Nebraska takes a hands-off but structured approach to nonpublic education. Families looking at private schools here will find 206 listings in our database, spread across 79 cities and 51 counties. They range from large parochial schools in Omaha to single-building church schools in the Panhandle and the Sandhills. This page explains who oversees those schools, how the metro and rural parts of the state differ, and how to check a school before you enroll your child.

How Nebraska Regulates Private and Parochial Schools

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) in Lincoln is the state agency that deals with nonpublic schools. The elected State Board of Education sets its policy. State law requires children from age 6 to age 18 to be in school, and a private school is one lawful way to meet that rule. Nebraska does not license private schools the way it licenses child care centers. Instead, a school generally follows one of three routes.

This matters because the label tells you what the state has actually looked at. An accredited school has been through a state review. An exempt school has not, and the state does not grade its teaching. Neither label measures quality on its own. Many exempt and approved schools have long records and loyal families. The label simply tells you what to ask. Call the school office, ask which category it uses, and ask whether its teachers hold Nebraska certificates.

The list of schools also reflects who sponsors them. Most private schools in the state belong to a religious network. The Archdiocese of Omaha, the Diocese of Lincoln and the Diocese of Grand Island support Catholic schools across the state. Lutheran congregations run another large group, and independent Christian schools fill in the gaps. A smaller number of independent schools serve families in the larger cities. Boys Town, in Douglas County, stands apart as a youth care organization with its own education and treatment programs.

Private Schools in Omaha, Lincoln and Nebraska's Eastern Corridor

The east side of the state holds the densest cluster of schools. Omaha alone accounts for 57 of our listings, and Lincoln adds 25. Add Bellevue with 5 and Fremont with 3, and the Missouri River corridor carries well over a third of the state's entries. Population explains most of that. More families, more parishes and more congregations mean more schools.

In Omaha you will find neighborhood parish schools such as All Saints Catholic School at 1335 South 10th Street (402-346-5757). It sits in Douglas County, which has 60 listings, more than any other county. The county also includes the Boys Town campus on Flanagan Boulevard. Our data shows a Treatment Group Home entry there (402-498-1898). That is a residential care program rather than a typical day school, so call before assuming it takes ordinary enrollments.

Lincoln is in Lancaster County, which has 27 listings. One example is the Blessed Sacrament School BackPack Program at 1725 Lake Street (402-476-6202). BackPack programs typically send food home with students over weekends. They are a support service tied to a school community, not a separate school. Treat an entry like this as a contact point for the parish rather than an admissions office.

South of Omaha, Saint Mary's Elementary School at 903 West Mission Avenue in Bellevue (402-291-1694) is in Sarpy County, a fast-growing county. North of Omaha, Archbishop Bergan Catholic School at 545 East 4th Street in Fremont (402-721-9683) is in Dodge County. Many families in these communities cross county lines for work, so it is worth looking at schools in the neighboring county as well.

Metro schools usually offer more choice of grade span, and popular entry grades can fill early. Ask about application deadlines well before the year you want to start. Deadlines vary by school, and we do not list them.

Columbus, Norfolk, Grand Island and the Panhandle: Private Schools Beyond the Metro

Outside the metro area, a private school is often the main alternative to the local public district, and it may draw students from a wide area. Columbus is the leading regional hub, with 9 listings. Platte County has 11 in total. Columbus Christian School lists a PO Box 924 mailing address and the phone number 402-562-6470, so call rather than looking for a street address.

Norfolk has 7 listings, and Madison County has 10 overall. Lutheran High Northeast at 2010 North 37th Street in Norfolk (402-379-3040) serves the northeast part of the state, as its name suggests. In the same county, St Leonard's School at 206 East 6th Street in Madison (402-454-3525) shows how a small-town parish school works. It is typically one building, a few grades, and a parish that backs it financially and with volunteers.

In central Nebraska, Grand Island Christian Elementary School at 1804 West State Street (308-384-2755) is in Hall County. Saint Michael's School at 721 Creighton Avenue in Hastings (402-462-6310) is in Adams County. Faith Christian School at 5710 19th Avenue in Kearney (308-236-8744) is in Buffalo County. Notice the area codes. Phone numbers beginning 308 cover central and western Nebraska, while 402 covers the eastern part of the state.

Farther west, St Agnes Catholic School at 205 East 23rd Street in Scottsbluff (308-632-6918) is in Scotts Bluff County. St Patrick High School at 500 South Silber Avenue in North Platte (308-532-1874) is in Lincoln County. Distances out here are long, and a family may drive a considerable way each morning. Ask the school whether it arranges carpools, shared rides or bus pickup.

