We cover 11 of the best private schools in Illinois, including high schools and K-12 programs.
Our list features bilingual immersion programs, boarding schools, religious-affiliated schools, and institutions offering personalized learning experiences.
The schools are sorted geographically, focusing on key areas such as:
- Best private schools in Chicago
- Best private schools in West Chicago
- Best private schools in Naperville
- Best private schools in Springfield
- Best private schools in Rockford
Best Private Schools in Chicago
Fusion Academy: A Personalized Education for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers
Fusion Academy is a private school that offers personalized learning and a vibrant campus life with various clubs and activities. For academic programs, we offer full-time and part-time programs, tutoring/mentoring, test prep, and more. (View a full list of our academic programs here.)
We have campuses in Lincoln Park Chicago, Evanston, Lake Forest, and Oak Brook. Students can also enroll in Fusion’s Global Academy, a fully online virtual learning option. Some students opt for a hybrid schedule, taking some classes online and others on campus.
As a fully accredited private school, our unique offering is personalized education through one-to-one teaching. Below, we take a look at what this looks like, from enrollment to the classroom experience.
Personalized Academic Programs to Help Students Thrive
Fusion Academy is more effective than a traditional classroom — as personalized learning enables students to progress two to three times faster than their peers academically. (Robinson, Kraft, Loeb, & Schueler, 2021).
At the heart of our philosophy is a personalized education.
To start, each student and their family meets with the Head of School (the Fusion equivalent of a Principal) when considering enrollment. This allows us to learn about each student individually; their strengths, any hurdles they may have been encountering in their academic career, and their goals. During this meeting, the goal is to assess how we can best help the student thrive.
Based on these conversations, an academic plan is developed. This plan may be full-time enrollment, part-time enrollment, additional tutoring/mentoring, post-secondary counseling, etc.
Here are just some examples:
- A student may need to practice math at a level below their current grade, while still working at their current grade level in all other subjects. This could involve a full-time program, where the student is also enrolled in our math remediation program.
- A student may need to have their classes on specific days (common for students with structured schedules outside of the classroom, such as student athletes, actors, or students working with occupational or behavioral therapists).
- A student may need more in-depth and engaging lectures and coursework than the standard curriculum (common with gifted students and twice-exceptional students).
- A student may be struggling with executive functioning, such as time management, self-monitoring, planning, and organization, which can impact their confidence and academic performance. For this student, we can assign an executive functioning course as an elective on their schedule, where the teacher also serves as a mentor and provides personalized guidance and support to help them build these essential skills.
Our goal is to create a program that is centered around each student.
Personalization also continues in the classroom. At Fusion, each class consists of just one student and one teacher. This way, our educators can focus on each student, slowing down on the lessons and subjects where they need more support and moving quickly through concepts they easily master.
This type of personalization allows us to create a custom learning environment that is ideal for all types of students, including:
- Students with learning differences, such as students with ADHD and dyslexia.
- Gifted students, who may want to engage with the content in a more in-depth way or who may be naturally more prone to ask questions as they learn something new.
- Twice exceptional students, who need a unique learning environment, where some of the time they’re gifted in a subject and other times they’re struggling with concepts.
- Students with social anxiety / school anxiety who may struggle in a traditional classroom with 30+ students.
Overall, our students’ achievement scores grow 41% more in a school year than their peers nationally, based on year-over-year average MAP growth — with 99% of our students who applied to college being accepted.
Student Life at Fusion Campuses
At Fusion, our one-to-one classes are complimented by a strong focus on helping students build meaningful connections and a sense of community with their peers:
- Each campus has a Quiet Homework Café. Here, students can complete assignments alongside their peers, and there is always an educator present to help if students need support. Time at the Quiet Homework Café is generally part of a student’s schedule. Our goal is for students to complete the majority, if not all, of their classwork on campus.
- There is also a Social Homework Café. This is the social hub of the campus. Here students can socialize, relax, get to know one another, play games, have lunch, etc.
