The Best Private Schools in Camas, Washington
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Camas. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
St. Thomas Aquinas Academy
Catholic Private School
St. Thomas Aquinas Academy is a Catholic classical school serving preschool through 12th grade students in Camas. The school emphasizes a rigorous liberal arts education integrated with Catholic faith formation. Students benefit from small class sizes, dedicated faculty, and a comprehensive curriculum that includes advanced mathematics, sciences, literature, and Latin. The campus features modern facilities including science labs, art studios, and athletic fields. Extracurricular offerings include competitive sports teams, drama productions, music programs, and community service opportunities. Parents consistently praise the school's strong academic foundation, moral development focus, and close-knit community atmosphere.
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Cascadia Academy
Independent Private School
Cascadia Academy in Vancouver serves families throughout the Camas area with its innovative educational approach for grades K-8. The school specializes in project-based learning that integrates STEM subjects with humanities and arts. Features include state-of-the-art technology labs, outdoor learning spaces, and flexible classroom environments designed for collaborative work. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, and real-world problem solving. Students participate in extensive enrichment programs including robotics, coding, visual arts, music, and outdoor education. Parent reviews highlight the school's engaging teaching methods, strong community feel, and excellent preparation for high school. The school maintains small student-teacher ratios and personalized learning plans.
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Columbia Adventist Academy
Seventh-day Adventist Education System
Located just north of Camas in Battle Ground, Columbia Adventist Academy serves students throughout Clark County with a comprehensive 9-12 grade program. The school offers a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum with Advanced Placement courses, strong STEM programs, and extensive fine arts offerings. The 50-acre campus features modern classrooms, science laboratories, music facilities, and athletic complexes. Students participate in unique programs including outdoor education, mission trips, and community service projects. The school maintains small class sizes and emphasizes character development alongside academic excellence. Many graduates attend top universities, and the school has a strong reputation for preparing students for higher education success.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Camas, Washington
What are the primary private school options available for families residing in Camas, Washington, and what are their core educational philosophies?
Camas, WA, offers a few distinct private school options, each with a unique focus. **St. Thomas Aquinas Academy** is a private Catholic school offering a faith-based, classical education for grades K-8. **Columbia Adventist Academy**, located just across the river in Battle Ground, is a popular choice for Camas families seeking a Seventh-day Adventist Christian education for grades 9-12. **Cascadia Academy** is a secular, independent school in nearby Vancouver that serves gifted and twice-exceptional students, providing a highly individualized and project-based learning environment. Many Camas families also consider private schools in the greater Vancouver-Portland metro area, expanding their options significantly.
How does tuition for private schools in the Camas, WA, area compare to the state average, and what financial aid options are typically available?
Tuition in the Camas area varies widely by school and grade level. For the 2024-2025 academic year, elementary tuition at local schools like St. Thomas Aquinas Academy is generally between $8,000-$12,000, which is slightly above the Washington state private elementary average. Columbia Adventist Academy's high school tuition is comparable. It's important to note that Washington does not have a statewide voucher or tax-credit scholarship program, so financial aid is primarily offered directly by the schools through need-based grants, parish subsidies (for religious schools), and sibling discounts. Families are encouraged to apply for financial aid early, as funds can be limited.
What specialized academic or extracurricular programs are offered by private schools serving Camas students that differ from the highly-rated Camas public school district?
While Camas Public Schools are excellent, private options offer distinct specializations. **Cascadia Academy** specializes in gifted education with a STEM and humanities focus, employing flexible pacing and deep-dive projects not typically found in standard curricula. **Columbia Adventist Academy** offers a strong college-prep program integrated with vocational training in areas like agriculture and health sciences on its campus farm. **St. Thomas Aquinas Academy** emphasizes classical trivium (grammar, logic, rhetoric) and Latin, alongside its religious instruction. These schools often have smaller class sizes, allowing for more individualized attention and niche extracurriculars like robotics, specific musical ensembles, or outdoor education programs tied to the Pacific Northwest landscape.
What is the typical enrollment timeline and process for private schools in Camas, WA, and are there waitlists?
The enrollment process for Camas-area private schools often begins in the winter for the following fall. Open houses typically occur between January and March. Application deadlines can be as early as February or March, with admission decisions and financial aid awards communicated in the spring. Due to limited seats, especially in popular elementary grades and specialized programs like Cascadia Academy, waitlists are common. Siblings of current students and parish members (for faith-based schools) often receive priority. We strongly recommend initiating inquiries a full year in advance, scheduling tours, and submitting applications by the priority deadline to maximize your chances.
For families moving to Camas, what are the key considerations when choosing between the top-rated Camas public schools and local private options?
The decision often hinges on educational philosophy, specific student needs, and community. Camas public schools are consistently top-ranked in Washington, offering robust AP programs, large-scale athletics, and arts. Choosing a private school is typically about seeking a specific environment: a **faith-based foundation** (St. Thomas Aquinas, Columbia Adventist), a **specialized teaching approach** for gifted or 2e learners (Cascadia Academy), or a smaller, tight-knit community. Consider commute times, as some private options are outside Camas city limits. The investment in private tuition should align with a distinct value not fully met by the public system, which in Camas is already a high-performing benchmark. Many families tour both types to feel the cultural difference firsthand.
Private Education Insights
Finding the Best Private Special Education Schools in Camas, WA: A Parent's Guide
For parents in Camas, Washington, the search for the right educational environment for a child with unique learning needs can feel both urgent and deeply personal. When you type "private special education schools near me" into a search bar, you're looking for more than just a list; you're seeking a community, a specialized approach, and a path forward for your child. While Camas itself is home to several excellent private schools, understanding the landscape for specialized support requires looking at both local options and the broader resources available in Clark County and the Portland metro area.
First, it's important to recognize that many traditional private schools in Camas, such as St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, Columbia Adventist Academy, and Cascadia Academy, offer supportive environments and may accommodate certain learning differences. However, they are typically not dedicated special education schools with full-time, on-site therapeutic and specialized academic services. Your journey likely involves evaluating whether a local private school's general smaller class sizes and values-based education can meet your child's specific needs, or if a specialized institution is the necessary next step. This decision often starts with a comprehensive educational evaluation to clearly define your child's strengths and challenges.
The good news for Camas families is that our proximity to Vancouver and Portland opens doors to several renowned private special education schools. While not in Camas proper, schools in these adjacent cities are very much "near you" in a practical, Pacific Northwest sense. These institutions specialize in serving students with a range of needs, including autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, ADHD, and other language-based or social-emotional learning differences. They employ credentialed special education teachers, speech and occupational therapists, and structured curricula designed for neurodiverse learners. The daily commute may become part of your family's routine, but the trade-off is access to a concentrated level of expertise.
As you research, consider the specific philosophy of each school. Some focus on integrated therapy within the classroom, while others might emphasize social skills development or a particular academic methodology. Connecting with other Camas parents through local support groups or your child's current therapists can provide invaluable, ground-level insights. Additionally, remember that Washington state offers some assistance through the School Choice Program for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), which can help offset tuition costs at approved private special education settings.
Ultimately, your search for "private special education schools near me" from Camas is a quest for the right fit. It balances the desire for a close-knit, local community with the imperative for highly specialized instruction. Begin by deeply understanding your child's unique profile, then expand your search radius to include the specialized centers in our greater region. Schedule visits, ask detailed questions about student-to-teacher ratios, therapeutic supports, and transition planning. The path may lead you beyond the Camas city limits, but finding a school where your child can truly thrive and gain confidence is the most important destination of all.
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