Welcome
— Paul Hauser, Head of School
Where We Have Room
Knox serves Kindergarten through 8th grade. We love to have new students join the Knox community in Kindergarten and 1st grade, and we also commonly admit students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade as families find us. We admit into other grades as space allows, and that availability changes from year to year.
For Kindergarten, we are typically looking for children turning 5 on or before September 1. For applicants to 1st grade and above there is no birthday cut-off, though we do consider a child’s age, the current class cohort, and their learning profile when determining grade placement. We ask families to apply for their child’s next sequential grade. If you are considering having your child repeat or skip a grade, reach out to our team first.
As a member of the Santa Barbara Independent School Consortium, we follow the consortium’s admission cycle deadlines and agreements. We also review applications on a rolling basis and admit students throughout the year when we have space and the fit is right. If you are reading this after a deadline has passed, please contact us anyway. We offer flexibility in our admissions process and welcome inquiries throughout the year.
Tuition, by grade
Knox tuition for 2027-28 is not decided yet but tuition for the 2026-27 school year is shown here.
Approximately 20% of Knox families receive a need-based tuition assistance award. Admission comes first: we decide whether Knox is the right place for your child before we look at your family’s finances, and applying for assistance has no bearing on whether your child is admitted.
If Knox feels right for your child, talk to us about cost before you rule it out.
Kindergarten
$32,000
Grades 1–4
$38,000
Grades 5–8
$40,000
The Path, in Four Steps
4
Decide, together.
We’ll tell you honestly whether we think Knox is right. Then it’s your call.
Meet Our Admissions Team
Our admissions office is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, and we answer every inquiry within one business day.
Natasha Robinson Marlow
Admissions Manager
The best part of my work is watching a child realize they don’t have to squeeze themselves into a box anymore, that they’ve found a place where who they are isn’t just understood, but genuinely valued.
Paul Hauser
Head of School, and science teacher for grades 3 through 8
My favorite part of this work is the moment a parent starts describing their child and I can already picture how those interests would spark something in other Knox students.
Questions families ask
Does my child need to be identified as gifted to apply?
No, and we do not require cognitive testing of every applicant. Some families arrive with testing already done. Many do not. If the word gifted has never sat quite right with you, apply anyway and let us look at your child rather than at the label.
My child is well ahead in some areas and needs support in others. Is that a problem here?
How big are your classes?
Do you take students mid-year?
What happens after Knox?
Who do I talk to?
Stories from inside the school
A window into daily school life. What our students are working on, musings about the joys of teaching our learners, and exciting happenings within the school and community.
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