We also have a wide variety of clubs available (unique to each campus), such as D&D club, chess club, running club, student government, etc.
A photo from a holiday party and cookie exchange at our Lincoln Park campus
Each of our campuses has a Director of Student Life who organizes social activities centered around “social-emotional learning themes,” including field trips, community service, events, and more.
A photo of a field trip our students took to Shedd Aquarium
Flexible Schedules and Open Enrollment
Fusion Academy has open enrollment and flexible scheduling:
Open Enrollment
You can enroll a student at Fusion Academy at any time during the school year. You don’t need to wait for the start of fall or spring semester. This is ideal for students transitioning to a new city mid-year, starting a remedial program mid-semester, or needing to begin at any other time.
This is also beneficial for current Fusion students who are progressing at their own pace. For example, if a student comes to us a grade level behind in math, they’ll work with a Fusion teacher on a personalized lesson plan tailored to their strengths and growth areas in an environment designed for optimal learning. After a few weeks, the student may make significant progress and be ready to learn at their grade level. There’s no need to wait for the next semester – their program is updated in real time to reflect their growth.
Flexible Scheduling
When a student is enrolled at Fusion, we work with them and their family to craft the ideal schedule. Classes don’t need to be Monday – Friday, 8am – 3pm. We can cater around extracurricular activities a student may have, including athletic programs, theater programs, behavioral therapy sessions, etc.
Plus, class scheduling can be intentionally designed around a student’s academic needs and comfort level. For example, if a student has anxiety revolving around math, then we can schedule their math class between two classes that bring them comfort and joy or where they excel. This can help alleviate stress they may normally experience about going to math class. Or, perhaps we could schedule extra time at the Quiet Homework Café after a more mentally challenging class, so they can continue to process concepts they had just learned.
All of our Chicago campuses are open Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–7:30 PM. For classes outside of those hours, a student can register to take an online class.
As a quick note, our online students benefit from everything we’ve discussed, from personalization to socialization. You can read more about our online school here, including the different academic programs offered (from full-time programs to tutoring) to the social aspects, such as a virtual Homework Café where students can interact with peers across the globe in a community event space that presents speakers, events like art shows and yoga classes, and more.
Post-Secondary Counseling
At Fusion, we offer a range of post-secondary counseling services tailored to each student’s academic journey and future goals.
Our counselors often help students with:
- Post-secondary planning
- Resume creation and building
- Course selection
- College prep timeline review
- SAT/ACT testing timeline review
- Practice SAT/ACT test support
- Help with applying for scholarships and financial aid
- Help with reviewing and completing college applications
- College admissions interview preparation
Fusion Academy students have been accepted into top universities such as Stanford, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and Georgetown.
Our counselors can also provide guidance for students who want to pursue “non-traditional paths.” These are students who, for various reasons, don’t want to go to college after graduating from high school. For these students, having a plan is still key. Our counselors can advise on:
- Gap years: Gap years can be productive and formative for a student. There are many gap year programs (outside of Fusion) in fields such as animal welfare, conservation, language studies, coding, cultural immersion, and more.
- Vocational schools: Vocational schools are a good option for students who want to work in a field that does not require a traditional 4-year degree from a university. Some common vocational school programs are cosmetology, culinary arts, carpentry, medical assisting, HVAC, and hotel management.
- Military service: Here, our counselors can help students understand the overall process of enlisting in a specific military branch. This includes eligibility and testing requirements, meeting with recruiters, boot camp, job specialities, and officer training.
- Transition plans: This is designed for students with disabilities that may affect their transition into higher education or the next stage of life. Transitional programs are community-based and support students as they shift from the role of a student to that of an independent adult.
We covered what makes Fusion unique amongst private schools – our dedicated approach to a personalized, student-centered education. At our Fusion campuses in Chicago, students will benefit from this personalization, whether they’re attending full-time, part-time, or partaking in our other academic programs such as classes for credit, remediation programs, summer programs, tutoring/mentoring and more.
