Ready to join Barefoot Technology Academy?
We will be starting our first school year in September 2026 with our founding cohort.
The Founding Cohort will be a small, passionate group of learners who are excited to try something new, help shape school traditions, and be a part of a bold experiment in rethinking what school should beg.
- KaiPod Community Member
Barefoot Technology Academy students have the capacity to think independently, reflect deeply, and engage with the world in creative, complex ways. If your mind is always buzzing with ideas, if you've ever felt out of step in a conventional classroom, if you crave challenge and autonomy, then you might thrive here.
Loves to explore ideas, ask questions, and follow rabbit holes. Wants to understand the big picture.
Thinks in unexpected ways and has niche or divergent interests they want to explore in depth.
Enjoys complexity and nuance over easy answers, with a broad interest in a variety of subjects.
Confident taking initiative, working independently and taking ownership.
An inventive, entrepreneurial spirit with a continuous drive to excel.
We cater to gifted or twice-exceptional students who need something different.
Explore Barefoot Technology Academy to see if it's right for you and your family. You can attend a virtual open house, download the prospectus or speak to the Founder 1:1.
Applications are open year-round, and students generally start in either August or January. Exceptions may be made to enroll at the start of each term.
The first step is to submit your application form. As part of the application, students write several short essays and submit samples of their previous work.
We'll ask about what excites you, how you like to learn, what kind of school experience you want, and what your dream projects might look like. It's a chance for us to get to know your personality, voice, and interests, not just your resume.
We'll talk about your child's learning history, strengths, and support needs, as well as your hopes and concerns. It's a chance for us to understand how your family works, and for you to ask detailed questions about how our school supports students.
We will send admissions decisions within 14 days of your final interview. The enrollment deposit is due within 14 days of admission.
Apply NowStudents should be aged 13+ on August 24, 2026.
Students must be fluent in English and able to coordinate with US timezones. We accept students from around the world.
This is a full-time academic program. Students are encouraged to dual enroll at local colleges and universities, but will not be able to be a full-time student in another academic program.
We accept bright, curious, and motivated students who love learning and want to be challenged. We're not focused on labels or test scores — whether or not a student has been formally identified as "gifted" isn't important to us. What matters is how they think and how they approach learning.
While we support students with any learning disability, we require reading, writing and mathematics skills to be at 8th grade level on admission.
We admit students who are motivated, passionate, and ready for our academic environment.
Students should be ready to transition into having a high degree of self-direction.
We understand that some brilliant students may have past experiences of school trauma, masking, or burnout. We aim to create a space where they can recover, grow, and thrive.
Have regular access to a computer (laptop or desktop), camera, microphone and reliable internet.
Chromebooks and tablets are not usually acceptable. Computers must be able to run a standard operating system. Students must be able to download and install software.
Be able to work in a home or local environment with minimal distractions.
Be able to attend classes, have meetings and do group work within a US-based schedule.
A supportive home environment and open communication between family and school are key to student success.
We do not require standardized test scores, grades, or formal "gifted" identification. Instead, we look for evidence of potential: passion, projects, questions, or ideas that show the student is ready to do meaningful work.
In order to get the best support, we recommend that students have formal identification of any learning disabilities, though this is not required.
We welcome students and families of all races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and strengths. Everyone is respected for who they are, and diversity is celebrated as a vital part of our community.
We welcome students who've had a variety of educational experiences, from homeschool to public school, accelerated and not. We welcome students who have struggled, socially or academically, in traditional environments. As long as you're ready to learn, we'll meet you where you are.
Students who rely on adult reminders or pressure to engage consistently will likely struggle in our self-directed model. However, we look at students' academic engagement outside of traditional school, where they are more likely to exhibit qualities we love.
Students who depend on rigid schedules, step-by-step instruction, or traditional grading systems may find our open-ended, project-based format frustrating.
Students who expect to be told exactly what to do, prefer lectures, or avoid active participation may feel lost in our hands-on, project-based environment.
Families focused 100% on AP courses, GPA rankings, and conventional paths may prefer a more traditional school structure. While we expect all our students to achieve extremely high academic standards, our focus is on academic development, not scores.
We cannot accommodate students who are aggressive, intentionally disruptive, or unable to contribute to a respectful and safe community.
While we welcome twice-exceptional and neurodiverse students, we don't offer academic remedial support. We don't care if your spelling isn't great or you need to use a calculator, but we do require 8th grade level reading, writing, and math for all new students.
Students who rely on adult reminders or pressure to engage consistently will likely struggle in our self-directed model. However, we look at students' academic engagement outside of traditional school, where they are more likely to exhibit qualities we love.
Students who depend on rigid schedules, step-by-step instruction, or traditional grading systems may find our open-ended, project-based format frustrating.
Students who expect to be told exactly what to do, prefer lectures, or avoid active participation may feel lost in our hands-on, project-based environment.
Families focused 100% on AP courses, GPA rankings, and conventional paths may prefer a more traditional school structure. While we expect all our students to achieve extremely high academic standards, our focus is on academic development, not scores.
We cannot accommodate students who are aggressive, intentionally disruptive, or unable to contribute to a respectful and safe community.
While we welcome twice-exceptional and neurodiverse students, we don't offer academic remedial support. We don't care if your spelling isn't great or you need to use a calculator, but we do require 8th grade level reading, writing, and math for all new students.
Admissions are currently open for our Founding Cohort. Start the application or schedule a conversation to see whether Barefoot Technology Academy is the right fit for your family.