The Best Private Schools in Bradford, Iowa
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Bradford. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Dowling Catholic High School
Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools
Dowling Catholic High School is a premier private Catholic college preparatory school serving the greater Des Moines metro area, including Bradford. With a strong academic reputation and comprehensive extracurricular offerings, the school provides a rigorous curriculum with 23 Advanced Placement courses and a 98% college acceptance rate. The 70-acre campus features state-of-the-art facilities including science labs, performing arts centers, and athletic complexes. The school emphasizes faith formation alongside academic excellence, with a student-teacher ratio of 15:1 and numerous service learning opportunities.
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Des Moines Christian School
Independent Christian School
Des Moines Christian School serves students from preschool through 12th grade and draws families from across central Iowa, including Bradford. The school maintains a strong academic program integrated with biblical worldview education, offering Advanced Placement courses and dual credit opportunities. Facilities include modern classrooms, science labs, fine arts spaces, and athletic facilities. The school emphasizes character development and spiritual growth while maintaining small class sizes and personalized attention. Extracurricular programs include competitive athletics, music, drama, and various student organizations.
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St. Theresa Catholic School
Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools
St. Theresa Catholic School provides comprehensive education from preschool through 8th grade, serving families throughout the Des Moines metro area including Bradford. The school offers a strong academic foundation with integrated technology, STEM curriculum, and faith formation. The campus features modern classrooms, computer labs, library, gymnasium, and outdoor play areas. The school maintains small class sizes with dedicated teachers and offers extensive extracurricular activities including sports, music, and academic competitions. The community-focused environment emphasizes service and character development while preparing students for high school success.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Bradford, Iowa
What are the realistic private school options for families residing in Bradford, Iowa, given that the top-named schools are in other cities?
While Bradford itself is a very small, unincorporated community, families seeking private education typically look to schools in nearby larger centers. The closest and most common options include Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines (about 30 miles away), Des Moines Christian School in Urbandale (approx. 25 miles), and St. Theresa Catholic School in Des Moines. Enrollment from Bradford is common, but parents must factor in significant daily commuting. Some families also explore private options in Ames or Boone. There are no private school campuses physically located within Bradford, IA.
How does Iowa's School Tuition Organization (STO) tax credit program benefit Bradford families considering private school?
Iowa's unique STO program is a crucial financial consideration. It allows individuals and corporations to receive a state tax credit for donations to nonprofit STOs, which then provide need-based tuition grants to students. For Bradford families looking at schools like Dowling Catholic or Des Moines Christian, applying for grants through affiliated STOs (such as the AIM Fund for Dowling) can substantially reduce out-of-pocket tuition costs. Eligibility is based on family income and size, making private education more accessible to middle-income families in rural areas like Marion County.
What specialized academic or extracurricular programs are accessible to Bradford students at these area private schools that may not be available locally?
The private schools accessible to Bradford students offer programs that typically exceed the scope of small, rural public districts. Dowling Catholic provides extensive Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings, elite robotics and speech teams, and specialized college counseling. Des Moines Christian offers a strong STEM focus and comprehensive fine arts programs. St. Theresa provides a dedicated elementary foundation with Spanish and religion integrated into the curriculum. For Bradford students, these schools offer access to broader athletic conferences, arts facilities, and technology resources that are a primary draw for commuting families.
What is the enrollment timeline and process like for a Bradford student applying to a Des Moines-area private high school like Dowling Catholic?
The process requires early and proactive planning. For incoming 9th graders at Dowling Catholic, the application typically opens in August, over a year before enrollment, with a priority deadline in early November. The process includes submitting an application, academic records from the local Bradford-area school (like Twin Cedars or Melcher-Dallas), placement testing, and a family interview. Given the competitive nature and limited seats, Bradford families are advised to attend open houses in the fall and initiate contact with the admissions office by the start of their child's 8th-grade year. Bus transportation from designated areas may be available but likely does not extend directly to Bradford, so transportation planning is essential.
How do the community and values of a Des Moines-area private school compare to the experience in a small Bradford-area public school?
This is a key consideration. Bradford-area public schools offer a tight-knit, familiar community where students are known by everyone. The Des Moines-area private schools offer a different but equally intentional community, often centered around a shared faith-based identity (Catholic or Christian) and larger, more diverse student bodies drawn from across the region. The trade-off involves exchanging a geographically-centered community for a values-centered one. For Bradford families, this means their child will join a community of peers from many suburbs and towns, which can broaden social horizons but requires integration into a new social fabric. The daily transition between the rural home environment and the suburban school environment is a unique aspect of the experience.