The Ultimate Guide to Private School

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What do Lady Gaga, Denzel Washington, and Ariana Grande have in common? Well, for one thing, they all attended private school at some point during K-12.

Private schools are by nature schools of choice. No student is ever automatically assigned to a private school by any district or agency. Private schools are rooted in the belief that families should be able to choose their child’s learning environment and that they should have options that match their family’s worldview, religious values, or education philosophy.

Today, there are tens of thousands of private schools across America. From Catholic schools to independent schools to schools with special curricula, private schools offer students distinctive learning cultures.

Private schools may be more affordable than you think. A growing number of states have scholarship programs, which can defray the costs of private school. Often, these scholarships prioritize students from low or middle-income families or students with special needs. In addition to state-funded scholarship programs, most individual private schools also provide need-based or academic scholarships to students. Local community organizations sometimes provide scholarships as well, as do national organizations such as the Children’s Scholarship Fund and ACE Scholarships.

The cost of private education varies widely by state and school, with Connecticut having the highest costs and Nebraska having the lowest costs. Of all types of private schools, Catholic parish schools tend to have the lowest tuition costs; the average cost for Catholic elementary schools is about $4,840.

Interested in considering a private school? We’ve put together this ultimate guide to private school to answer your questions, share tuition assistance programs in your state, and more.

What do I need to know about private schools?

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How to Choose a Private School

We encourage parents to follow our tips for choosing the right school for your child for all school search matters. This thorough and easy-to-understand process is designed to help all families identify learning environments that meet their children’s needs. These steps include:

1. Explore your private school options

The first step you’ll want to take is researching private school options near you. You can use our free Schools Near Me tool to locate private schools near your zip code. Private schools are incredibly diverse, so chances are you’ll be able to consider a variety of religious and non-religious schools.

To learn whether private school students in your state are eligible for special education services, you can explore the state rules we’ve compiled at “How to Continue Your IEP, Even if You Start Homeschooling.”

2. Connect

If there’s a private school that interests you, reach out for more information. You may also want to take a tour or set up a phone call with the school administration. Here are some questions you can ask or consider: What is the school’s special focus? How much is tuition? Does the school provide any transportation? Is after-school care an option? What size are the classes? What sports or extracurricular activities are available?

3. Ask about scholarships

Your first step toward identifying scholarships is to ask the private school you’re considering. Schools are often happy to share information about scholarship opportunities in the local community. You can also check our list below to learn if there are state-run scholarships available in your state.

Some national organizations like the Children’s Scholarship Fund and ACE Scholarships also offer K-12 scholarships. Each year, the Children’s Scholarship Fund and its partner organizations award millions in scholarship awards to students across 19 states.

4. Apply

Once your questions have been answered, you can move forward with applying to the private school if you’d like. Depending on the school, there may be special entrance requirements for your child, like essays, an interview, or a test.

5. Get started

If your child is accepted into the private school, let your previous school know that you will be transferring. You can also make a request if there is anything you need from their end. As a parent/legal guardian, you can ask the school for a copy of your student’s educational record. If your student has any additional services, such as an intervention plan, Individualized Education Plan, 504 plan, or medical response plan, make sure that a copy of this information is sent to the new school as well.

Common Questions about Private School

Public schools are always tuition free, while private schools generate their own funding through tuition, private grants and fundraising. We’ll cover options to lower the cost of private schools later in this guide.

Private schools can set their own admissions standards. Meanwhile, public charter schools must accept all students, and traditional public schools must accept all students within a designated geographic region, depending on the state.

As to which one is better, that depends on your student! It’s important to get as much information as possible to determine what the best learning option is for your individual child.

