Admission, Tuition and Enrollment information

Join Us on the Journey

We invite you to join us on this extraordinary journey of education, community, and nature. At the Portland Forest School, we believe in the transformative power of holistic learning, we cultivate curious minds, compassionate hearts, and responsible stewards of the Earth.

Come, be a part of our thriving community, where the forest is not just a backdrop but an integral part of the academic classroom, and every student's journey is a celebration of growth, discovery, and connection.

2025/26 Academic year enrollment opening soon. Please complete the admission inquiry form below to be updated when more information is available.

Student enrollment for the Portland Forest School is limited to maintain our small class sizes and uniquely low teacher/student ratios.

If you have any questions about admission or tuition please email the office at admissions@portlandforestschool.org

Tuition Information

Tuition for the 2024-2025 school year is as follows:

Kindergarten: $1495.00 per month (for 10 months)

1st- 8th grade: $1695.00 per month (for 10 months)

There is a non-refundable $50.00 application fee and $450.00 deposit that will be credited toward tuition.

There is a 10% Sibling Discount as well as a 5% discount on full priced tuition prepayment for the entire school year, if received by 9/6/24.

We also offer extended 12 month payment plans for ACH automatic deposits.

We do offer tuition assistance to qualifying families.

Portland Forest School is committed to improving access to outdoor education. As part of that commitment our outdoor forest school offers a series of tuition discounts for students meeting the eligibility criteria. Eligibility for tuition assistance includes families who utilize one or more of the following: Oregon Health Plan (OHP), SNAP/WIC/Free Lunch.

We also have an optional BIPOC student discount that can be utilized alone or stacked with other discounts.

If you are interested in our private nonprofit school for your child/children and you believe our nontraditional school would be a great fit for your child and would help them thrive, we encourage you to reach out and start a conversation with us. We are continually seeking ways to make our school more accessible and would love to connect with new families to better understand and serve our community.

Upcoming events:

  • November Forest School Open House K-8

    11/12 @6-7pm

    Discover our private elementary and middle school for Kindergarten-8th grade, located in the heart of Portland, OR, where students explore outdoor forest settings daily. Our nature-first approach to education, with small class sizes, fosters curiosity, creativity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. Visit us to see how our unique program nurtures growth for students and families.

    RSVP

  • December Forest School Open House K-8

    12/10 @6-7pm

    Discover our private elementary and middle school for Kindergarten-8th grade, located in the heart of Portland, OR, where students explore outdoor forest settings daily. Our nature-first approach to education, with small class sizes, fosters curiosity, creativity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. Visit us to see how our unique program nurtures growth for students and families.

    RSVP

  • January Forest School Open House K-8th

    01/14 @6-7pm

    Discover our private elementary and middle school for Kindergarten-8th grade, located in the heart of Portland, OR, where students explore outdoor forest settings daily. Our nature-first approach to education, with small class sizes, fosters curiosity, creativity, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning. Visit us to see how our unique program nurtures growth for students and families.

    RSVP
Forest school elementary student drawing in sand at the nonprofit, private school, alternative school, nontraditional school in Portland, OR with community based, multiage education, low ratios and open enrollment
Forest school elementary student outside at the private school, alternative school, independent school, nonprofit school in Portland, OR with a community based, alternative education, nontraditional school approach that is community based, has low ra
Forest school elementary students outside in the winter at the private school, nonprofit school, nontraditional school, alternative school in Portland, OR with a multiage classroom approach to alternative education in a community based, low ratio, op
Forest school elementary student outside at the private school, nonprofit school, alternative school, nontraditional school in Portland, Oregon with a community based, alternative education, low ratio, open enrollment approach