To learn more about Fusion, you can:
- Take a virtual tour of one of our campuses
- Learn about admissions and enrollment
- See our current pricing for middle and high school
- Request more information. By filling out this form, a representative from a Fusion campus in Chicago will reach out to you and answer any questions you have.
Other Private Schools in the Chicago Area
British International School of Chicago, South Loop
The British International School of Chicago, South Loop has programs for:
- Preschool – The British International School of Chicago follows the International Primary Curriculum, which is described as a thematic and creative approach to learning, as well as contextualizing lessons with perspectives from over the globe.
- Primary education – Starting here, the curriculum will involve a diverse range of subjects, including: English, Math, Science, American Studies, Art, Computing, Games, French, and Spanish.
- Middle school – The focus of this middle school program is to help the student transition out of primary school and prepare them for their high school years.
- High school (IB program) – High school is separated into two distinct programs. First, the 2-year IGCSE program, which covers students from ages 14 to 16. Then the IBDP program, designed to springboard students to the best colleges and universities, which covers students from ages 16 to 18.
- College counseling – College counseling starts in grade 9 and continues through a student’s senior year. It’s designed to help develop an individualized plan for each student and their path twoards college success.
You can find a breakdown of their tuition and fees here.
Francis W Parker School
The Francis W Parker School is a private school with programs from kindergarten through 12th grade. It has roughly 950 students, a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio, a 6 acre campus, a diverse student population, and nearly 90% of the faculty hold advanced degrees.
France W Parker breaks it programs down into:
- Lower level (junior kindergarten–3rd grade)
- Intermediate school (grades 4–5)
- Middle school (grades 6–8)
- Upper school (grades 9–12)
Plus, Francis W. Parker offers college counseling, civic engagement, and counseling (focused on social-emotional health).
You can learn more about their tuition and fees here.
Lycée Français de Chicago
The Lycée Français de Chicago (LFC) offers programs for
- Pre-elementary / Pre-K to K. From the beginning, students are taught in a mixture of French and English instruction to immerse them in a bilingual education.
- Elementary school (grades 1–5). In these grades, all courses, except for English language arts, are taught in French. At the 4th grade level, students began to learn a third language (German, Mandarin, or Spanish).
- Middle school (grades 6–8). Students continue their immersion in their French language and their curriculum follows the French curriculum. Plus, the core program includes English language arts, American history, and US math. Note: Students must be fluent to attend Middle School at LFC.
- High school / IB. This specific program is taught in English.
- High school / French bac. This program is specifically designed for students fluent (written and oral) in French.
You can find the full tuition and fees breakdown here, including potential scholarships from the French government.
Lake Forest Academy
Lake Forest Academy is a private high school and boarding school that’s just 30 miles away from Chicago. It serves grades 9 through 12. About half of its students choose to board at the school, while the other half attend LFA as a day school (returning home after class is over). As of this writing, 100% of LFA’s students attend college after graduating. The average class size at LFA is 12 students, but the overall student to faculty ratio is 7:1.
On their website, you can sort through their curriculum by choosing different departments, including Arts, Computer Science, English, Math, and Global. Students at LFA must enroll in at least 5 classes per semester, with the required class (Health, Wellness, & Community) not counting towards the class total.
You can find a breakdown of their tuition and fees here.
Best Private School in West Chicago
Wheaton Academy
Wheaton Academy is a private high school with a 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Wheaton has been named an Exemplary High Performing School by the U.S. Department of Education, which means that their students have placed in the top 15% across the nation in English, language arts, and mathematics.
To learn more about Wheaton’s academic offerings, they recommend you reach out for a roadmap.
To see the tuition and fee schedule, you can submit a request form and Wheaton will email you the most up-to-date information.
Best Private School in Naperville
Naperville Christian Academy
Naperville Christian Academy is a non-denominational Christian school in Naperville, not far from Aurora, that embraces the historic tenets of Christianity as presented here.
