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Best Maryland Private Schools Belonging to Membership Associations (2026)

For the 2026 school year, there are 536 private schools belonging to membership associations in Maryland.
The most popular school membership associations are National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) (18% of schools), Other school association(s) (16% of schools) and National Association for the Education of Young Children (13% of schools).

Quick Facts (2026)

  • # Private Schools: 536

Quick Facts (2026)

  • # Private Schools: 536

Top Ranked Maryland Private Schools by Membership Association (2026)

Membership Association
# Schools
# Students
% Minority
AdvancED, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Council on Accreditation and School Improvement
1
166
89%
Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) or (School of Tomorrow)
9
377
65%
Agudath Israel of America
1
64
-
AIMSMDDC (Assoc. of independent Maryland and DC Schools)
37
17,436
39%
Alternative School Network
2
83
35%
American Association of Christian Schools (AACS)
11
3,526
41%
American Montessori Society (AMS)
28
3,184
40%
Association Montessori International (AMI)
13
1,171
36%
Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
1
48
-
Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)
55
12,777
45%
Association of Christian Teachers and Schools (ACTS)
4
768
59%
Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS)
8
2,125
39%
Association of Independent Maryland And DC Schools (JAIMS)
32
12,287
35%
Association of LD Schools (ALDS)
1
46
7%
Association of Waldorf Schools of North America
2
481
23%
Bilingual School Association
4
189
60%
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
3
584
37%
Christian Schools International (CSI)
6
1,640
46%
Cognia
30
8,900
39%
Council of Bilingual Education
4
129
70%
Educational Records Bureau
4
1,706
12%
European Council for International Schools
1
110
8%
Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA)
6
426
49%
Friends Council on Education (FCE)
4
1,416
46%
General Conference of SDA Church
1
-
-
General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (GCSDAC)
7
985
76%
Institute for Independent Education
3
600
52%
International Baccalaureate (IB) World School
4
1,830
36%
International Boys Schools Coalition
1
1,050
26%
International Coalition of Girls Schools
1
809
25%
International Montessori Council (IMC)
4
297
46%
Jesuit Secondary Education Association (JSEA)
3
1,784
41%
Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)
3
565
37%
Mercy Secondary Education Association (MSEA)
1
444
23%
Mid Atlantic Christian Schools Association (MACSA)
2
404
63%
Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
60
23,651
40%
MSA-CESS Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools
8
1,221
45%
National Association for the Education of Young Children
68
5,550
42%
National Association of College Admissions Counselors
2
1,123
26%
National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES)
18
4,744
37%
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
68
25,923
37%
National Association of Laboratory Schools
4
196
63%
National Association of Private Catholic and Independent Schools (NAPCIS)
1
180
3%
National Association of Private Schools
1
205
19%
National Association of Private Special Education Centers
19
2,549
50%
National Catholic Education Association
5
2,017
27%
National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
95
33,094
36%
National Christian School Association (NCSA)
1
115
-
National Coalition of Boys Schools
1
625
15%
National Coalition of Girls
12
4,519
31%
National Council for Private School Accreditation
4
1,298
57%
National Honor Society (NHS)
3
736
27%
National Independent Private Schools Association
11
2,756
46%
National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)
1
237
64%
National Lutheran Schools Accreditation
3
783
18%
National Middle School Association
2
809
16%
National Society of Hebrew Day Schools (NSHDS)
5
1,692
2%
Network for Mercy Education
2
513
33%
Northwest Association of Accredited Schools
1
889
30%
Not Available (School did not report any membership associatons).
2
58
61%
Orton Gillingham Academy of Practioners and Educators
1
65
14%
Other associations(s) for exceptional children
22
2,346
56%
Other Montessori association(s)
11
885
21%
Other religious school association(s)
23
7,373
23%
Other school association(s)
87
12,351
37%
Other special emphasis association(s)
15
1,294
69%
Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools
2
143
3%
Solomon Schechter Day Schools (SSDS)
1
309
-
Southern Association Of Colleges And Schools (SACS)
19
8,972
27%
Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools (SBACS)
6
342
69%
State or regional independent school association
32
11,833
33%
The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
7
2,451
41%
Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS)
1
-
-
Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America
2
481
23%
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
1
-
-
Xaverian Brothers School Sponsorship
2
1,969
48%

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