By type
Independent & Non-Religious Schools in the Triangle
Campuses with no reported religious tie: college-prep campuses, the Thales network, Montessori and Waldorf programs, microschools and specialty schools.
Funding note: This group splits sharply. Ravenscroft, Durham Academy, Cary Academy and Duke School were not on the 2026-27 list; Thales and many small independents were.
62
Schools listed here34
On the 2026-27 Direct Payment list11,821
Students in the federal survey33
Offer pre-K19
Go through grade 12$7,148
2026-27 Tier 2 award, the band most two-income households fall inBy area
Independent & Non-Religious Schools in Cary, Apex & Morrisville
17 schools · 6 on the Direct Payment list
Browse →Independent & Non-Religious Schools in Durham
16 schools · 9 on the Direct Payment list
Browse →Independent & Non-Religious Schools in Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh
10 schools · 6 on the Direct Payment list
Browse →Independent & Non-Religious Schools in North Raleigh
9 schools · 5 on the Direct Payment list
Browse →Independent & Non-Religious Schools in Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County
3 schools · 1 on the Direct Payment list
Browse →Independent & Non-Religious Schools in Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale & Zebulon
3 schools · 3 on the Direct Payment list
Browse →All 62 independent & non-religious schools
| School | Affiliation | Area | Grades | Direct Payment 2026-27 | Students (federal survey) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerator School 111 Competition Center Dr, Morrisville 27560 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | 6-12 | ✓ Listed | 52 |
| Cary Academy 1500 N Harrison Ave, Cary 27513 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | 6-12 | Not listed | 789 |
| Chesterbrook Academy (North Raleigh) 10200 Strickland Rd, Raleigh 27615 | Independent | North Raleigh | PK-5 | ✓ Listed | 99 |
| Chesterbrook Academy Preschool and Elementary (Cary) 130 Towne Village Dr, Cary 27513 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-8 | ✓ Listed | 193 |
| Children's Discovery Center 5511 Avent Ferry Rd, Raleigh 27606 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | PK-K | Not listed | 20 |
| Country Garden Montessori School 1418 Mount Pleasant Rd, Willow Spring 27592 | Independent | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-K | Not listed | 5 |
| Discovery Child Development Center 11000 Lake Grove Blvd, Morrisville 27560 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-K | Not listed | 5 |
| Duke School 3716 Erwin Rd, Durham 27705 | Independent | Durham | PK-8 | Not listed | 436 |
| Durham Academy 3130 Pickett Rd, Durham 27705 | Independent | Durham | PK-12 | Not listed | 1,213 |
| Durham Nativity School 1004 N Mangum St, Durham | Independent | Durham | 5-8 | ✓ Listed | 44 |
| Dynamic Opportunities 700 Brooks Ave, Raleigh 27607 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | — | ✓ Listed | 40 |
| Emerson Waldorf School 6211 New Jericho Rd, Chapel Hill 27516 | Independent | Chapel Hill, Carrboro & Hillsborough | PK-12 | ✓ Listed | 266 |
| Empowered Minds Academy 311 Oakwood Ave, Durham 27701 | Independent | Durham | PK-4 | ✓ Listed | 14 |
| Follow the Child Montessori School 3601 Harden Rd, Raleigh 27607 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | PK-6 | Not listed | 165 |
| Frankie Lemmon School & Development Center 3311 Carl Sandburg Ct, Raleigh 27610 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | 1 | Not listed | 7 |
| Fusion Academy Raleigh 2418 Blue Ridge Rd Ste 200, Raleigh 27607 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | 6-12 | ✓ Listed | 101 |
| Gift of Knowledge Academy 2722 E Main St, Durham 27703 | Independent | Durham | K-1 | ✓ Listed | 5 |
| Guidepost Montessori at Spruce Tree 12600 Spruce Tree Way, Raleigh 27614 | Independent | North Raleigh | PK-K | Not listed | 21 |
| Hill Learning Center 3200 Pickett Rd, Durham 27705 | Independent | Durham | 2-12 | ✓ Listed | 176 |
| Hope Creek Academy 4723 Erwin Rd, Durham 27705 | Independent | Durham | K-12 | ✓ Listed | 69 |
| Insight CoLearning Center 2020 Chapel Hill Road, Ste 33, Durham 27707 | Independent | Durham | 9-12 | ✓ Listed | 24 |
| International Montessori School 3001 Academy Rd Ste 300, Durham 27707 | Independent | Durham | PK-6 | ✓ Listed | 97 |
| Kids 'R' Kids (Clayton) 307 Tew Ct, Clayton 27520 | Independent | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-K | Not listed | 22 |
| Knowledge Beginnings School 250 Cornerstone Dr, Cary 27519 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | K | Not listed | 10 |
| Learn With the Best School 4900 Waters Edge Dr Ste 100, Raleigh 27606 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | 1-12 | ✓ Listed | 36 |
| Lucy Daniels School 9003 Weston Pkwy, Cary 27513 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-5 | ✓ Listed | 16 |
| Maracas Montessori 12401 Strickland Rd, Raleigh 27613 | Independent | North Raleigh | PK-K | Not listed | 12 |
| Mariposa School 203 Gregson Dr, Cary 27511 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | 4-12 | ✓ Listed | 14 |