For its academic programs, the school’s model is based on “The Trivium” – three distinct school tiers that adapt to each student’s natural progression of cognitive development – the grammar, logic, and rhetoric stages.
Because of its emphasis on a Christian and a Classical approach to education, students are also taught Latin and Greek.
You can find a breakdown of their tuition and fees here.
Best Private Schools in Rockford
Keith Country Day School
Keith Country Day School is a private school that offers programs from preschool through high school. Keith Country Day School has a strong focus on college prep.
This school focuses on a strong liberal arts curriculum, individual and team sports, leadership and special interest organizations, and real-world experiences (such as senior projects and global awareness courses).
You can find a breakdown of their tuition and fees here.
Rockford Lutheran School
Rockford Lutheran School is a co-ed, private Christian school that offers:
They have a college preparatory curriculum, with opportunities for co-curricular, service, and athletic activities. They describe their school as “pan-Lutheran” with active partnerships with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS). The school itself is owned and operated by 25 area Lutheran churches. However, you do not have to be Lutheran to be a student.
You can find a breakdown of their tuition and fees here.
Best Private Schools in Springfield
Sacred Heart Griffin High School
Sacred Heart Griffin High School is a Catholic, Dominican college preparatory school for high school students. As of 2023, 95% of their graduates were college-bound, attending over 120 different universities. Further, their 2023 class completed over 14,000 service hours in their community.
You can learn more about their curriculum for the current year here.
To figure out the costs of attending Sacred Heart Griffin High, you can use their website’s tuition calculator, to get a custom figure.
Calvary Academy
Calvary Academy is a Christian private school, offering programs from kindergarten to 12th grade.
As part of their academic programs, they offer:
- Collaborative academic planning: Where students, parents, and school administrators work together to set goals, plan, and evaluate.
- Continuous improvement: Calvary’s administrators are continuously analyzing the effectiveness of the school’s curriculum, teaching methods, and faculty.
- College readiness: Calvary offers college prep coursework that prepares high school students for the demands of college-level academics and requirements.
- Low student-teacher ratio: Calvary offers a low student–teacher ratio, which helps faculty provide a high level of individualized attention for the students.
- Christian worldview: Their academics are “back-boned” by a Christian worldview and a knowledge of the Bible.
You can find a breakdown of their tuition and fees here.
Finding the Best Private School in Illinois
In this post, we explored 11 private schools in Illinois, offering a variety of educational options for students of all ages. The best school for your child can depend on which schools are logistically available to you (either in your area or where you’re willing to relocate), but we also want to stress the importance of finding the right school based on other metrics, such as:
Class size
Most of the schools on our list make a point of calling out their small class size or their low student-to-teacher ratio. This is because a small class size gives a teacher more time to work with students individually.
At Fusion, our student-to-teacher ratio is one-to-one. One teacher and one student work together for the class. This allows us to cater the lesson, teaching method, and learning environment to each student.
Social and extracurricular activities
Social life plays a crucial role in a student’s development, helping them become a well-rounded individual while also enhancing their day-to-day experience. Often, social anxieties or a lack of a social life can inhibit how successful a student is at a given school. Further, extracurricular activities can bring a student meaning and joy, while also helping them prepare for college applications, which looks favorably on the student.
At Fusion, our campuses are a vibrant social space. Students can work together outside of class and on campus. There are also several clubs and events across our campuses for students to participate in.
Flexibility
Most private schools have set term times for when a student can enroll in the semester. But some families may need more flexibility, like if they’re moving into a new neighborhood and need to take their child out of their current school and enroll them into a new one.
At Fusion, we offer open enrollment at any time. Plus, we use flexible scheduling to create a class schedule that works for each student; whether that’s making time for their extracurricular activities or giving them enough time in between classes to unwind, reset, and prepare for another lesson.
To learn more about Fusion, you can reach out to us today.
