The Best Private Schools in Crawfordsville, Indiana
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Crawfordsville. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
The International School of Indiana
Independent
The International School of Indiana, located approximately 45 minutes from Crawfordsville in Indianapolis, is a premier independent school offering a globally-focused education through the International Baccalaureate program. Serving students from preschool through 12th grade, ISI provides language immersion programs in French, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese alongside a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. The school features state-of-the-art facilities, diverse international student body, and exceptional college placement records. While requiring commuting, ISI serves families from throughout central Indiana including Crawfordsville, offering a world-class education with small class sizes and personalized attention.
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St. Bernard's Catholic School
Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana
St. Bernard's Catholic School is a well-established private Catholic school serving students from preschool through 8th grade. The school provides a comprehensive education rooted in Catholic values while offering strong academic programs including STEM education, fine arts, and competitive athletics. With small class sizes and dedicated faculty, the school focuses on individual student development and character formation. The campus features modern facilities including science labs, technology integration, and athletic fields, serving families throughout Montgomery County and surrounding areas.
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Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School
Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana
Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School, located approximately 30 minutes from Crawfordsville in Lafayette, is a highly-regarded Catholic college preparatory school serving grades 7-12. The school offers a rigorous academic curriculum with multiple Advanced Placement courses, comprehensive athletic programs, and extensive fine arts opportunities. With a strong focus on faith formation and academic excellence, Central Catholic boasts high college acceptance rates and numerous state championships in athletics. The school serves students from multiple counties including Montgomery County, with transportation options available for Crawfordsville-area families.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Crawfordsville, Indiana
What are the primary private school options available for families in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and what grade levels do they serve?
Crawfordsville offers a few key private school options, primarily with a Catholic affiliation. St. Bernard's Catholic School serves students from Pre-K through 6th grade, providing a foundational education. For grades 7-12, families typically look to Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School, which offers a comprehensive secondary program. While The International School of Indiana is a notable statewide option, it is located in Indianapolis, over an hour away, making it a commuting or boarding consideration rather than a local Crawfordsville school. This means local private options are somewhat limited, especially for non-religious education, leading some families to consider schools in nearby Lafayette or Indianapolis.
How does tuition for private schools in Crawfordsville, IN, compare to the state average, and what financial aid options are typically available?
Tuition for Crawfordsville's private Catholic schools is generally below the Indiana state average for private education, reflecting the area's cost of living. For the 2023-2024 academic year, annual tuition at Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School is approximately $6,000-$7,500, with lower rates for elementary grades at St. Bernard's. Both schools offer active financial aid programs, including parish subsidies for registered church members, need-based scholarships, and multi-child discounts. Indiana's School Choice Scholarship Program (voucher program) is a significant financial consideration, as eligible families can use state funds to help cover tuition at these participating private schools, substantially reducing out-of-pocket costs.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs do Crawfordsville's private schools offer that leverage the local community?
Crawfordsville's private schools integrate the local community into their programs distinctively. Central Catholic Junior-Senior High School emphasizes its STEM curriculum with partnerships at nearby Wabash College, offering advanced lab opportunities and mentorship. Its agriculture program is robust, leveraging Montgomery County's farming heritage with FFA chapters and hands-on projects. St. Bernard's focuses on character education and service, organizing regular community outreach within Crawfordsville. Notably, due to smaller class sizes, both schools offer personalized academic tracks and strong participation in local academic competitions, like those hosted by the Montgomery County Community Foundation, which are less accessible in larger districts.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools in Crawfordsville, and are there waitlists?
The enrollment process for Crawfordsville's private schools usually begins in January for the following fall, with priority given to current families and registered parishioners until a specified date (often in February or March). Open houses are typically held in the winter. While St. Bernard's and Central Catholic do not always have extensive waitlists due to their capacity and local demographics, popular grades can fill. The process involves submitting an application, academic records, a pastoral reference (for Catholic schools), and often a family interview. A key local consideration is the timing for applying for Indiana's voucher program, which has its own earlier deadline, so parents must coordinate both admissions and financial aid applications carefully.
For families considering both sectors, what are the notable differences between private and public schools in Crawfordsville, Indiana?
The Crawfordsville Community School Corporation operates the public schools, offering a wide range of programs due to larger scale. The primary differences with local private options are size, religious education, and instructional approach. Private schools like Central Catholic have much smaller student bodies (often under 300 for 7-12), allowing for low student-teacher ratios and a close-knit environment infused with Catholic values. Public schools offer more extensive elective choices, advanced placement courses, and larger athletic conferences. A major practical difference is transportation; while public schools provide busing, private school families in Crawfordsville are generally responsible for their own transportation, which is a key logistical factor for rural Montgomery County residents.
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