| Montessori Community School 4512 Pope Rd, Durham 27707 | Independent | Durham | PK-8 | Not listed | 157 |
| Montessori Creative Learning School 402 Upchurch St, Apex 27502 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-K | Not listed | 4 |
| Montessori Day School of Chapel Hill 1702 Legion Rd, Chapel Hill 27517 | Independent | Chapel Hill, Carrboro & Hillsborough | PK-4 | ✓ Listed | 19 |
| Montessori Farm School 2400 Broad St Ste 2, Durham 27704 | Independent | Durham | PK-K | ✓ Listed | 7 |
| Montessori School of Durham 2800 Pickett Rd, Durham 27705 | Independent | Durham | PK-6 | Not listed | 83 |
| Montessori School of Raleigh 7005 Lead Mine Rd, Raleigh 27615 | Independent | North Raleigh | PK-12 | ✓ Listed | 238 |
| My Dynamic Academy 6409 Fayetteville Rd, Durham 27713 | Independent | Durham | PK-10 | Not listed | 42 |
| New School Montessori Center 5617 Sunset Lake Rd, Holly Springs 27540 | Independent | Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina & Garner | PK-9 | ✓ Listed | 119 |
| Peace Montessori School 2190 N Salem St #103, Apex 27523 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-2 | Not listed | 9 |
| Primrose Schools at the Park 405 Crescendo Dr, Morrisville 27560 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-K | Not listed | 17 |
| Raleigh Day School 1725 N New Hope Rd, Raleigh 27604 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | PK-4 | ✓ Listed | 24 |
| Ravenscroft School 7409 Falls Of Neuse Rd, Raleigh 27615 | Independent | North Raleigh | PK-12 | Not listed | 1,215 |
| Renaissance Montessori School of Cary 610 Nottingham Dr, Cary 27511 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-K | Not listed | 39 |
| Rising Stars Private School 3201 Edwards Mill Rd 141, Raleigh 27612 | Independent | North Raleigh | K | Not listed | 8 |
| Scholars Academy Gifted and Artistically Elite 3791 Nw Cary Pkwy, Cary 27513 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | 1-12 | Not listed | 35 |
| Thales Academy Apex (Junior High & High School) 1300 N Salem St, Apex 27502 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | 6-12 | ✓ Listed | 653 |
| Thales Academy Apex (K-5) 1177 Ambergate Sta, Apex 27502 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | K-5 | ✓ Listed | 550 |
| Thales Academy at Flowers Plantation 65 Se Flowers Pkwy, Clayton 27527 | Independent | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-8 | ✓ Listed | 452 |
| Thales Academy Holly Springs 11244 Holly Springs New Hill Rd, Holly Springs 27540 | Independent | Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina & Garner | PK-8 | ✓ Listed | 531 |
| Thales Academy Knightdale 525 Carolinian Ave, Knightdale 27545 | Independent | Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale & Zebulon | PK-8 | ✓ Listed | 466 |
| Thales Academy of Cary 1120 Buck Jones Rd, Raleigh 27606 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | K-10 | ✓ Listed | 436 |
| Thales Academy of Raleigh 8151 Town Dr, Raleigh 27616 | Independent | North Raleigh | K-8 | ✓ Listed | 488 |
| Thales Academy Rolesville 1201 Granite Falls Blvd, Rolesville 27571 | Independent | Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale & Zebulon | 6-12 | ✓ Listed | 625 |
| Thales Academy Wake Forest 3106 Heritage Trade Dr, Wake Forest 27587 | Independent | Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale & Zebulon | K-5 | ✓ Listed | 656 |
| The Fletcher Academy 400 Cedarview Ct, Raleigh 27609 | Independent | North Raleigh | 2-12 | ✓ Listed | 206 |
| The Grove School of Cary 2590 Laura Duncan Rd, Cary 27513 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | K | Not listed | 11 |
| The Raleigh School 1141 Raleigh School Dr, Raleigh 27607 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | PK-5 | Not listed | 264 |
| The Studio School of Durham 1201 W Woodcroft Pkwy, Durham 27713 | Independent | Durham | K-4 | Not listed | 15 |
| The Trilogy School 3810 Merton Dr, Raleigh 27609 | Independent | North Raleigh | 2-12 | ✓ Listed | 45 |
| Triangle Day School 4911 Neal Rd, Durham 27705 | Independent | Durham | K-8 | ✓ Listed | 321 |
| Triangle Montessori Academy 550 E Chatham St, Cary 27511 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | PK-6 | Not listed | 76 |
| True Abilities Learning Academy 1152 Executive Cir, Cary 27511 | Independent | Cary, Apex & Morrisville | — | Not listed | 19 |
| Veritas Collaborative School 4024 Stirrup Creek Dr, Durham 27703 | Independent | Durham | 4-12 | Not listed | 28 |
| Wake Monarch Academy 824 N Bloodworth St, Raleigh 27604 | Independent | Downtown, West & Southeast Raleigh | 9-12 | ✓ Listed | 12 |
| A ✓ on the Direct Payment column tells you | It does not tell you |
|---|---|
| NCSEAA can send Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ money to this school for 2026-27 | That a seat is open or that your child will be admitted |
| The award goes to required tuition and fees, up to your tier amount | That the award will cover the full bill |
| The school accepted NCSEAA's testing and audit rules for scholarship students | Whether the school is accredited, which the state table does not show |
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