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Best Iowa Private Schools Belonging to Membership Associations (2026-27)

For the 2026-27 school year, there are 189 private schools belonging to membership associations in Iowa.
The most popular school membership associations are National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) (50% of schools), Christian Schools International (CSI) (14% of schools) and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) (8% of schools).

Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • # Private Schools: 189

Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • # Private Schools: 189

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

Membership Association
# Schools
# Students
% Minority
Accelerated Christian Education (School of Tomorrow) (ACE)
4
482
12%
American Association of Christian Schools (AACS)
3
176
11%
American Montessori Society (AMS)
5
557
39%
Association for Middle Level Education (formerly NMSA) (AMLE)
1
173
11%
Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
1
30
-
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
15
3,543
18%
Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS)
1
220
5%
Christian Schools International (CSI)
27
5,124
8%
Cognia (formerly AdvancED / SACS CASI / NCA CASI) (Cognia)
1
675
18%
Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA)
4
386
8%
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
1
39
16%
Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)
6
1,006
46%
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
14
2,306
32%
National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES)
4
1,990
22%
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
6
1,439
29%
National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC)
3
164
33%
National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
94
25,921
17%
National Christian School Association (NCSA)
1
915
13%
National Lutheran Schools Accreditation (NLSA)
6
995
11%
Other associations(s) for exceptional children
1
199
1%
Other Montessori association(s)
3
250
20%
Other religious school association(s)
7
1,148
6%
Other school association(s)
12
2,878
23%
Other special emphasis association(s)
4
487
28%
State or regional independent school association
7
1,744
10%
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
2
256
7%

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