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Charter schools in Surprise, AZ

13 schools in Surprise, 25 more within 15 miles. Public, and free to attend.

Public charter schools (tuition-free)

Surprise charter schools at a glance

13 public charter schools give Surprise as their address in the 2025-26 federal school directory, and 25 more are within 15 miles. The 13 in town had about 11,727 students in 2024-25. 7 teach elementary grades and 6 teach high school. Every one is a public school that charges no tuition.

11,727 students, 2024-25
6 high schools
$0 tuition

Networks and districts with the most of these schools: Paragon Management Inc. (5180) (3). Names as reported to the federal directory.

Charter schools in Surprise (13)

Largest first. Enrollment and teachers are from 2024-25; schools new in 2025-26 have no count yet.

Charter school Grades Students (2024-25) Per teacher Phone
American Leadership Academy West Foothills K-12 K-12 2,276 17 (480) 861-1320
Legacy Traditional School - Surprise K-8 1,797 46.1 (623) 299-9820
Paradise Honors Elementary School K-8 1,264 13.3 (623) 975-2646
Legacy Traditional School - West Surprise K-8 1,231 53.5 (623) 299-1800
Arizona Charter Academy K-12 1,049 18.5 (623) 974-4959
Paradise Honors High School 9-12 1,028 17.4 (623) 455-7400
Paradise Honors Middle School 6-8 696 18.3 (623) 455-7430
Calibre Academy Surprise K-8 538 18.6 (623) 556-2179
Imagine Rosefield K-5 521 18.6 (623) 344-4300
Highland Prep 9-12 505 23 (623) 300-8385
ThrivePoint High School at Surprise 9-12 323 184.6 (602) 870-2000
Imagine Prep Surprise 9-12 251 16.7 (623) 344-1770
Imagine Surprise Middle 6-8 248 12.4 (623) 344-1770

Nearby, within 15 miles (25)

Charter schools in other towns, nearest first. Online schools are left out here because their address is an office.

Charter school Grades Students (2024-25) Per teacher Town Miles Phone
Discover U K-6 168 12.9 Youngtown 10 (623) 974-4827
Candeo Peoria K-8 597 18.5 Peoria 11 (623) 979-6500
BASIS Peoria 5-12 1,021 20.2 Peoria 11 (623) 566-9100
BASIS Peoria Primary K-4 696 16.6 Peoria 11 (623) 251-1504
Explore Academy - Peoria 6-11 53 Peoria 12 (505) 710-3214
Arizona Autism Charter School West Valley Campus K-8 199 7.7 Peoria 12 (602) 882-5544
Heritage Elementary School K-8 832 29.7 Glendale 12 (623) 742-3956
Crown Charter School K-6 294 Litchfield Park 12 (623) 535-9300
Great Hearts Academies - Archway Glendale K-5 563 18.2 Peoria 12 (623) 866-4710
Great Hearts Academies - Glendale Prep 6-12 657 12 Peoria 12 (623) 889-0822
Ombudsman - Charter Northwest 9-12 203 40.6 Peoria 12 (623) 878-4503
Student Choice High School 9-12 201 50.2 Peoria 13 (623) 242-2722
Legacy Traditional School ? Peoria K-8 609 22.6 Peoria 13 (623) 299-9825
Peoria Accelerated High School 9-12 496 20.7 Peoria 13 (623) 979-0031
Happy Valley School K-8 586 18.9 Peoria 14 (623) 376-2900
The Odyssey Preparatory Academy - Sienna Hills K-5 472 16.3 Buckeye 14 (623) 444-9654
Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center - Estrella 9-12 335 19.7 Avondale 14 (623) 535-0754
Heritage Academy Pinnacle K-8 124 15.5 Mesa 14 (623) 537-3535
Academy of Math and Science Peoria Advanced K-8 1,030 22.9 Peoria 14 (520) 887-5392
Westland School Brighton Campus K-12 308 13.1 Glendale 14 (623) 271-9518
Great Hearts Academies - Archway Trivium K-12 895 17.9 Goodyear 15 (623) 414-4883
Great Hearts Academies - Trivium Prep 6-12 882 10.8 Goodyear 15 (623) 866-4730
RCB College Preparatory Academy 9-12 11 2.8 Peoria 15 (623) 500-2853
Sequoia Pathfinder Academy at Verrado Way and I-10 K-12 602 18.5 Buckeye 15 (602) 712-0500
Legacy Traditional School ? Glendale K-8 1,280 24.2 Glendale 15 (623) 219-4300

Charter schools: how they work

  • Public and free. NCES describes a public charter school as a publicly funded school, usually run by a group or organization under a contract (the charter) with the state, the district or another body. The federal definition says a charter school does not charge tuition.
  • Families choose it. Under the same definition, a charter school is one parents choose to send their children to, and it admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for.
  • Its own rules, its own accountability. The charter frees the school from some state or local rules; in return it must meet the standards written in its charter. It is nonsectarian.
  • No program badge. ChoiceFunded’s program badges and “schools that accept” lists cover private schools only. Charter schools are listed separately here, with no badge, and are never counted with private schools.

Sources: 20 U.S.C. 7221i (federal Charter Schools Program definitions); NCES, Condition of Education: Public Charter School Enrollment. Each state writes its own charter law, so ask the school how enrollment works there.

Keep looking

Questions parents ask

How many charter schools are in Surprise?

13 public charter schools in the 2025-26 federal directory are in Surprise, and 25 more are within 15 miles. American Leadership Academy West Foothills K-12, Legacy Traditional School - Surprise, Paradise Honors Elementary School, Legacy Traditional School - West Surprise, Arizona Charter Academy, Paradise Honors High School and others.

Do charter schools in Surprise charge tuition?

No. Charter schools are public schools, and the federal definition of a charter school says it does not charge tuition. Ask each school about fees for extras.

How do I enroll in a Surprise charter school?

Apply to each school directly. Under the federal definition, a charter school admits students by lottery when more apply than it has room for, so check each school’s application dates. Each state writes its own charter law.

School facts: U.S. Department of Education, Common Core of Data (2025-26 directory, 2024-25 enrollment and staff). Where our data comes from.

See charter schools How enrollment works