Private School Review - Established 2003
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Best Connecticut Private Schools Belonging to Membership Associations

For the 2026-27 school year, there are 304 private schools belonging to membership associations in Connecticut.
The most popular school membership associations are National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) (26% of schools), National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) (24% of schools) and Other school association(s) (18% of schools).

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • # Private Schools: 304

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • # Private Schools: 304

Top Ranked Connecticut Private Schools by Membership Association (2026-27)

Membership Association
# Schools
# Students
% Minority
Accelerated Christian Education (School of Tomorrow) (ACE)
3
275
17%
American Association of Christian Schools (AACS)
9
1,083
27%
American Montessori Society (AMS)
18
1,966
31%
Association for Experiential Education (AEE)
1
14
20%
Association for Middle Level Education (formerly NMSA) (AMLE)
3
828
12%
Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
7
792
31%
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
15
1,312
40%
Association of Christian Teachers and Schools (ACTS)
1
59
91%
Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS)
1
24
-
Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE)
1
166
17%
Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)
2
154
11%
Cognia (formerly AdvancED / SACS CASI / NCA CASI) (Cognia)
2
14
-
Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS-CT)
3
907
21%
Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS)
1
39
25%
Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA)
1
105
28%
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
1
80
-
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (Education) (GCSDAC)
4
163
98%
Institute for Independent Education (PVSR legacy category)
4
2,187
34%
International Baccalaureate World School (IB)
2
715
22%
International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC)
2
511
12%
International Coalition of Girls' Schools (formerly NCGS) (ICGS)
4
1,097
75%
Jesuit Schools Network (formerly JSEA) (JSN)
1
757
23%
Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS)
3
14
-
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
44
4,886
37%
National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES)
4
554
39%
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
79
26,550
27%
National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS)
3
413
60%
National Association of Private Schools (NAPS)
1
232
6%
National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC)
16
1,231
48%
National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
73
18,504
35%
National Independent Private School Association (NIPSA)
3
914
24%
National Lutheran Schools Accreditation (NLSA)
1
61
50%
National Society of Hebrew Day Schools (NSHDS)
3
896
-
Network for Mercy Education (formerly MSEA) (NME)
1
-
-
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
54
14,349
35%
New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS)
1
-
-
Other associations(s) for exceptional children
12
1,133
46%
Other Montessori association(s)
8
485
42%
Other religious school association(s)
9
1,661
22%
Other school association(s)
55
11,363
31%
Other special emphasis association(s)
17
1,100
40%
Progressive Education Network (PEN)
1
240
34%
Solomon Schechter Day Schools (SSDS)
2
196
4%
Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools (SBACS)
1
85
30%
State or regional independent school association
32
9,426
24%
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
21
7,264
30%
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Schools) (ACS WASC)
1
-
-
Xaverian Brothers Sponsored Schools (XBSS)
1
410
10%

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