Families across Illinois choose private schools for religious instruction, Montessori methods, smaller classes, or a particular academic program. The state treats these schools very differently from public districts, and that shapes how you should search. This page explains who oversees nonpublic schools in Illinois, how the market changes from the Chicago suburbs to downstate cities, and what to check before you call a school office.

How Illinois Regulates Private Schools

Illinois does not require every private school to hold a state license. The Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5) accepts a private or parochial school as a way to meet compulsory attendance. The school must teach the branches of education taught in public schools to children of the same grade, and instruction must be in English. Children are generally required to be enrolled from age 6 through 17.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) runs a voluntary recognition process for nonpublic schools. A recognized school has asked ISBE to review it against state recognition standards. A school without recognition is not breaking the law. It has simply not sought that status, so ask each school which path it follows and why.

Other agencies cover other parts of a school's operation. The Illinois Department of Public Health sets the school health examination and immunization rules, and these apply to nonpublic schools as well as public ones. Local building and fire officials inspect the physical premises. Programs for children below school age are a big share of the entries in our database, including Montessori centers and chain locations such as the 179th Street KinderCare in Tinley Park. Depending on hours and age group, these are often licensed as child care by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). That is a separate system from school recognition.

Because the state does not license schools as a group, quality signals come from elsewhere. Look for accreditation from groups such as Cognia or the Association of Christian Schools International. Look for membership in a diocesan school system, or a Montessori affiliation such as AMS or AMI. Ask to see proof rather than relying on a website badge.

Chicago, Cook County and the Collar Counties

The densest cluster of private schools in Illinois is in Cook County, which holds nearly half of the statewide listings. Chicago alone has more entries than any other city by a wide margin. The Archdiocese of Chicago, which covers Cook and Lake counties, operates one of the largest Catholic school systems in the country. Alongside it you will find Lutheran, Jewish day, Islamic, Adventist, and independent schools, plus many small neighborhood programs.

The suburbs inside Cook County have their own mix. Angel Town Private School sits on Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines, and Gesher Hatorah Day School is on West Touhy Avenue in Skokie. Acarath Montessori Center operates in Schaumburg, Dayspring Montessori School in Northbrook, and ABC Toon Town II in Oak Park. Bridge View/Challenger Schools is in Niles, and Camelot Schools is in Hoffman Estates. Touhy Avenue runs through several northern suburbs, so check the municipality before you map a drive.

West and south of Chicago, DuPage County has Downers Grove Adventist School, Creative Montessori Learning Center in Lombard, and Sunrise Montessori Academy in Addison. Will County includes Mary Sears Children's Academy on Manhattan Road in Joliet. Our database lists Discover Montessori - Learning Center on Sudbury Street in Naperville under Will County, although Naperville spans two counties. Always confirm the county and the school district for an address, because the district sets your transportation and boundary questions.

Commute time matters more than distance in this region. A school ten miles away along an expressway can be faster to reach than one three miles away on local streets at 8 a.m. Visit at drop-off time before you commit.

Rockford, Peoria, Springfield and Downstate Illinois

Outside the Chicago area, private schools cluster in the regional cities. Winnebago County is anchored by Rockford, where Berean Christian Schools operates on Safford Road. In Peoria, Christ Lutheran School is on South Faraday Avenue, and the Peoria County page lists more in the same area. Springfield has Calvary Academy on West Jefferson Street, and Decatur has St Patrick School on Jackson Street. Judah Christian School serves Champaign.

Catholic dioceses shape much of the downstate picture. Illinois has the Dioceses of Rockford, Peoria, Springfield in Illinois, Belleville, and Joliet, in addition to the Archdiocese of Chicago. Each one maintains its own school office. If you are looking at a parish school, that diocesan office is where tuition policies and enrollment rules are usually set.

In the Metro East near St. Louis, Montessori School St. Clair in Belleville is one example in St. Clair County. Elgin, in Kane County, includes the Institute Of Islamic Education on Bluff City Boulevard. In rural counties, choices are thinner. You may find one church-affiliated school within a long drive, and some families travel to the nearest regional city. If you live outside a city, ask your home public school district whether it provides any transportation help for nonpublic students. Policies differ by district, so do not assume.

