The Best Private Schools in Lakeland, Minnesota
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Lakeland. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
St. Croix Preparatory Academy
St. Croix Preparatory Academy
St. Croix Preparatory Academy is a highly-rated K-12 charter school located in nearby Stillwater that serves students from Lakeland and surrounding communities. The school offers a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum with a strong focus on classical education and character development. Features include small class sizes, comprehensive STEM programs, extensive arts education, and competitive athletic teams. The campus features state-of-the-art facilities including science labs, performing arts spaces, and modern athletic complexes. Parent satisfaction is exceptionally high with particular praise for academic rigor and dedicated teachers.
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St. Croix Catholic School
Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
St. Croix Catholic School serves PreK-8 students from Lakeland and the broader St. Croix Valley area with a comprehensive Catholic education program. The school emphasizes faith formation alongside academic excellence, offering a balanced curriculum that includes advanced mathematics, language arts, science, and religious studies. Facilities include modern classrooms, a dedicated STEM lab, art studio, and gymnasium. The school maintains strong community partnerships and offers extensive extracurricular activities including sports, music programs, and community service opportunities. Parents consistently praise the nurturing environment and strong academic foundation.
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St. Michael's Catholic School
Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
St. Michael's Catholic School provides PreK-8 education to students from Lakeland and surrounding communities, focusing on academic excellence within a faith-based environment. The school features a comprehensive curriculum with strong emphasis on literacy, mathematics, and technology integration across all grade levels. Special programs include Spanish language instruction from early grades, comprehensive fine arts education, and competitive athletic programs. The school community is known for its strong parent involvement and supportive learning environment. Facilities include modern classrooms, technology labs, library, and dedicated spaces for music and art instruction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Lakeland, Minnesota
What are the primary private school options available for families residing in Lakeland, Minnesota, and are they located within the city limits?
Lakeland, MN, is served by several highly-regarded private schools, though most are located in neighboring communities due to Lakeland's small size. The top options include St. Croix Preparatory Academy in Stillwater (a K-12 public charter school with a private-school model and tuition-free for MN residents), St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater (a private, faith-based K-8 school), and St. Michael's Catholic School in Stillwater (PreK-8). Lakeland families commonly commute to these schools in the Stillwater area, which are all within a 10-15 minute drive. There are no major private school campuses physically located within Lakeland's city boundaries itself.
How does tuition for private schools near Lakeland, MN, compare, and are there Minnesota-specific financial aid programs available?
Tuition structures vary significantly. St. Croix Preparatory Academy, as a public charter school, charges no tuition. For the private Catholic schools, annual tuition for the 2024-2025 year typically ranges from approximately $5,000 to $7,500 for parishioners, with higher rates for non-parishioners. Minnesota offers specific financial aid opportunities that Lakeland families should explore, including the K-12 Education Credit and Subtraction for tuition and other educational expenses, as well as the "ACE" (Academics Choice for Excellence) program for students with special needs. Additionally, many schools offer parish subsidies, multi-child discounts, and need-based scholarships.
What unique academic or extracurricular programs do private schools in the Lakeland, MN, area offer that leverage the local community and environment?
Schools in the Lakeland/Stillwater area capitalize on the region's natural and historical resources. St. Croix Preparatory Academy emphasizes a Classical, liberal arts education with a strong focus on civic engagement, often utilizing the St. Croix River Valley as a living laboratory for environmental science and local history projects. St. Croix Catholic and St. Michael's integrate faith-based learning with community service partnerships in Lakeland and Stillwater. Given the area's proximity to the St. Croix River, many schools incorporate outdoor education and environmental stewardship into their curricula. Additionally, the strong local arts community in Stillwater provides opportunities for enhanced music and theater programs.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools serving Lakeland, Minnesota families, and are there considerations for inter-district transfers?
The enrollment process for Lakeland-area private schools often begins a full year in advance. For the Catholic schools (St. Croix Catholic and St. Michael's), priority enrollment for existing families and parish members usually opens in January, with open enrollment for new families in February or March. St. Croix Prep, as a charter school, holds an open enrollment period typically in the winter, with a lottery in March if applications exceed seats. A key consideration for Lakeland residents is that attending these schools in Stillwater is an official inter-district transfer. While the private schools handle their own admissions, families must also complete a Minnesota Enrollment Option form to formally leave their assigned public district (Stillwater Area Public Schools), which is a straightforward but necessary procedural step.
For a family moving to Lakeland, MN, what are the notable factors when comparing the local public school options to the nearby private schools?
The primary comparison for Lakeland residents is between the highly-rated Stillwater Area Public School District (to which Lakeland is assigned) and the private/charter options. Key factors include: **Educational Model:** St. Croix Prep offers a structured, college-prep Classical model, while the public schools offer a broader range of programming. **Class Size:** Private schools generally offer smaller class sizes than the public middle and high schools. **Transportation:** Stillwater Public Schools provide busing within Lakeland; private schools may offer limited fee-based bus service or require parent transportation. **Cost:** The public district is tax-funded, whereas private schools require tuition (except the charter). **Faith Integration:** The Catholic schools provide religious education, which is a decisive factor for many families. The community feel of a smaller school versus the extensive extracurricular and AP course offerings of a large public district is a central consideration.
Private Education Insights
Exploring Non-Religious Private School Options in Lakeland, MN: A Parent's Guide
For families in Lakeland, Minnesota, exploring private education often begins with the well-regarded faith-based institutions that have long served our community, such as St. Croix Catholic School and St. Michael’s Catholic School. However, a growing number of parents are seeking a private school education that aligns with specific academic philosophies or curricular focuses without a religious framework. This search leads many to consider the landscape of non religious private schools, an important option within the broader educational conversation in our area. Understanding what this means locally, and where to find these schools, is a crucial step for parents crafting the ideal educational path for their child.
The appeal of a non religious private school often centers on a dedicated, often innovative, academic mission. These institutions typically emphasize rigorous college preparatory programs, specialized teaching methods like Montessori or project-based learning, or deep focus on areas such as STEM, the arts, or leadership. The "private" aspect ensures small class sizes, individualized attention, and a strong community, while the "non religious" designation means the curriculum and school culture are built around secular humanist values, global citizenship, or a specific educational philosophy, rather than religious doctrine. This can be particularly attractive to families of diverse faith backgrounds or those who wish to separate academic and spiritual instruction.
In Lakeland and the broader St. Croix River Valley, your search for a non religious private school will naturally extend beyond our immediate city limits. While Lakeland itself is home to the excellent St. Croix Preparatory Academy in nearby Bayport, which is a prominent example of a non religious private option with a classical liberal arts focus. Its proximity makes it a viable and popular choice for Lakeland families. Expanding your search into the Twin Cities metro opens more possibilities, but the commute is a significant practical consideration. This makes schools like St. Croix Prep a focal point for local consideration. When evaluating any school, it’s essential to visit, ask detailed questions about the daily schedule, the core values taught in character education, and how community is fostered without a religious anchor.
Choosing between a religious and non religious private school in Lakeland ultimately comes down to your family’s priorities. The Catholic schools here offer outstanding education within a strong faith-based community. For families prioritizing a secular environment with a potentially different pedagogical approach, seeking out non religious private schools is the key. It requires a bit more research and likely a short commute, but the result can be a perfect alignment between a school’s mission and your child’s learning style. Start by clearly defining your academic and social goals for your child, then schedule tours at both types of institutions. Seeing the classrooms in action, whether at a local parish school or a secular academy across the river, will provide the clearest insight. In Lakeland, you are fortunate to have access to high-quality choices in both categories, allowing you to make a deeply informed decision for your family’s unique journey.