How Colorado Regulates Private and Independent Schools

Colorado gives private schools a lot of freedom. No state office licenses a K-12 private school, approves its curriculum or inspects its classrooms. Each school answers to its own board, church, religious order or owner. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) oversees public schools and districts, and it does not accredit independent ones. A family weighing private options has to do much of the checking personally, so a campus visit counts for more than any rating.

The main legal rule is the compulsory attendance law, found in Title 22, Article 33 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. It applies to children who turn six by August 1 and are younger than 17. Families can satisfy it through a public school, an independent or parochial school that offers a basic academic education, or a home-based program. Private schools are expected to keep attendance records. Before you enroll, ask how a school tracks absences and how long its school year runs.

Health rules reach private campuses too. Colorado's school immunization requirements, which the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment helps administer, apply to private schools. Families must provide vaccination records or file a permitted exemption. Ask your pediatrician for a current copy well before the first day of school.

Private school teachers do not need a CDE teaching license under state law, although many schools set their own credential standards. Accreditation is voluntary. Some schools earn it through national or regional accrediting groups, and Catholic schools also answer to their diocese. Colorado has no general statewide voucher program that pays private tuition. Families normally pay tuition directly and ask each school about its own financial aid.

Preschool and Child Care Centers Follow a Separate Rulebook

Some entries in our Colorado listings are early learning centers rather than traditional grade schools. Primrose School of Lone Tree, Primrose School at the Flatirons in Louisville, Green Mountain KinderCare in Lakewood and The Childrens Workshop Early Learning Center in Greeley are examples. These programs are licensed as child care. Since 2022, that job has belonged to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, which took it over from the Department of Human Services.

Licensing covers areas such as staff-to-child ratios, background checks and facility safety. You can ask any center to show its license and look up its record with the state. Colorado also funds a Universal Preschool program for children in the year before kindergarten, and some private and faith-based providers take part. Ask the center directly whether it accepts those funded hours, because participation varies from provider to provider.

Private School Choices Across Metro Denver and the Front Range

Most private schools sit along the Front Range urban corridor, where population density and household income support tuition-based schools. Denver is the largest market. Arrupe Jesuit High School on Utica Street is one well-known example. Listings in Denver County range from Catholic parish schools to Montessori programs and college-preparatory campuses. Families usually compare these schools against Denver Public Schools and nearby charter options.

South and east of the city, Arapahoe County covers Aurora, Englewood and Centennial. Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School on East Iliff Avenue serves Aurora. Humanex Academy sits on South Zuni Street in Englewood, and Ambleside School is in Centennial. These suburbs fall within several public school districts. Check your home district's boundaries separately, because a private school's address does not tell you which district your child would otherwise attend.

Littleton's high listing count has a simple explanation. Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community in Douglas County, and it largely uses Littleton mailing addresses. That is why Primrose School at Highlands Ranch Business Park appears under Littleton even though it sits in Douglas County. Elsewhere in the county, Parker Montessori in Parker, Castle Academy in Castle Rock and Primrose School of Lone Tree show how private options have followed the growth of the south metro suburbs.

North and northwest of Denver, Boulder County has one of the densest concentrations of private schools in the state. Sacred Heart of Jesus School serves Boulder, Scribbles Academy is in Longmont, Running River School is in Lafayette, and Primrose School at the Flatirons is in Louisville. Broomfield is a combined city and county, yet some Broomfield addresses, including Beautiful Savior Lutheran School, are grouped with Boulder County in our data. Always confirm the street address on the school's own materials.

In Jefferson County, Shrine of St Anne School in Arvada and Green Mountain KinderCare in Lakewood show the mix of parish schools and early learning centers. Adams County listings, such as Community Christian School in Northglenn, round out the northern metro area. Tuition and waitlists vary widely, and popular schools often fill early. Begin touring in the fall before the year you want to enroll.

Private Schools Outside the Metro Area: Colorado Springs, Pueblo, the Western Slope and Mountain Towns

Away from Denver, the picture changes. Colorado Springs has one of the largest sets of listings in the state, including Colorado Springs Christian Schools, which runs elementary and middle school programs on Mallow Road. Fort Collins and Loveland in northern Colorado have Cornerstone Christian School and Reflections For Youth Academy. Greeley has early learning options in Weld County. Day Star Christian School in Pueblo anchors the southern end of the Front Range.

Rural and mountain communities have fewer choices, and distance becomes a real factor. Intermountain Adventist Academy in Grand Junction serves the Western Slope. Grace Preparatory Academy in Durango and Lowell Whiteman School near Steamboat Springs serve the southwest and northwest mountains. Families in these areas may drive long distances or rely on a school's own transportation. Winter road conditions on mountain passes can disrupt daily travel, so ask about weather-day policies before you commit.

Colorado's eastern plains have very few private schools, which is why county pages matter. If your home county has no listing, check neighboring counties before widening your search to the metro area. A school in the next county may be closer than the nearest school in your own.

