Sometimes, parents opt to send their children to a private school instead of attending their area’s public or charter schools. Families in the Ann Arbor region who are on the hunt for a private education, including gifted and Christian schools in Michigan’s Washtenaw County area, are in luck.
Some of the best private schools in Michigan are in or around Tree Town!
Browse our roundup of the best Ann Arbor private schools as well as other private Washtenaw schools. Then, the tough part: Choosing from all of these excellent educational institutions.
Note on costs: Private schools don’t receive money from the state school funds, so they are financed through corporate gifts and grants, religious institutions (if they’re parochial) and tuition from those who attend. Fees vary greatly – from $1,000 to as much as $30,000 a year.
However, don’t assume that a school is out of your financial range. Most offer scholarships, for both academic excellence or financial hardship. Check with the school you’re interested in sending your child to find out what the cost will be to attend.
Ann Arbor Academy
- Address: 1153 Oak Valley Drive, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-747-6641
- Grades: 4-12
- Number of students: 65
- Affiliation: Learning Differences
Educates youth with ADHD, dyslexia and autism. Work internship programming for post-education transitioning, counseling and advising.
Ann Arbor Christian School
- Address: 5500 Whitmore Lake Road, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-741-4948
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 191
- Affiliation: Christian
Parents can volunteer in classrooms. Children encouraged to do service projects. After-school program beginning in fall 2018.
Christian Montessori School of Ann Arbor
- Address: 5225 Jackson Road, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-332-9600
- Grades: PK-3
- NOS: 60
- Affiliation: Montessori, Christian
Kids thrive, learn and discover strengths. Toddler program starts at 15 months and infants at 8 weeks. One of the few infant Montessori programs.
Clonlara School Campus and Off-Campus Program
- Address: 1289 Jewett St., Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-769-4511
- Grades: K-12
- Number of students: 38 (on campus), 960 (off-campus and online)
- Affiliation: Home-Based
Accredited, nonprofit K-12 school. Offers students self-paced learning, a tailored education plan, private school records/transcript, and an accredited high school diploma upon graduation.
Daycroft Montessori School
- Addresses: 100 Oakbrook Drive, Ann Arbor (Preschool age 2 1/2-K); 1095 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor (K-8)
- Phone: 734-930-0333 (preschool), 734-662-3335 (elementary)
- Grades: Toddler-8
- Number of students: 150
- Affiliation: Montessori
ISACS accredited; nurtures youth in a personalized learning environment. After-school enrichment plus art, science and technology programs.
Emerson School
- Address: 5425 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-665-5662
- Grades: K-8
- Number of students: 338
- Affiliation: Academically Talented
“Smart is cool.” Gifted students thrive in a hands-on, challenging, creative environment. Small classes, individual attention and inspiring curriculum.
Fr. Gabriel Richard Catholic High School
- Address: 4333 Whitehall Drive, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-662-0496
- Grades: 9-12
- Number of students: 558
- Affiliation: Catholic
Touts being “one of the nation’s top 50 Catholic high schools” from 2008 to present. AP/honors classes, high graduation rate.
Greenhills School
- Address: 850 Greenhills Drive, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-769-4010
- Grades: 6-12
- Number of students: 528
- Affiliation: Independent
Student-centered school; 100 percent of grads attend first- or second-choice college/university. Helps kids become curious, creative, responsible citizens.
Huron Valley Catholic School
- Address: 1300 N. Prospect Road, Ypsilanti
- Phone: 734-483-0366
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 160
- Affiliation: Catholic
Students’ Iowa Tests of Basic Skills scores are consistently in the 90th-95th percentile, compared to national norms.
Michigan Islamic Academy
- Address: 2301 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-665-8882
- Grades: PK-12
- Number of students: 265
- Affiliation: Islamic
One of the region’s only PK-12 Islamic schools. Range of academic and religious subjects. Accredited through AdvancED.
Rudolf Steiner High School
- Address: 2230 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-669-9394
- Grades: 9-12
- Number of students: 104
- Affiliation: Waldorf
Students build a lifelong love of learning and intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual capacities to be individuals certain of their paths and of service.
Rudolf Steiner School
- Address: 2230 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-995-4141
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 240
- Affiliation: Waldorf
Students cultivate a lifelong love of learning – in an intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual sense. Parent-child program available.
St. Francis of Assisi School
- Address: 2270 E. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-821-2200
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 386
- Affiliation: Catholic
Christ-centered approach for 60-plus years. Full-day and half-day kindergarten; art and music electives; high standardized test scores. Weekly mass.
St. Paul Lutheran School
- Address: 495 Earhart Road, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-665-0604
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 280
- Affiliation: Lutheran
“Educating for eternity.” Rigorous academic program, outstanding fine arts, individualized instruction. Preschool from age 30 months. Students consistently score high on standardized tests.
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School
- Address: 540 Elizabeth St., Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-769-0911
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 165
- Affiliation: Catholic
“Inspired, faith-based educational environment.” Art, music, athletics and summer enrichment encourage students to explore and build on interests and talents. Has classical Catholic curriculum.
Spiritus Sanctus Academy
- 4101 E. Joy Road, Ann Arbor
- 734-996-3855
- Grades: PK-8
- Number of students: 170
- Affiliation: Catholic
Educating the whole child in the Dominican tradition; students attend mass daily. Second location in Wayne County.
Summers-Knoll School
- Address: 2203 Platt Road, Ann Arbor
- Phone: 734-971-7991
- Grades: K-8
- Number of students: 124
- Affiliation: Progressive, project-based
Only independent, progressive PK-8 school in Ann Arbor. Over 33 percent of students receive need-based financial aid. Small class sizes, high academic standards, diverse community emphasizing respect and belonging.
Veritas Christi Catholic High School
- 640 Ridgewood Court, Ann Arbor
- 734-645-1643
- Grades: 7-12
- Number of students: 22
- Affiliation: Catholic/Special Needs
A “Christocentric” school with a mission to serve and empower students with special needs.
Washtenaw Christian Academy
- Address: 7200 Moon Road, Saline
- Phone: 734-429-7733
- Grades: PK-12
- Number of students: 130
- Affiliation: Christian
Classical Christian curriculum encourages academic excellence. Sports, music and additional activities.
Get even more specific! We have lists of all-boys and all-girls private schools in southeast Michigan, too. Charter still on the table? Browse the list of Top Charter Schools in Washtenaw County to help you decide.
This post was originally published in 2015 and is updated regularly.
