in art, music, foreign language and physical education.
	Fiscal integrity supports long-range planning and donor confidence.

The support of Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church, support of individual donors, the tuition charged and tuition assistance offered combine to “open our doors” to many children while supporting an exceptional program with fiscal integrity. The funding plan described below is based on these values.

The funding plan includes these basic parts:

	Parents provide for what are often called “operating costs” including all salaries, benefits, cleaning, utilities, books, and basic instructional equipment. Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church does not “subsidize” school operating expenses even for members of the congregation. While the congregation’s budget has no line labeled “school”, financial support is found in budget lines like those described below.
	Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church provides essential support for the school as the church is responsible for the mortgage and maintenance of the buildings and grounds important to the school and shared among all aspects of the congregation’s ministry. Some parents of our school who are not members of Shepherd of the Desert Church have felt led to help with facility costs in addition to tuition by donating to the congregation’s Finish the Work Capital Funding Campaign.
	Friends of the school provide for other needs through financial donations, gifts in-kind (reducing expenses by providing a service at no cost) and support for school fund raising events and sales. These efforts provide for needs great and small such as the new playground and equipment, computers and computer network, equipment and furnishings for new classrooms, over $30,000 for Finish the Work, library books, science equipment, music instruments and athletic needs.
	Education foundations, including the Shepherd of the Desert Education Foundation, provide funding for need-based tuition assistance and academic scholarships. Most funding is provided by the State of Arizona's Education Tax Credit as administered by the foundations.

In this way parents, the congregation and friends of the school express shared values through combine efforts and resources

to support the exceptional Christ-centered education of Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran School.