No Catholic child shall be denied admission to a Catholic school because of the parent's inability to pay tuition (Diocese of Knoxville Policy # 1060). St. Mary's School admits students after evaluation of the following criteria: class size, admission priorities, operating budget, age requirement, class make-up, pre-existing concerns, and proper documentation.

			Admission Priority

Students will be registered at St. Mary's School in the following order:

• Current students
• Siblings of current students
• Members of St. Mary's Parish
• Catholic non-parishioners
• Non-Catholic students

			Catholic Tuition

Tuition rates are set by St. Mary's School Board. Registration is in the Spring prior to the year of entrance. We do require each student to be tested. Payment for tuition may be made yearly, quarterly, or monthly (for twelve months). There is a book fee and registration fee due at registration. The cost of tuition for Catholic students is shared between the parents (tuition) and St. Mary's Parish (subsidy). For parishes without schools, the Knoxville Diocesan Policy #2110 states that parishes shall pay to the school in which their children are educated the difference between the cost of education and tuition. In order for Catholic families to receive the parish rate of tuition, each family must adhere to the following criteria:

• Parents must be registered members and maintain an active status in St. Mary's Parish;
• Children and their Catholic parents must attend Holy Mass weekly and other Holy Days of Obligation, as confirmed by their parish priest;
• Parents must contribute to their parish, as appropriate for circumstances of parents; time, talent, and treasure.

If a family is Catholic, but not meeting these criteria, they will not be eligible for parish assistance.

			Policy to Admit Non-Catholic Students

Non-Catholic students will be accepted on a space available basis as determined by the admission priorities of the school. Returning non-Catholic students in good standing are automatically counted in the class rolls for the next year upon return of their registration packet and registration fee. St. Mary's School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded to or made available to students at the school.

			Age Requirements

According to the laws of Tennessee and Diocesan #1030, a child must be five (5) years old by September 30th of the year entering Kindergarten; a child must be six (6) years old by September 30th of the year entering Grade One, unless transferring from an accredited school in another state whose age requirements differ.

			Transfer Students

To ensure that St. Mary's School can best serve all its students, the following criteria will be considered regarding students transferring into St. Mary's School:

• academic history
• conduct history
• attendance history

Each applicant's history and situation will be carefully evaluated on an individual basis. No student will be accepted until all documentation from his/her previous school is submitted to St. Mary's School and reviewed.

			Documentation

In order to process a student's application, the following must be provided:

1. Completed Admission Application
2. Copy of Baptismal Certificate
3. Copy of Birth Certificate
4. Copy of Social Security Card
5. Copy of student's most recent Standardized Test Score, if applicable
6. Copy of student's most recent and previous school year's progress report / report card
7. Copy of student's Special Education file, if applicable
8. Any other pertinent information

Failure to submit all of the necessary documentation slows the application process. Please submit all the necessary information when submitting the application. Failure to provide pertinent information may result in the student being denied admission.

Individual readiness screening for Kindergarten is required and administered by St. Mary's School staff.

After a student receives his/her Letter of Acceptance, the following items must be provided:

1. Official transcript
2. Tennessee Child Health Record - original green copy
3. Non-refundable Registration Fee