You can find private school rankings or ratings in a few places. GreatSchools has school profiles for most private schools in the country where you can find general information, student demographics, and parent reviews. Niche is another site where you can find information about a private school. Their school profiles have information related to academics, diversity, teachers, college prep, clubs & activities, and sports. Private School Review also hosts profiles of different private schools, sharing information such as school overviews, student body data, academics and faculty information, finances and admission data, and even a list of related schools to help you in your search. Just remember, reviews aren’t everything! You can make the best decision for your child by visiting schools in person or speaking with school staff.

Each state sets its own rules for private schools. Many of them require private schools to be accredited, licensed by the state, or approved by the state. Typically, private schools also follow state rules for safety, health, building codes, and the minimum number of school days required.

Are you thinking about opening a private school? EdChoice’s school starter checklist provides essential guidance on navigating state-specific regulations like licensing and curriculum standards, offering a solid starting point for your educational venture.

Private school choice programs or “school vouchers” have been in existence since 1869. However, the modern school choice movement started in the early 1990’s with the first voucher program designed for lower-income students: the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. This program started nearly simultaneously with the introduction of public charter schools in neighboring Minnesota and new pathways to homeschooling proliferating around the country. These first programs of the modern school choice era began as a way to give parents more options and freedom in deciding their children’s education, regardless of their income or location. School voucher programs have been found to offer families more options and have the potential to foster diversity, encourage innovation, and contribute to the delivery of high-quality education for all students. As of 2023, there is strong support for education choice, with approximately 75% of parents and two-thirds of the general public endorsing the idea, including ESAs, vouchers, charter schools, and open enrollment.

A school voucher lets families use all or a portion of the public funding set aside for their children’s education to pay for tuition at a private school. States with vouchers include: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin (and D.C. has a voucher as well!).

According to EdChoice, “tax-credit scholarships allow taxpayers to receive full or partial tax credits when they donate to nonprofits that provide private school scholarships.” Currently, 22 states have tax-credit scholarship programs either active or launching soon. In each state, the legislature sets a cap on the amount of tax credits that can be distributed. So, the size and availability of tax-credit scholarships varies by state.

Besides tax-credit scholarships, some states offer tax credits and tax deductions to help families afford private school.

Education savings accounts (ESAs) give parents access to government-authorized savings accounts to pay for a variety of approved education expenses. Depending on the state, approved expenses may include private school tuition and fees, online learning programs, tutoring, transportation, and more. In many cases, parents can combine services from multiple different education options to create a unique path for their child.

There are currently active ESA programs in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Additionally, in 2021, Missouri created a unique ESA program funded by tax-credit donations (rather than directly by the state).

Rising Interest in Private School

Public charter schools have gained popularity across the nation this year, with 36% of school-searching parents indicating that they have considered transferring their child to a private school. Additionally, about 4.7 million K-12 students were enrolled in private schools as of 2021, the most recent year for which private school data is available.

Private School Options Near Me

Many private schools and nonprofit organizations offer scholarships for students. In addition, 32 states offer official state programs that provide either a scholarship to private school or private school tuition assistance for families. Of these states, 22 states offer official scholarship programs. 9 states offer both scholarship and deduction programs. And, 1 state offers only a deduction program.

Click on your state in the list below to learn about private school costs, scholarships, and organizations. You can also find Christian schools near your zip code at the Association of Christian Schools International and Catholic schools near your zip code at the National Catholic Educational Association.

Map showing the breakdown of public school choice in the United States. Individual state details can be found below

Private School Choice in Your State

Ready to explore your local school options? Use our free “Schools Near Me” tool to search through more than 131,000 public, charter, magnet, and private schools.

Our tool enhances the information we offer on school choice options in your state. With this tool, you can access information on more than 132,000 public, charter, magnet, and private schools across the United States. You’ll be able to view essential information about each school, such as its address, phone number, and website.

Use The Tool

The information in this ultimate guide to private school is designed to help families who are considering private schools in their decision-making process. Our mission is to provide families with the information they need about all the school options available – traditional public, public charter, public magnet, private, online, and at home – so they can choose the right fit for their child. Read more guides about choosing other types of schools.