pay tuition to send their children there. Some schools charge up to $45,000 a year. Private schools charge tuition because they do not get any money collected from local, state, and national taxes. Some private schools offer a limited number of scholarships to help pay for school. Many of these scholarships are need-based, meaning for students who can't afford the tuition. Other scholarships are offered for students with very good grades or for students that have a talent in a sport or art.