How to Read a Colorado Private School Listing

Each listing gives a name, street address, county and phone number. Call first, because every school sets its own admission calendar and policies. Before you dial, decide what you need to learn. These questions cover most of it:

Confirm details before you visit. Phone numbers, grade ranges and addresses change, and a school that served K-8 last year may add or drop grades. A short call saves a wasted trip, especially in the mountain counties where the next option may be an hour away.

Private schools in Colorado are licensed and regulated by the state's department of education, which sets minimum standards for safety, curriculum, and accreditation while allowing institutions significant freedom in operations and admissions. Colorado may also offer education savings account or voucher programs that provide public funding assistance to eligible families attending private schools.

Private Schools locations are available in 75 cities across Colorado. They are spread across 34 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of private schools include Denver, Colorado Springs, Littleton, reflecting larger population centers where demand for diverse educational options tends to support a wider range of private school institutions.

Families in Colorado exploring private school options should contact each school's admissions office to request a prospectus, schedule a tour, and learn about financial aid availability, as tuition and assistance programs vary significantly from one institution to the next.

Private Schools by Counties

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Families in Colorado comparing private school options should check each school's accreditation status through the state department of education and request standardized test score data, graduation rates, and college placement outcomes. Many private schools in Colorado hold open house events in the fall that are open to prospective families without an appointment.

Browse Private Schools by county across Colorado to find the nearest location.

Starting a Private School Search in Colorado: A Practical Timeline

A good Colorado school search starts earlier than most families expect. Many Front Range schools hold open houses in fall and winter, and application deadlines often fall in winter for the following August. Mid-year openings exist but are less predictable. Mountain-town and rural schools may be more flexible, but they have fewer seats overall.

Be realistic about the commute. A school ten miles away can mean a long drive at rush hour on I-25 or C-470. Ask for a copy of your child's records before leaving any school. Your resident public district enrolls by home address, and report cards or transcripts in hand speed up placement if plans change.

Colorado Private School FAQs

No. Colorado does not license, accredit or inspect private K-12 schools, and the Colorado Department of Education's authority centers on public schools. A private school operates under its own governing board and must follow general laws, such as health and safety codes, immunization rules and the attendance provisions in Title 22, Article 33 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Because there is no state seal of approval, ask each school about voluntary accreditation, teacher qualifications, curriculum and how long it has operated. Visiting classrooms and talking with current parents will tell you more than any directory entry can.

Compulsory attendance applies to children who are six on or before August 1 and who are younger than 17. A private, independent or parochial school satisfies the requirement when it provides a basic academic education, and the school is expected to keep attendance records. Children younger than six are not covered, so kindergarten itself is optional, though most families enroll anyway. If you are moving a child from a public school to a private one, tell the public school you are leaving and request your child's records so the transition goes smoothly.

Denver leads both by city and by county, with the largest number of schools in Denver County. Littleton ranks high because its mailing address covers much of Highlands Ranch, an unincorporated community in Douglas County. The city of Littleton itself also spans parts of Arapahoe, Jefferson and Douglas counties. A school with a Littleton address may therefore sit in a different county than you expect. Check the street address and county on each listing, since county lines affect the public district that serves your home and the agencies you deal with.

Yes, though choices thin out with distance. El Paso County includes Colorado Springs Christian Schools at 4855 Mallow Road. In Mesa County, Intermountain Adventist Academy is at 1704 North 8th Street in Grand Junction. Day Star Christian School serves Pueblo, Grace Preparatory Academy is in Durango, and Lowell Whiteman School is listed near Steamboat Springs. In small towns, ask about transportation, class sizes and how the school handles winter closures. Call ahead, because rural schools may have limited office hours.

Requirements differ by school, but a typical packet includes a completed application, proof of age such as a birth certificate, immunization records or an exemption form, and prior school records or report cards. Some schools add a family interview or a placement assessment. Immunization rules come from state health law, so even small schools must ask for them. Most also require a signed tuition agreement and a registration fee that may be non-refundable. Request the fee schedule and refund policy in writing before you pay any deposit.

Support depends on both the school and federal law. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the public school district where a private school is located must find and evaluate children with suspected disabilities whose parents placed them there. Eligible students may receive a services plan, which is often narrower than the IEP a public school would write. Private schools set their own capacity for learning support. Ask what staff, therapies and accommodations are available, and request the evaluation from the district that covers the school's address.

Child care centers and preschools are licensed by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. Ask the center to show its current license, and use the state's Colorado Shines website to look up provider information and quality ratings. Early learning centers in our listings, such as Primrose School of Lone Tree and The Childrens Workshop Early Learning Center in Greeley, fall into this category. Licensing sets baseline standards for ratios and safety rather than teaching quality, so tour the classrooms as well. If you have a concern, contact the state licensing office.