Boarding schools have long been significant to the academic growth of students in any place including Texas. The learning environment has helped to boost academic excellence, self-discipline, time management, personal responsibility, and even a sense of community.
Some of these attributes will benefit kids who are facing challenges that usually interfere with their social, emotional, and behavioral development, otherwise known as troubled youths. Therapeutic boarding schools are proven to be one of the best ways to assist troubled teens.
However, enrolling in a boarding school can be very expensive, some are even more expensive than universities.
The bright side is that just like free boarding schools in Georgia, Atlanta, and New York, there a some affordable and free boarding schools in Texas too.
Before we list these schools, first know the average cost of enrolling in a boarding school in the Lone Star State and some financial aid you can apply to.
Cost of Boarding School in Texas
The cost of boarding school in Texas usually ranges from $20,000 to $60,000, with an average of $57,529 annually. This cost includes tuition, room and board, and other academic expenses.
Factors that usually determine this cost include the school, the student’s grade, and whether the student is receiving financial aid or not.
Financial Aid for Boarding Schools in Texas
Scholarships
This is one of the best financial aid options for any student not enrolling in a free boarding school in Texas because eligible candidates will receive financial assistance that doesn’t need to be repaid. Scholarships can be granted by the school or external organizations, and it’s basically focused on academic merit.
Grants
Grants on the other hand are almost like scholarships because you don’t need to repay the financial assistance provided; unlike scholarships, academic merit is less considered, focus is on financial need. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) offers several grants for students attending private schools, including boarding schools.
Now we’ve established these facts, let’s now list these schools.
Free Boarding Schools in Texas
1. Texas School for the Deaf
Grade: k-12
Age: 21 years of age or younger
Location: 1102 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78704
This is among the free boarding schools for troubled youth in Texas where deaf or hard-of-hearing students must be 7 years old or about to enter first grade to join the dormitory. Due to how likely deaf children are to be more vulnerable to bullying and discrimination than students who can hear, this school will help to build their confidence and self-esteem again.
The residential program is basically for students who live far or a little bit far (outside of the Austin area) to commute to and from school daily.
Residential students are allowed to return home on Friday and return to school on Sunday, but there could be exceptions on special events where students might stay back during weekends.
2. Windham School District
Location:
- 802 FM 2821 West Huntsville, Texas 77320
This is one of the free boarding schools in Texas that provides educational services to inmates in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. One of the best things about joining Windham School District’s programs is that it has proven to help inmates improve their education, employability, and self-esteem, and above all reduce recidivism (the possibility of convicted criminals repeating crimes).
Subjects are assigned to students based on their individual performance as demonstrated on the Tests for Adult Basic Education (TABE®). If a student meets the district’s residency requirements they won’t pay for tuition.
The school also offers boarding for students in grades 6-12 who need it, however, there might be a cost of accommodation depending on the student’s grade.
Now we have listed the only two free boarding schools in TX, let’s now list some of the cheap schools.
Affordable Boarding Schools in Texas
3. Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities
Grade: 11-12
Location:
- 4400 MLK Blvd. P.O. Box 10009 Beaumont, Texas 77710
This boarding school is not for troubled youths, but for gifted and talented high school students which gives them a head start to higher institutions. Students won’t only benefit from the 100% scholarship for full tuition, but they will also benefit from research, and service opportunities, and are free to participate in all university activities with limited exceptions.
You’ll need to pay for accommodation which varies between $2,159 to $4,686 depending on the number of people in a room.
In general, TALH is among the most affordable boarding schools in Texas especially when compared to traditional boarding schools.
4. Chinquapin Preparatory School
Grade: 6-12
Location
- 2615 E. Wallisville Rd, Highlands, TX 77562
This is one of the boarding schools for low-income students in Texas that serves academically motivated students in grades 6 through 12. Don’t worry about their quality, they have what it takes to train and coach your kid for the next phase of their education and life.
They have a 100% college acceptance rate and 86% of their alumni obtained a 4-year college degree.
Even though the cost to attend Chinquapin is approximately $23,000 annually, most of their student’s tuition is paid for by the school’s generous donors. In fact, each student admitted, automatically receives a scholarship, and you or your kid might pay $0 if you qualify.
The best part is that students are not charged for boarding making it one of the best and cheapest boarding schools in Texas
5. Texas Academy of Math & Science
Location:
- McConnell Hall, 1705 W Sycamore St, Denton, TX 76201
It’s not just very affordable to join TAMS, it also provides financial aid that waives almost all tuition fees and only leaves you with a boarding fee to pay for, and their boarding fee is between $4,304 to $6,386. The school is basically for gifted and talented high-school students in Texas and it’s the nation’s first early college entrance residential program.
If you’re a gifted and talented high school student who wants to focus on either science, math, or humanities, then we would advise you to consider applying to TAMS.
Key Takeaway
You can see there are very few affordable and free boarding schools in Texas, but one of the things I love about the available ones is their excellence. It’s almost as if you have nothing to lose even by choosing either cheap or free therapeutic boarding schools in the Lone Star State.
We wish you all the best as you make your choice.
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