The Howard Gardner School (Top Ranked Private School for 2026-27)

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

Top Ranked VA School
School Type: Alternative School
Grades: 6-12
Enrollment: 56 students
Yearly Tuition: $41,240
Acceptance rate: 99%
Average class size: 8 students
Application Deadline: None / Rolling
Source: ✓Verified school update

School Rankings

The Howard Gardner School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Virginia for:

School Facts

School Type

Alternative School

School Membership(s)School Assoc.

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Other school association(s)
Southern Association Of Colleges And Schools (SACS)
Cognia
Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS)

Religious Affiliation

Nonsectarian

Grades Offered

Grades 6-12

Students By Grade

View Data

Distribution of Students By Grade
Grade	The Howard Gardner School
6	3
7	3
8	6
9	8
10	10
11	12
12	14

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ADD/ADHD Support

Yes

Learning Difference Programs

Yes

Learning Programs Supported

Various

Year Founded

2004

Student Body

Total Students

56 students

Student Body Type

Co-ed

% Students of Color

34%

State avg.: 31%

Academics & Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers

14 teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

4:1

National avg.: 11:1

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

92%

Average Class Size

8 students

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Tuition & Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline

None / Rolling

Yearly Tuition Cost

$41,240

View national tuition avg.

Tuition Notes

There are no additional fees. Tuition cost covers all programming.

% on Financial Aid

40%

Acceptance Rate

99%

National avg.: 82%

Admissions Director

Erick Johnson

Admissions Associate

Mary Rodihan

Application URL

Online Application

Sports

Total Sports Offered

5 sports

Sports

BasketballCross Country

Paddle TennisSoccer

Ultimate Frisbee

School Notes

The Howard Gardner School is an intentionally small, independent, experiential school serving grades 6-12 on two campuses - one in Alexandria, VA and the other in Sterling, VA (Loudoun County). Our mission is to help bright, creative, non-traditional learners use their unique strengths to thrive academically, intellectually, and emotionally.
Our Alexandria Campus is home to both middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) programs. Nestled in Rose Hill, the Alexandria Campus provides us with indoor and outdoor classrooms, laboratory spaces, and our beloved "tech shed," where we so often see the sparks and arcs of students bringing their projects to life.In the Fall of 2022, we opened our Fairfax-Loudoun Campus in Loudoun County, just east of Dulles Airport on the Route-28 corridor. There are both high school and middle school programs on the Fairfax-Loudoun Campus.
We are now serving bright, creative, non-traditional learners in both middle school and high school on both campuses. While we are fortunate to call these remarkable places home, we also spend a substantial amount of time in the world, exploring the vast cultural and environmental resources at our fingertips in this region.

School Motto: Every student has unique strengths.

Learning at HGS is active and hands-on, based on Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, rooted in a tradition of progressive education, and clearly related to students own lives.
Cooperative learning plays an important role in facilitating learning and group skills.
Teaching of course content is fully integrated with weekly field studies trips throughout the area, and internships in the student's field of interest.
The school environment and procedures are based on well-researched principles of adolescent development. The most fundamental tasks in adolescence are establishing identity and developing relationships. So, we make sure that our curriculum feels relevant to our students, that their internships help them explore different aspects of themselves, and we include a lot of group work so they can work on their relationship skills.
We also believe in making learning fun.The Howard Gardner School features: enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff, very small classes, exciting, active hands-on learning, creative, college-prep curriculum, experienced college counseling, support for different learning styles, reduced homework load, 10:00 A.M. start time for high school, 9:30 A.M. start time for middle school.

Please see our website for additional information: www.TheHowardGardnerSchool.org

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does The Howard Gardner School cost?

The Howard Gardner School's tuition is approximately $41,240 for private students.

What is the acceptance rate of The Howard Gardner School?

The acceptance rate of The Howard Gardner School is 99%, which is higher than the national average of 79%.

What sports does The Howard Gardner School offer?

The Howard Gardner School offers 5 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Paddle Tennis, Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee.

What is The Howard Gardner School's ranking?

The Howard Gardner School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Virginia for: Highest percentage of faculty with advanced degrees.

When is the application deadline for The Howard Gardner School?

The application deadline for The Howard Gardner School is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Alexandria, VA is $20,567 for elementary schools and $40,250 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).

The average acceptance rate in Alexandria, VA is 75% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).