The Best Private Schools in Miramar Beach, Florida
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Miramar Beach. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Ohana Institute
Ohana Institute
Ohana Institute is a highly-regarded private school serving the Miramar Beach and South Walton area with an innovative, project-based approach to education. The school emphasizes personalized learning, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. With small class sizes and dedicated faculty, students receive individualized attention while participating in unique programs like marine science studies in the local coastal environment. The school serves students from elementary through high school and maintains strong college placement records with a focus on developing critical thinking skills and real-world problem solving abilities.
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Seacoast Collegiate High School
Northwest Florida State College
Seacoast Collegiate High School offers a unique public-private partnership model that serves Miramar Beach and surrounding communities. As an early college high school, students can earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree simultaneously through Northwest Florida State College. The school features rigorous academic programs with strong emphasis on STEM education and college readiness. Students benefit from college-level facilities and resources while maintaining the supportive environment of a smaller school community. The program consistently produces high academic achievement and exceptional college acceptance rates.
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The Walton Academy
The Walton Academy
The Walton Academy provides Montessori-inspired education to students in the Miramar Beach and South Walton area from preschool through middle school. The school emphasizes hands-on learning, individualized instruction, and development of the whole child. Their curriculum integrates STEAM subjects with outdoor education, taking advantage of the natural coastal environment. The academy features modern facilities with dedicated art, music, and science spaces, and maintains low student-teacher ratios to ensure personalized attention. Parents consistently praise the school's nurturing environment and strong academic foundation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Miramar Beach, Florida
What are the primary private school options available directly in Miramar Beach, Florida, and what are their educational models?
Miramar Beach itself has a select number of private institutions, with notable options including Ohana Institute, which offers a progressive, project-based learning environment often with mixed-age classrooms. Seacoast Collegiate High School is unique as a public-private partnership charter school that allows students to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate degree from Northwest Florida State College. The Walton Academy provides a more traditional private school setting with an emphasis on college preparatory academics. Due to the residential nature of the beach community, many families in Miramar Beach also consider prestigious private schools in the broader Destin and Santa Rosa Beach areas, expanding the options available.
How does the lack of state-funded voucher programs like the Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) impact private school affordability for Miramar Beach residents?
Florida's school choice landscape significantly affects Miramar Beach families. The Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) and the Hope Scholarship are state-funded programs that can make private school more accessible by providing tuition assistance to eligible students. Eligibility is based on various factors, including household income, a student's previous experience in public school, or being a victim of bullying. Many private schools in the Miramar Beach area, including those in Walton County, are approved to accept these scholarships. Parents should directly contact schools like The Walton Academy or Ohana Institute to confirm their participation and understand the application process for these state funds, which can substantially offset annual tuition costs.
Given Miramar Beach's coastal environment, do any local private schools offer specialized programs in marine or environmental science?
Yes, the unique coastal location of Miramar Beach influences local private school curricula. Ohana Institute, with its flexible, experiential learning model, often incorporates the local ecosystem into its projects, utilizing the beach and coastal dune lakes as outdoor classrooms. While Seacoast Collegiate High School focuses on collegiate acceleration, its partnership with Northwest Florida State College provides access to relevant science courses. For a dedicated science track, families sometimes look at schools in the wider region that offer formal marine biology programs. The local environment is frequently leveraged for hands-on learning, field trips, and environmental stewardship initiatives, making science education particularly relevant and engaging in this area.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools in the Miramar Beach, Florida area, and how competitive is admission?
Enrollment timelines for Miramar Beach area private schools generally begin in the winter for the following academic year, with many schools opening applications in January or February. Schools like The Walton Academy may have rolling admissions but encourage early application due to limited space. The process typically involves an application form, student records review, family interview, and often a student assessment or visit day. Competitiveness varies: Ohana Institute seeks families aligned with its specific educational philosophy, while Seacoast Collegiate High School has eligibility requirements tied to its collegiate program. Given the smaller size of these institutions compared to large public districts, spaces can fill quickly, especially in popular grade levels, so initiating inquiries 6-12 months in advance is highly advisable.
How do the class sizes and educational approaches of Miramar Beach private schools compare to the local public schools in Walton County?
The most distinct difference lies in class size and educational approach. Private schools in the Miramar Beach area, such as Ohana Institute and The Walton Academy, typically feature much smaller student-to-teacher ratios (often 10:1 or lower) compared to Walton County public schools, allowing for highly individualized instruction. Academically, these private schools offer tailored approaches—from Ohana's student-directed, project-based model to The Walton Academy's structured college prep curriculum. Public schools in the highly-rated Walton County District offer robust standard programs, extensive extracurriculars, and newer facilities but with larger class sizes. The choice often comes down to a family's preference for a specific pedagogical philosophy and the level of personal attention desired, balanced with considerations of cost and transportation, as private schools do not provide district busing.
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