Enrollment Info

Is Your Child a Big Minds Student?

Big Minds is designed to specifically support a 2e child’s intense drive to learn, differing levels of ability/asynchronous development, overexcitabilities, need for specific social/emotional support, and desire to belong to a community of true peers. Our goal is to help students develop positive self-efficacy, self-advocacy, and self-directed learning and growth. We welcome all 2e children to apply, but cannot serve students who are physically or verbally aggressive.

Are You a Big Minds Parent?

The typical parent of a Big Minds student understands the need for a radical change in how 2e children are educated. They are collaborative and supportive of Big Minds and know that it takes a team to help a 2e child succeed. Big Minds offers an exceptional amount of social and emotional support, coupled with advanced academics. Our parents appreciate that Big Minds cannot solve every challenge and recognize that collaborative outside services are often needed to support our students. Big Minds parents trust our process and know that our faculty and staff will help their children through the disintegration and reintegration that are necessary steps to growth and learning.

Student to teacher ratio is 4:1. Math and literacy instruction is 1:1.

Enrollment Steps

• Potential families make an appointment for an initial consultation with one of our 2e experts. After the initial interview, families who are interested in enrollment, and appear to be a good match for our program, will be sent the admissions application. The enrollment application processing fee is $150.00, due when the application is submitted.
• Potential families send the completed application and supporting documents to the Big Minds Site Director for review.
• After review of the application and supporting documents, the Site Director will invite potential families to schedule a shadow visit for their child at Big Minds. The shadow visit will consist of attending Big Minds for a week (four consecutive days). There is a charge of $700.00 for the shadow week.
• At the end of the shadow week, the Intake Committee will review the application, the family interview, and evaluate the potential student’s shadow visit.
• If it is determined that the child is a good fit for Big Minds, the Site Director will contact the potential family to begin the enrollment process. Students will be invited to attend school once the enrollment forms/deposit have been received.
• Because the campus is a micro-school, we have limited space available. If space is not currently available, accepted families will be put on a waiting list. If space is available, we offer rolling enrollment.
• Non-Discrimination Policy: Big Minds is dedicated to diversity in the school environment. Big Minds is founded based on the need to acknowledge diversity in our schools and works actively to foster diversity, both among our students and among our employees. Big Minds provides equal opportunities to all students and their families without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Big Minds complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in every location in which the company has sites. Big Minds expressly prohibits any form of unlawful harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

Tuition Information

• Annual Tuition by program;
  • Pinole Campus: $37,250/year
  • Pleasanton Campus: $37,250/year
  • Big Minds Online: $30,950/year
  • Homeschool Support Program: $8,400-$12,600/year, sliding scale.
• Note:  To ensure equity and access, we offer individualized family tuition rates. Families submit their financial information via TADS online in order to determine a tuition level that is equitable for their family. Families are provided their tuition rate at the time of scheduling a shadow period and subsequently, upon offer of 90 day enrollment