Why LSMSA is Affordable

School Funding LSMSA is a state public secondary school, so there is no charge for tuition! Funding is from two primary sources: the state and current student families Any costs associated with attending include: residential, food, services or supplies.

What you don’t have to pay for… A lot! ▫ It costs more than $21,000 a year to educate and house LSMSA students. Textbooks: ▫ The school loans textbooks to the students for each course in which they enroll. ▫ Only if your student does not return a book, loses a book, or heavily damages a book, do you have to pay for it. Meal Plans: ▫ Students do not purchase separate meal plans and are able to eat all meals in the cafeteria.

Required Expenses (All Students) FeesFallSpringYearly Total Room and Board$500 $1,000 Computer Use Fee$12.50 $25.00 Science Lab Fee$12.50 $25.00 Facility Use Fee$ Security Deposit$140New Students Only Total$675$525$1,200 Required Fees (Annual): $1,060 Payable by semester – due August 1 and December 1 Fee statements are mailed during the late summer and fall Non payment of fees will result in dismissal of the student from the school Non-refundable after the first day of class each semester One-time Security Deposit Fee (New Students Only):$140 Upon graduation or leaving the school, the Security Deposit Fee is refundable less any costs of damages or other financial obligations to the school.

Fee Reductions & Waivers In recognition of the hardship the required fees place on some families, the school does provide for fee reductions and waivers to the Room & Board fee only. Guidelines for qualification are based on the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program. Regardless of your income, applications MUST be completed in order to be considered for a reduction or waiver. Only one application needs to be submitted per academic year. Note the academic year begins with the fall semester.

Need Help, But Don’t Qualify? The school recognizes that there are many families that do not qualify for the fee reduction or waiver, but still need assistance in meeting the financial obligations. If this applies to you, contact the business office before fees are due. Mr. John A. AllenMs. Carisa Blade Director of Finance and OperationsInternal Operations Specialist (318) (318) Fax: (318)

Art Fees (Based on Enrollment) $25 per course, per semester up to a maximum of three courses. Art fees are not subject to fee reductions or waivers. Art Class Fees 1 Course$25 2 Courses$50 3 Courses or more$75

Additional Expenses (school-related) The annual Student Activity Fee: ▫ $165 for Sophomores & Juniors ▫ $205 for Seniors Not part of the LSMSA fee structure and therefore does not qualify for a fee reduction or waiver FeeAnnual Amount Student Activities$90 Yearbook$40 Newspaper$10 Folio (creative journal) $5 PSAT Fee (Sophomores & Juniors) $20 Senior Graduation$60

Total Expected Fees by Year * : YearRequired Fees Additional Expenses Annual Amount Sophomore and Junior (1 st Year)$1,200$165 $1,365 Senior (1 st Year)$1,200$205 $1,405 Junior (2 nd Year)$1,060$165 $1,225 Senior (3 rd Year)$1,060$205 $1,265 *Does not include additional Art Fees

Sample Fee Bill

Travel-Related Costs DestinationOne-WayRound-Trip Opelousas$26.25$35 Baton Rouge$41.25$55 Convington$60$80 Metairie$67.50$90 There will be costs associated with travel to and from school at the start and end of the school year, as well as weekends when students are required to leave campus and return home. For those students in south Louisiana, a chartered bus is offered on Extended Weekends.

Additional Expenses (personal) Personal Pocket Money: depends on your student’s lifestyle and spending habits. Here are some things to keep in mind:  Students do like to buy snacks  Students toiletries  There are costs associated with club fundraisers, club dues, and other extra- and co-curricular activities.  Students can avoid some expenses:  Parking tickets  Library fines  Residence halls damage  Room and mailbox keys

Banking Options in Natchitoches Students need some way to access money – local checking account, debit card, etc. They will also need to know how to balance a checkbook and how to write a check. Natchitoches has a lot of local banks, but no major national or regional banks.  Bank of Montgomery – ATM to be located in LSMSA building soon!  City Bank and Trust Company  Exchange Bank  First Federal Bank of Louisiana  La Capital Federal Credit Union  Peoples State Bank  Sabine State Bank

Don’t Forget… Payments can be made via checks, money order or PayPal Fall fees due August 1 st Spring fees due December 1 st Reduction/Waiver application deadlines are firm LSMSA Business Office available to answer all fee questions