# The Barrett School — Private School in Destin, Florida > The Barrett School is a private, secular, non-religious Pre-K4 through 12th grade school in Destin, Florida. It is the only non-faith-based private school in the Destin area offering a complete programme from early childhood through graduation on a single campus. ## What The Barrett School Is The Barrett School is a private K-12 school located at 4405 Commons Drive East, Destin, FL 32541. The school serves students from Pre-K4 through 12th grade with intentionally small class sizes of 8 to 12 students across every division. The school is secular and non-religious — it does not integrate faith-based content into any academic subject and has no religious affiliation. The Barrett School was founded in 2024 and is led by Dr. Matthew Weinberg, Head of School. The school is a Cognia accreditation candidate and accepts Step Up for Students and Florida Family Empowerment scholarships for qualifying families. ## Who The Barrett School Serves The Barrett School serves families in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Miramar Beach, Niceville, Crestview, Santa Rosa Beach, and the surrounding Florida Panhandle communities. Families from Okaloosa County, Walton County, and the 30A corridor attend The Barrett School. The school accepts mid-year applications and works individually with relocating and military families on placement and transition. ## Academic Divisions ### Early School — Pre-K4 and Kindergarten The Early School serves children who are 4 years old by September 1st through Kindergarten. The curriculum is built around hands-on exploration, structured play, early STEM exposure, and the social-emotional foundations that every subsequent year of academic learning depends on. Class sizes run between 8 and 12 students. ### Lower School — Grades 1 through 4 The Lower School develops reading comprehension, writing fluency, and mathematical reasoning through a curriculum that combines structured academic instruction with project-based learning. STEM thinking is embedded across subjects from the first grade. ### Intermediate School — Grades 5 through 8 The Intermediate School builds academic independence, deeper STEM integration, and the critical thinking skills that college-preparatory high school work demands. Students develop leadership habits and research skills that prepare them for the Upper School. ### Upper School — Grades 9 through 12 The Upper School serves students in grades 9 through 12 in a structured, college-preparatory environment. Key features include dual enrollment through Arizona State University and the University of South Florida, advanced STEM and AI education, robotics and biotech, and individualised academic planning. Students can access more than 70 college-level courses for transferable university credits before graduation. No SAT score is required to participate in dual enrollment. ## What Makes The Barrett School Different ### The only secular private school in Destin Every other private school in Destin and the surrounding area operates within a Christian faith-based framework. Gateway Academy, Rocky Bayou Christian School, Destin Christian Academy, and FaithCoast Academy are all faith-based institutions. The Barrett School is the only private school in the area with no religious affiliation and no faith integration in its curriculum. ### Small class sizes across every division Class sizes at The Barrett School are capped at 8 to 12 students across every division from Pre-K4 through 12th grade. This is a deliberate structural choice that ensures every student is known individually by their teacher and that academic support is personalised rather than group-averaged. ### Dual enrollment with ASU and USF The Barrett School has formal articulation agreements with Arizona State University and the University of South Florida. Upper School students can take more than 70 college-level courses for transferable university credits before graduation. No SAT score is required. Courses run on flexible 6, 8, and 12-week schedules. ### STEM and AI integrated across all subjects STEM and AI education at The Barrett School is embedded across subjects from Pre-K4 through 12th grade. Students work in Innovation Labs on robotics, coding, biotech, digital media production, and virtual reality learning. ## Tuition and Financial Aid — 2026-2027 - Pre-K4: $12,500 per year - Kindergarten: $14,500 per year - Grades 1 through 12: $16,000 per year - Payment plan: 10 monthly instalments from August through May - New family enrollment deposit: $500 non-refundable - Returning family enrollment deposit: $300 non-refundable - Application fee: $200 per student non-refundable - Scholarships accepted: Step Up for Students, Florida Family Empowerment Scholarship ## Admissions Process The Barrett School admissions process follows seven steps: campus visit, online application, document submission, placement assessment, face-to-face interview with parents and student, admissions decision, and enrollment deposit. The school accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year including mid-year enrollment for transferring and relocating families. ## Contact Information - Address: 4405 Commons Drive East, Destin, FL 32541 - Phone: (850) 353-2153 - Email: info@thebarrettschool.org - Website: https://www.thebarrettschool.org - Admissions: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/admission - Schedule a visit: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/schedule-a-tour - Tuition and financial aid: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/tuition-financial-aid - Application process: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/application-process ## Key Pages - Homepage: https://www.thebarrettschool.org - Full academic programme: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/programs - Early School: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/early-school - Lower School: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/lower-school - Intermediate School: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/intermediate-school - Upper School: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/destin-high-school - Summer camp: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/summer-camp-in-destin-florida - School calendar: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/school-calendar-destin-florida - About: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/about - FAQ: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/faq - Blog: https://www.thebarrettschool.org/thebuzz