Private schools in McLennan County, TX
14 schools across Lorena, Waco, West, Woodway. About 2,066 students in all (2023-24). 11 on the state’s TEFA list.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Summit School Waco ✓ | PreK-5 | 44 |
| Ambleside School of Waco ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School ✓ | PreK-12 | 257 |
| Greater Waco Christian Academy ✓ | K-12 | not reported |
| Live Oak Classical School ✓ | PreK-12 | 446 |
| Optima Academy Online ✓ | On the state list; not in the federal survey | |
| St. Pauls Episcopal Day School ✓ | PreK-6 | 137 |
| Valor Preparatory Academy ✓ | PreK-12 | 365 |
| Vanguard College Preparatory School ✓ | 6-12 | 292 |
| Waco Montessori School ✓ | PreK-5 | 126 |
| St. Marys School ✓ | PreK-8 | 95 |
| Ceac College Preparatory School | 8-12 | 10 |
| Eagle Christian Academy | PreK-12 | 147 |
| Woodway Christian School | PreK-8 | 147 |
McLennan County private schools at a glance
- Towns
- 4; the most in Waco (11)
- Among Texas counties
- 23rd most private schools of 132; 1% of the state’s 1,733
- Typical school
- 147 students (11 reporting)
- Smallest and largest
- Ceac College Preparatory School, 10 students; Live Oak Classical School, 446 students
- Students per teacher
- 7 typical, 3.2 to 14.3 across 11 schools
- Programs
- 1 Montessori
- Association members
- 4, most often the National Catholic Educational Association
- To a 4-year college
- 97% of graduates at the typical high school (6 reporting)
- Verified tuition
- Live Oak Classical School $13,600; Vanguard College Preparatory School $18,270; Waco Montessori School $10,400
- State program
- Education savings account, $10,474 per private school student for 2026-27
How TEFA works - Public charter schools
- 7 in the county, tuition-free and not counted here
Charter schools in Texas
- Catholic2
- Christian, not Catholic7
- Nonsectarian2
- Not in federal survey3
- Pre-K (and up)9
- Elementary (K to 5)10
- Middle (6 to 8)10
- High school (9 to 12)7
- K to 12, one school5
- Under 502
- 50 to 1495
- 150 to 2992
- 300 to 5992
- McLennan County79%
- All of Texas73%
Where these facts come from
- Grades, size, affiliation, co-ed, membership, college-going: NCES Private School Universe Survey 2023-24, downloaded September 20, 2026.
- Program list: Texas Education Freedom Accounts schools, list dated October 26, 2026, checked November 2, 2026.
- Award and rules: Texas Education Freedom Accounts, official page, read October 8, 2026.
- Tuition for 3 schools: each school’s own website, last read October 1, 2026.
- Public charter schools: NCES Common Core of Data, public school directory 2025-26 (preliminary), loaded October 8, 2026.
Cities in and around McLennan County
Neighboring counties
- Hill County (1)
- Limestone County (1)
- Bell County (24)
- Navarro County (3)
- Milam County (2)
- Hamilton County (1)
- Lampasas County (1)
- Somervell County (1)
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