Checking a Nebraska Private School Before You Enroll

A listing gives you a starting point, not a verdict. These steps turn a name and phone number into a decision.

Some entries in our data are not classic K-12 schools. Chadron State College Child Development Center at 1000 Main Street in Chadron (308-432-6379) is an early childhood program. The BackPack entries in Lincoln, Beatrice and Seward support students through a school or parish. Treat these as programs and ask what they offer before planning around them.

Finally, rules on private school scholarships and public funding have been debated in the Legislature and at the ballot in recent years. Before you count on any scholarship, confirm its current status with NDE and with the school itself.

Private schools in Nebraska 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. Nebraska 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 79 cities across Nebraska. They are spread across 51 counties.

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

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

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

Finding a Private School Near You in Nebraska: County Routes and Local Contacts

The fastest way to narrow your search is to start with the county, then work outward. Nebraska has 93 counties, and our listings touch 51 of them. If you live in the Omaha area, begin with Douglas County, then check Sarpy County and Dodge County if you are willing to commute. In the capital region, Lancaster County is the main source, and Seward County adds smaller-town options such as St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School in Seward (402-643-9525).

Families in the northeast should compare Platte County, Madison County and Pierce County. Towns such as Hartington, where Holy Trinity Grade School lists 402-254-6496, and O'Neill, where St Marys Schools lists 402-336-4455, are small communities. A school there may serve a whole region. In the south, York County includes St Joseph's School in York (402-362-3021) and Trinity Lutheran School in Waco (402-728-5364).

Small schools often have a part-time secretary and a principal who also teaches, so a phone call may go to voicemail. Leave your name, your child's age and a number where you can be reached. Mornings before classes start and the early afternoon after dismissal tend to be the best times to reach a person. Our listings come from public records, so phone numbers and addresses can change. If a number is out of service, search the parish or congregation that runs the school.

Nebraska does not issue a general license to private schools. Instead, the Nebraska Department of Education recognizes schools that choose to be approved or accredited. A school that holds sincere religious objections to those processes can operate as an exempt school and report basic information to the state. Because the three categories mean different things, ask any school you are considering which one it falls under. Also ask whether its teachers hold Nebraska certification. The answer does not decide quality, but it tells you how much the state has reviewed.

Nebraska's compulsory attendance law covers children from age 6 to age 18. Attending a private school meets that requirement, whether the school is approved, accredited or exempt. If you move your child from a public district to a private school, tell the district office so the records are handled properly and attendance is not questioned. Preschool and early childhood programs, such as the Chadron State College Child Development Center in Chadron, fall outside the compulsory age range. They set their own enrollment rules, so ask them directly about ages, schedules and any waiting list.

Douglas County leads with 60 listings, followed by Lancaster County with 27, Platte County with 11 and Madison County with 10. Sarpy County has 7, Hall County and Dodge County have 5 each, and Pierce County, Adams County and Scotts Bluff County have 4 each. The pattern follows population and church networks. If your county has few or no listings, check the next county over. In rural Nebraska, a school in a neighboring county seat is often the closest option, and families commonly drive in from several towns.

Yes, though they are fewer and farther apart. Our database includes St Agnes Catholic School in Scottsbluff (308-632-6918), St Patrick High School in North Platte (308-532-1874), St Luke's School at 406 East 3rd Street in Ogallala (308-284-4841) and the Child Development Center at Chadron State College (308-432-6379). Western phone numbers start with 308. Because distances are long, ask each school about bus routes, carpools and how it handles winter weather closures. Small enrollments can also mean multi-grade classrooms, which suit some children well.

The rules on state-supported private school scholarships have been contested in the Legislature and at the ballot in recent years, so any answer from a directory can go out of date. Check the current status with the Nebraska Department of Education before you rely on a program. Separately, many parish and church schools offer their own tuition help, sibling discounts or lower rates for member families. Ask the school office what aid exists and when applications are due. Do not assume aid is automatic.

Schools usually ask for a birth certificate, immunization records, your child's most recent report card and contact details for the previous school. Nebraska's school immunization rules, administered through the Department of Health and Human Services, apply to private schools too. A Catholic or Lutheran school may also ask for a baptismal record or a parish connection. It may offer a different tuition rate to members. Call ahead for the exact list, because requirements differ between a large Omaha parish school and a small rural one.

Our listings come from public records that group school-related services together. You will see BackPack Program entries at Blessed Sacrament in Lincoln, St Paul's Lutheran in Beatrice and St. Vincent de Paul in Seward. These are typically food-support efforts connected to a school or parish. The Treatment Group Home at Boys Town is a residential care program. Before you drive anywhere, phone the number listed and ask whether the entry offers classroom enrollment. If it does not, ask for the school office that does.