The Best Private Schools in Franklin, Vermont
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Franklin. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Rock Point School
Independent
Rock Point School is a highly-regarded independent boarding and day school serving students from Franklin and throughout Vermont. Located on a beautiful 130-acre campus on Lake Champlain, the school offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with small class sizes (6:1 student-teacher ratio). The school emphasizes experiential learning, environmental education, and personalized academic support. Students benefit from comprehensive arts programs, outdoor adventures, and a strong community-focused environment. The school serves grades 9-12 and post-graduate students, with many graduates attending competitive colleges and universities.
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The Baird School
Independent
The Baird School serves students from Franklin and surrounding communities who benefit from specialized educational approaches. This highly-rated private school focuses on students with learning differences, ADHD, and other educational challenges. The school provides individualized instruction with a 4:1 student-teacher ratio and employs multisensory teaching methods. Comprehensive programs include occupational therapy integration, social-emotional learning, and transition planning. The school serves elementary through high school students and has earned strong parent satisfaction for its transformative educational outcomes.
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The Renaissance School
Independent
The Renaissance School is a respected Montessori school serving families from Franklin and the greater Chittenden County area. The school offers programs from preschool through middle school with a focus on hands-on learning, individualized pacing, and global citizenship. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creative expression, and environmental stewardship. Students benefit from extensive arts programming, foreign language instruction starting in preschool, and outdoor education on their 10-acre campus. The school has consistently high parent satisfaction ratings and prepares students for success in competitive high school programs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Franklin, Vermont
What are the primary private school options available for families in Franklin, Vermont, and what age groups do they serve?
Franklin, Vermont, and its surrounding region offer a few distinctive private school options, each with a different focus. Rock Point School in Burlington (a reasonable commute) is a co-ed boarding and day school for grades 9-12, known for its supportive environment for students who may thrive outside a traditional setting. The Baird School in nearby St. Albans serves students from Pre-K through 8th grade with a focus on individualized learning plans. The Renaissance School, also in St. Albans, is a private, non-profit school for grades 7-12 that emphasizes project-based learning and college preparation. Given Franklin's rural setting, families often consider schools in neighboring towns within Franklin County.
How does tuition for private schools in the Franklin, VT, area compare to the state average, and what financial aid options are typically available?
Tuition for private day schools in the Franklin County area generally ranges from approximately $10,000 to $25,000 per year, which is often below the average for major metropolitan areas in Vermont but significant for local family budgets. Vermont has a unique tuitioning system for some towns without public high schools, but this typically does not apply to Franklin. However, all the top local schools, including Rock Point, The Baird School, and The Renaissance School, offer need-based financial aid and scholarships. Additionally, Vermont's Act 166 provides public funding for pre-kindergarten, which can be used at qualified private preschools like The Baird School's Pre-K program.
What specialized academic or extracurricular programs are offered by private schools accessible from Franklin, VT, that address the interests of rural students?
Private schools serving Franklin families often integrate Vermont's rural character and values into their programs. The Renaissance School emphasizes hands-on, project-based learning that can include agricultural, environmental, and sustainability projects relevant to the local community. Rock Point School utilizes its 130-acre campus on Lake Champlain for outdoor education, environmental science, and experiential learning. The Baird School's individualized approach allows for tailoring education to a student's specific interests, which could include local history, forestry, or agricultural science. These schools often have smaller cohorts, allowing for deep engagement with the local environment through field trips and community partnerships.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools like The Baird School or The Renaissance School for a family residing in Franklin?
The enrollment process for Franklin-area private schools usually begins in the fall or winter for the following academic year. It's crucial to contact schools directly (as many have rolling admissions but limited seats) to schedule a visit and request an application packet. The process typically involves an application form, student records, teacher recommendations, a student interview or visit day, and sometimes an educational assessment. For schools with boarding components like Rock Point, the process is more involved and includes family interviews. Given the limited seats in these small schools, initiating the process by January is highly advisable. Some schools may have specific open house events in the fall.
How do the educational environments at private schools near Franklin, VT, differ from the local public school system, and what are key considerations for choosing between them?
The Franklin Central Supervisory Union public schools offer a solid, community-based K-12 education. The key differences with local private options are scale, specialization, and approach. Private schools like The Baird School offer much smaller class sizes (often 10-15 students) and highly individualized instruction, which can be beneficial for students needing extra support or acceleration. The Renaissance School offers an alternative, mastery-based model focused on projects and personal responsibility, differing from a standard public school curriculum. Rock Point provides a therapeutic boarding environment not available publicly. Choosing often comes down to a child's specific learning style, social needs, and whether a family seeks an alternative pedagogical approach. Transportation is a major practical consideration, as private options require commuting to St. Albans or Burlington.
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