Checking an Illinois Private School Before You Enroll

A directory entry tells you where a school is and how to reach it. It does not tell you whether the school is a good fit. These steps help you verify the details before you pay a deposit:

Names in a directory can also mislead. One Chicago entry in our database is named Abraham Lincoln Public School, even though it appears in the private school category. Name and category data come from public records and can be imperfect. When a name looks off, call the number, listed as 773-534-5720, or ask the school directly how it is governed and funded.

Private schools in Illinois 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. Illinois 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 352 cities across Illinois. They are spread across 81 counties.

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

Families in Illinois 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 Illinois 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 Illinois hold open house events in the fall that are open to prospective families without an appointment.

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

Applying to Illinois Private Schools: Timing, Tours and Paperwork

Most Illinois private schools run a school year that begins in mid-August or just after Labor Day and ends in late May or early June. Applications often open in the fall or winter before the year you want, and popular Montessori programs and parish schools can keep waitlists. Start your search about a year ahead, though many schools accept students later when seats remain.

Call the school office first. Ask whether tours are offered, what age cutoff applies, and which forms are required. Expect to provide a birth certificate, immunization and physical exam records, and previous school records for older students. Programs for younger children may ask for extra health and emergency contact forms.

Visit during a normal school day if you can, so you see classrooms in use rather than a prepared presentation. Families in the Metro East who live near Belleville sometimes compare Illinois schools with options across the Mississippi River in Missouri. If you do, confirm residency rules and the daily commute before you decide. In the Chicago area, ask where buses pick up, since parish and independent schools often draw from several municipalities.

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Schools in Illinois

Illinois does not require a general state license for private schools. The Illinois State Board of Education offers a voluntary recognition process, and the School Code accepts a nonpublic school for attendance purposes if it teaches the branches of education taught in public schools and instructs in English. Because approval is not automatic, ask each school whether it is ISBE recognized, accredited by a group such as Cognia, or part of a diocesan or denominational system. Preschool and child care programs may be licensed separately by DCFS.

Public records often group preschools, child care centers, and Montessori programs with nonpublic schools. Entries such as Discover Montessori - Learning Center in Naperville, Acarath Montessori Center in Schaumburg, and Sunrise Montessori Academy in Addison reflect this. Many serve ages three to six and do not offer a full elementary program. Before you assume a school covers the grades you need, call and ask the highest grade it teaches, the daily hours, and whether it is licensed by DCFS as a child care center.

Yes. The Illinois Department of Public Health sets immunization and school health examination requirements that apply to nonpublic schools as well as public ones. Records are typically due at enrollment and again at certain grade levels. Illinois law allows medical exemptions and, with proper paperwork, religious exemptions. Schools collect these forms themselves, so ask the registrar which forms to bring and how much lead time you need. Your child's doctor can complete the standard state health forms.

Illinois has offered a K-12 education expense credit on the state income tax return. It has been based on 25 percent of qualifying expenses above $250, with a cap per family of $500. Qualifying costs have included tuition and certain fees for public or nonpublic schools. Rules and limits can change, so check the current instructions from the Illinois Department of Revenue or ask a tax preparer. Individual schools may also have their own financial aid or sibling discounts, which you should request in writing.

Smaller cities have fewer schools, and most are faith-based or parish schools. Springfield's Calvary Academy and Champaign's Judah Christian School are examples of the kind of independent Christian school common downstate. The Chicago suburbs offer a wider range of Montessori, Jewish day, Islamic, Adventist, and independent options within a short drive. Browse the Sangamon County page for Springfield-area listings. Downstate families more often rely on a single school for all grade levels, so ask about waitlists early.

Illinois courts have long treated home instruction as a form of private school, so long as the child is taught the required subjects in English. The state does not require home educators to register with ISBE. Home educators are not listed in this directory because they are not operating as a school with a public address. If you are leaving a private school to homeschool, check with the school about records, and keep your own copies of transcripts and attendance notes.

Small private schools and early learning centers open, merge, and close more often than public schools. If a number does not connect, search the school's name with its city, check whether it moved to a new building, and look for a parent organization such as a parish, diocese, or franchise office. For a Catholic school, the diocesan school office can confirm whether it is still open. You can also contact the township or municipal clerk where the address is located to confirm whether the school is still active there.