Last verified: October 2026
Why would a Raleigh private school not take the Opportunity Scholarship?
Joining the Direct Payment list means accepting NCSEAA's testing, reporting, background check and audit duties, and some schools choose not to. Others may be listed under a different name, so ask the school before ruling it out.
Can I still use ESA+ if my child's school is not listed?
ESA+ cannot pay the tuition, but it can still pay for therapy, tutoring, curriculum and devices from enrolled providers. That keeps the account useful while the family covers tuition another way.
Could a school join the list later?
Yes. A school can register with NCSEAA for a future year. If you are applying for 2027-28, ask whether the school plans to be a Direct Payment School that year.
Which federal-survey schools did not match the 2026-27 list?
40 of the 120 Triangle schools in the federal survey had no 2026-27 Direct Payment match. Biggest first, by reported enrollment.
| School | Town | Grades | Students | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravenscroft School | Raleigh | PK-12 | 1,215 | Independent |
| Durham Academy | Durham | PK-12 | 1,213 | Independent |
| Cary Christian School | Cary | K-12 | 844 | Christian |
| Cary Academy | Cary | 6-12 | 789 | Independent |
| Carolina Friends School | Durham | PK-12 | 477 | Quaker (Friends) |
| Duke School | Durham | PK-8 | 436 | Independent |
| St. Mary's School | Raleigh | 9-12 | 306 | Christian |
| The Raleigh School | Raleigh | PK-5 | 264 | Independent |
| Commission Leadership Academy | Raleigh | K-12 | 224 | Christian |
| Follow the Child Montessori School | Raleigh | PK-6 | 165 | Independent |
| Montessori Community School | Durham | PK-8 | 157 | Independent |
| Heritage Christian Academy | Zebulon | PK-12 | 97 | Christian |
| Word of God Christian Academy | Raleigh | 6-12 | 93 | Christian |
| Montessori School of Durham | Durham | PK-6 | 83 | Independent |
| Triangle Montessori Academy | Cary | PK-6 | 76 | Independent |
| My Dynamic Academy | Durham | PK-10 | 42 | Independent |
| Renaissance Montessori School of Cary | Cary | PK-K | 39 | Independent |
| Scholars Academy Gifted and Artistically Elite | Cary | 1-12 | 35 | Independent |
| Veritas Collaborative School | Durham | 4-12 | 28 | Independent |
| St. Mary's Christian Academy | Raleigh | PK-6 | 25 | Christian |
| Kids 'R' Kids (Clayton) | Clayton | PK-K | 22 | Independent |
| Guidepost Montessori at Spruce Tree | Raleigh | PK-K | 21 | Independent |
| Children's Discovery Center | Raleigh | PK-K | 20 | Independent |
| Little Lambs Learning Center | Raleigh | PK-K | 20 | Christian |
| True Abilities Learning Academy | Cary | 19 | Independent | |
| Primrose Schools at the Park | Morrisville | PK-K | 17 | Independent |
| St. Andrew's Early Childhood Center | Apex | PK-K | 16 | Catholic |
| The Studio School of Durham | Durham | K-4 | 15 | Independent |
| Tutorial Christian Schools | Durham | PK-3 | 13 | Christian |
| King's Town Christian Academy | Raleigh | K | 12 | Christian |
| Maracas Montessori | Raleigh | PK-K | 12 | Independent |
| The Grove School of Cary | Cary | K | 11 | Independent |
| Knowledge Beginnings School | Cary | K | 10 | Independent |
| Peace Montessori School | Apex | PK-2 | 9 | Independent |
| Rising Stars Private School | Raleigh | K | 8 | Independent |
| St. Philip Lutheran Preschool | Raleigh | PK-K | 8 | Christian |
| Frankie Lemmon School & Development Center | Raleigh | 1 | 7 | Independent |
| Country Garden Montessori School | Willow Spring | PK-K | 5 | Independent |
| Discovery Child Development Center | Morrisville | PK-K | 5 | Independent |
| Montessori Creative Learning School | Apex | PK-K | 4 | Independent |
On the 2026-27 list vs Not on the 2026-27 list: how do they compare?
| On the 2026-27 list | Not on the 2026-27 list |
|---|---|
| NCSEAA can pay state awards to the school | No state award can be paid to the school this year |
| ESA+ can pay tuition | ESA+ can pay other costs, not tuition |
| The school follows NCSEAA testing and audit rules | The school sets its own testing |