Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School

Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School is a TK to 8 school on San Antonio Road in south Palo Alto. It pairs a general academic program with Hebrew and Jewish studies and describes its community as pluralistic and egalitarian, with families from many Jewish backgrounds and some who are not Jewish. The school says it enrolls about 350 students in an average year.

This page covers the founding, campus, program, admission steps and 2026 to 2027 tuition the school publishes. Our private schools guide lists other choices nearby, including the Kehillah high school on Fabian Way. We describe schools without ranking them.

Founding and name

Hausner's history page traces the school to a group of about 30 parents who met in a Los Altos living room in the late 1980s. They wanted a community school that would welcome Jews of any background and be strong in both general and Jewish studies. The school opened in the fall of 1990 as the Mid-Peninsula Jewish Community Day School. Founder Steve Feldstein is quoted on the site describing the goal as a child-centered school "committed to excellence in both general and Jewish Studies."

In 2003 the school took the name of Gideon Hausner. As Israel's attorney general in the 1960s, Hausner was chief prosecutor at the 1961 trial of Adolf Eichmann. The school's page quotes his opening speech: "With me are six million accusers." He later served as a member of the Knesset and a cabinet minister and as president of the International Council of Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust remembrance center. The school cites his commitment to justice as the source of its focus on social justice and tikkun olam, the Jewish idea of repairing the world.

Campus and school day

The address is 450 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto 94306, in south Palo Alto close to the Mountain View border. The school describes a four-acre campus with three buildings. They hold a library, a Beit Tefillah (prayer space), science labs, a design lab and design studio, art and music studios and a gym, with outdoor play areas, sports fields, a garden, an outdoor dining area, three parking lots and a ring road around the edge. Access is limited to staff, students and approved family and community members, so plan visits through the admissions office.

The school day, as the school lists it:

Before-school care costs $10 a morning and after-school care $16 an hour in 2026 to 2027. After-school enrichment classes, called chugim, are priced separately. The school reports a 6 to 1 student to teacher ratio in the lower school. Its accreditations are from the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Program

General studies

The academic program covers STEM, humanities and the arts alongside Jewish history, language and culture. The school's descriptions mention students making films, building math-driven robots and reenacting history through drama, music and poetry. A learning support team and a social-emotional learning program run through every grade. Community service is built into each grade level.

Hebrew and Jewish studies

Hebrew is taught as a living language from kindergarten, starting with songs, stories and crafts. In grades 1 to 8, classes are grouped by level, from beginners to Dovrei Ivrit, students who already speak Hebrew at home. The school uses the iTalAm, Bishvil Ha'Ivrit and Yesh Ve'Yesh programs and covers Israeli history and culture along with the four language skills. Torah study is taught as part of an ongoing tradition of interpretation. The school says it honors multiple readings.

The mission statement commits the school to "a love of Jewish tradition and culture" and to a lasting commitment to the Jewish people, the State of Israel and American society. Its listed values are learning, respect, community, Torah, Israel, compassion and justice.

Trips

The tuition page lists overnight trips for older grades with their approximate costs. Fourth graders take a Gold Rush trip and fifth graders go to Mt. Cross. Sixth graders visit Pinnacles. Seventh graders take a civil rights tour of the American Southeast and eighth graders travel to Israel. Field trips for TK to grade 3 and the sports program for grades 5 to 8 are included in tuition.

How admission works

Hausner applications go through Ravenna. The process the school describes:

1. Visit or talk with the Enrollment and Engagement Team by phone or Zoom, or join a tour or event.
2. Create a Ravenna account and submit one application per child with a $100 fee each.
3. Complete the checklist items: a teacher recommendation for all grades, school records for grades 1 to 8 and a short student questionnaire for grades 5 to 8.
4. Attend the student visit. TK and kindergarten applicants come for a one-hour readiness playdate. An admissions staff member also visits them at their preschool. First graders have a one-hour visit. Second graders spend a half day and grades 3 to 8 spend a full day shadowing a student buddy.
5. Receive a decision, then sign the enrollment agreement and pay the deposit.

All records and recommendations must arrive at least a week before the student's visit. Current students do not reapply. Siblings of current students apply through Ravenna with the application fee waived.

Tuition and affordability for 2026 to 2027

Hausner's tuition page lists:

• Transitional kindergarten: $38,340.
• Kindergarten to grade 4: $42,480.
• Grades 5 to 8: $46,310.

Tuition includes books and supplies, arts and music materials, lunch and a morning snack and school-issued devices: iPads for kindergarten to grade 4 and MacBooks for grades 5 to 8. Extra costs include a $750 security fee per family ($500 for families receiving aid), payment plan fees of $25 to $330 and optional tuition insurance. The enrollment deposit of $2,800 per student ($1,000 with aid) counts toward tuition. The school notes that tuition typically rises 3 to 7 percent a year, so expect higher figures for 2027 to 2028, which had not been posted in late October 2026.

The school says it awarded $4.3 million in tuition assistance and affordability support for 2026 to 2027, with 44 percent of families receiving help. Need-based awards through Clarity can cover up to 75 percent of tuition and do not need to be repaid. Full-time Jewish communal professionals may qualify for a 30 or 40 percent discount. A sibling savings program applies to families with more than one child enrolled. Aid decisions are kept separate from admission.

Visiting and getting there

San Antonio Road links Highway 101 with Middlefield Road and El Camino Real, so the campus is easy to reach by car. For a family visiting from out of town, the hotels on El Camino Real and San Antonio Road are close. You can compare hotels near San Antonio Road or read our guide to hotels along El Camino Real. Our page on kosher food in Palo Alto lists nearby options for observant visitors. Families comparing K to 8 schools may also look at Keys School.

Frequently asked questions