Coconut Grove holds one of Miami's most prestigious private-school clusters within a single neighborhood: Ransom Everglades (grades 6–12), Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart (Pre-K–12, all girls), and St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School (Pre-K–6). For families, that concentration is a major reason to buy in the Grove — you can put down roots near canopy-lined streets, Biscayne Bay, and a walkable village while keeping a short commute to top schools. Here's how the school landscape actually shapes a home search.
As a native Miamian, I'll tell you what the rankings don't: in the Grove, the school you choose often dictates the pocket you should buy in, because everyone is optimizing for the morning drop-off. Getting that right is half the battle, and it's the first conversation I have with relocating families.
The Grove's private schools at a glance
(Enrollment, ratios, and tuition reflect publicly available 2026 figures; verify current details directly with each school, as they change year to year.)
| School | Grades | Approx. enrollment | Student–teacher ratio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ransom Everglades | 6–12, coed | ~1,141 | ~7:1 | Founded 1903; two Grove campuses; consistently rated among the top private schools in Miami and North America |
| Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart | Pre-K–12, all girls | ~857 | ~9:1 | Historic Sacred Heart institution with a legacy spanning over a century |
| St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School | Pre-K–6, coed | ~307 | ~7:1 | Tuition reported around $30,000; rounds out the Grove's early-years offering |
Ransom Everglades
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades is a coeducational, college-preparatory day school for grades 6–12 across two campuses in Coconut Grove. It's consistently rated the top private school in Miami and ranks among the strongest in North America, with a low student–teacher ratio. For families with middle- and high-school-age kids, it's frequently the anchor of the entire home search.
Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
Carrollton is a historic all-girls school (Pre-K through 12) on the bay, part of the global Sacred Heart network, with a legacy of more than a century in the Grove. Its waterfront campus is one of the most beautiful school settings in Miami.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School
St. Stephen's serves the youngest students (Pre-K–6) and is often where Grove families begin. With a small enrollment and a low ratio, it's a close-knit entry point into the neighborhood's private-school track.
How the school cluster shapes where you buy
Insider note: Because all three schools sit within the same few ZIP codes, the Grove rewards families who buy inside the cluster rather than commuting in from farther out. The gated enclaves — The Moorings, Hughes Cove, Camp Biscayne — are minutes from campus, which is a quiet part of why they stay in demand with families. I always map a client's likely school against the enclaves before we tour, so we're not falling for a home that adds twenty minutes to every school morning.
If schools are driving your search, read this alongside my best gated communities in Coconut Grove guide and my Camp Biscayne guide — both enclaves are popular with families for exactly this reason. And if you're relocating, my moving to Coconut Grove from New York guide walks through timing a move around the school calendar.
A note for relocating families
Application timelines and availability vary by school and grade, and spots can be competitive. If you're moving to Miami around a school year, the smart sequence is to start the school conversation early — often before you finalize the home — so your housing search lines up with where your child is actually admitted. I help families coordinate that timing so the two decisions don't work against each other.
How admissions and the home search actually interact
The part families underestimate is how tightly the school decision and the home decision are braided together in the Grove. Treating them as two separate projects is the most common — and most stressful — mistake I see relocating families make.
Timelines drive everything. The Grove's top schools have application windows, assessments, and limited seats at certain entry grades. Popular entry points can be competitive, and mid-year availability is unpredictable. If you're relocating for a specific school year, you generally want the school conversation underway before you commit to a home, so your housing search aligns with where your child is actually admitted rather than where you hoped.
Entry grades matter. Some grades are natural entry points with more seats; others have very few openings because most spots are filled by continuing students. Knowing which grade your child is entering — and how that affects odds — changes how early and how aggressively you should start.
What to ask each school. Beyond academics, ask about the entry-grade availability for your child's year, the assessment and interview process, the application deadlines, and any rolling versus fixed admissions. These answers shape your timeline, and your timeline shapes your home search.
Geography is part of the decision. Because all three core schools sit within the same few ZIP codes, buying inside the cluster keeps your mornings sane. The gated enclaves and central Grove are minutes from campus; outlying options add up over a thousand school mornings a year. I map a client's likely school against neighborhoods before we tour so we don't waste time on homes that quietly add a long commute.
Insider note: The smoothest relocations I've handled started the school search and the home search on the same day, treated as one coordinated project. The families who waited to "settle the house first" too often found themselves either commuting across the county or scrambling for a mid-year spot. Sequence it right and both decisions reinforce each other — that coordination is exactly where I earn my keep for relocating families.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best private schools in Coconut Grove?
The Grove's core private schools are Ransom Everglades (6–12), Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart (Pre-K–12, all girls), and St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School (Pre-K–6). Ransom Everglades is consistently rated among the top private schools in Miami.
How much is private school tuition in Coconut Grove?
It varies by school and grade. As one reference point, St. Stephen's tuition has been reported around $30,000; confirm current tuition directly with each school.
Which Coconut Grove neighborhoods are closest to the private schools?
The gated enclaves — The Moorings, Hughes Cove, and Camp Biscayne — and the central Grove are all within minutes of the school cluster, which is why they're popular with families.
Should I choose the school or the home first when relocating?
Start the school conversation early, ideally before finalizing the home, since admissions are competitive and timing the two decisions together avoids a long commute or a missed window.
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Let's line up the schools and the home
Buying in the Grove around schools is as much about timing and geography as it is about the house itself — and that's exactly where a native Miamian who knows every pocket earns her keep. Reach out or grab my free relocation guide, and I'll help you match the right enclave to the right school and get the sequence right. — Chanel Hunter Milian.
