Bella Montessori Schools
under 1 mi Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Early childhood Co-ed
Private schools in Lake Forest, CA
7 schools in Lake Forest itself and 29 more within 6 miles.
Lake Forest private schools at a glance
Lake Forest has 7 private schools of its own, and 29 more are within 6 miles. In Lake Forest itself: 2 other Christian and 5 nonsectarian; 7 teach elementary grades and 1 teaches high school; 4 are Montessori. Counting the 29 nearby, there are 36 in all: 1 Catholic, 10 other Christian, 21 nonsectarian and 4 of other faiths; 31 teach elementary grades and 6 teach high school; 13 are Montessori. All of them are co-ed. 9 report membership in a school association, most often the Association of Christian Schools International (2023-24 federal survey). Of the 6 high schools that reported it, the typical one sends 50% of graduates on to a 4-year college (2023-24 federal survey). The typical school has about 34 students and 8.4 students per teacher (2023-24 federal survey). We verified published tuition at 3 of these schools: the lowest-priced grade runs from $15,757 to $25,580 a year, and the middle figure is $23,575.
1 Catholic
8.4 students per teacher, typical
Private schools in Lake Forest (7)
Schools that give Lake Forest as their address come first, then the 29 more within 6 miles. Closest schools first in each group. No school can pay to change its place in this list or its badge.
Affiliation, co-ed or single-sex, association membership and the share of graduates going on to a 4-year college come from the 2023-24 federal Private School Universe survey.
No school in Lake Forest matches all of those.
Lake Forest Montessori School
under 1 mi Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades K-1 13 students 13 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades K-8 234 students 13 students per teacher Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) Co-ed
Grades K-8 103 students 8.2 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades PreK-12 271 students 5.2 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational) Co-ed 0% to 4-year college
Grades 1 Under 10 K-12 students Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Nearby, within 6 miles (29)
Schools in other towns within 6 miles of downtown Lake Forest.
No nearby school matches all of those.
Grades PreK-Transitional K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades 7-12 43 students Nonsectarian Alternative Co-ed 60% to 4-year college
Pillars Academy
2 mi Grades PreK-Transitional K Islamic Early childhood Co-ed
Grades PreK-8 349 students 9.5 students per teacher Islamic Co-ed
Grades PreK-K Christian (nondenominational) Early childhood Co-ed
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Pathway School
3 mi Grades 3-8 39 students 4.1 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational) Special education Co-ed
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Early childhood Co-ed
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades K-8 510 students 17.2 students per teacher Christian (nondenominational) Co-ed
C4l Academy
4 mi Grades 9-12 1,237 students Nonsectarian Career/technical Co-ed 30% to 4-year college
Grades PreK-K Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
RSM Christian School
4 mi Grades PreK-8 306 students 12.2 students per teacher Other religious Co-ed
New Vista School
4 mi Grades 7-12 62 students 4.4 students per teacher Nonsectarian Special education Co-ed 50% to 4-year college
Grades PreK-6 35 students 7.8 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
Grades PreK-8 401 students 9.1 students per teacher Episcopal Co-ed
Grades PreK-1 18 students 9 students per teacher Nonsectarian Montessori Co-ed
All 29 nearby schools
Private schools
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Private school tuition near Lake Forest
We verified published tuition at 3 of these schools: the lowest-priced grade runs from $15,757 to $25,580 a year, and the middle figure is $23,575. Each figure comes from the school’s own website, and we link it on the school’s page. Ask the others for their full-year price.
| School | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| St. Junipero Serra Catholic School | $15,757 to $16,388 | 2026-27 |
| Crean Lutheran High School | $23,575 | 2026-27 |
| New Horizon Elementary School - Irvine | $25,580 to $27,270 | not stated |
Ranges run from the lowest to the highest grade band the school publishes. How private school tuition compares by state.
What private school costs across California: every verified price in the state, by city and grade.
Paying for private school in California
No state program pays private school tuition. What California families can use instead.
Keep looking
- Christian schools in Lake Forest (10)
- Montessori schools in Lake Forest (13)
- Special education schools in Lake Forest (3)
- Private high schools in Lake Forest (6)
- Private elementary schools in Lake Forest (31)
- Private middle schools in Lake Forest (15)
- Private schools with kindergarten in Lake Forest (25)
- Private schools with pre-K in Lake Forest (17)
- Islamic schools in Lake Forest (3)
- All schools in Orange County
- Private schools in Mission Viejo (3 mi)
- Private schools in Laguna Hills (5 mi)
- Private schools in Rancho Santa Margarita (5 mi)
- Private schools in Irvine (6 mi)
- Private schools in Laguna Niguel (9 mi)
- Private schools in Laguna Beach (9 mi)
- Private schools in Tustin (9 mi)
- Private schools in San Juan Capistrano (11 mi)
- Private schools in Newport Beach (11 mi)
- Private schools in Dana Point (12 mi)
- School choice in California: what is available
Get one email when applications open
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state (you are looking at Lake Forest) and we will email you the day the next window opens, with the official link. That is the only email you get.
One email per application window. No calls, no sharing your details.
Questions parents ask
How many private schools are there in Lake Forest?
7 private schools give Lake Forest as their address. Counting nearby towns, we list 36: 7 in Lake Forest and 29 within 6 miles of downtown. Together they enrolled about 6,498 students in the last federal survey (2023-24). The largest in Lake Forest is Christian School, Heritage with 271 students. The largest within 6 miles is C4l Academy with 1,237 students.
How much does private school cost near Lake Forest?
We verified published tuition at 3 of these schools: the lowest-priced grade runs from $15,757 to $25,580 a year, and the middle figure is $23,575. Each figure was read on the school’s own website. Required fees can be extra and prices vary by grade, so check the school’s page for your child’s grade.
Does California pay for private school?
No state program pays private school tuition. No California program pays private school tuition, and the state has no tuition tax credit or deduction. Families rely on a school’s own financial aid and on privately funded scholarships.