Funding note: Independent schools often price above the ESA's upper end, so the remaining balance usually comes from the school's own aid budget or from an STO path such as IBE or APESF instead of the ESA.
Independent schools in Pima County include NAIS members such as The Gregory School, International School of Tucson, Castlehill Country Day School, Tucson Waldorf School and Tucson Hebrew Academy, as well as small schools that appear only on STO lists.
Because tuition at the larger campuses often exceeds the ESA range, ask early about the school's own need-based aid.
Where they are: Central Tucson, the University & the West Side (15), Catalina Foothills & the East Side (8), Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana (4), South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail (4).
STOs that list these schools
| School Tuition Organization | Tucson-area schools on its list | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IBE | 24 | Tucson-based multi-school STO on North Swan Road; lists the most Pima County schools. Opens 2027-28 applications Feb 1. |
| APSTO | 9 | Scottsdale multi-school STO certified in 2018; lists many Tucson Catholic and independent schools. |
| School Choice Arizona | 5 | Chandler-based STO, mostly low-income corporate money; good to check if your income qualifies. |
| APESF | 3 | Multi-school STO that matches students with a best-fit award; check its site for current dates. |
| ACSTO | 2 | Statewide Christian-school STO, the largest since 1998; next-year cycle opens Feb 3, awards four times a year. |
Counts schools in our directory that appear on each STO's published school list (Oct 2026). A school on a list can receive scholarships through that STO; an award is never guaranteed.
All 32 independent schools
| School | Type | Community | Grades | STO lists | Students* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accelerated Elementary and Secondary / Green Fields 5245 N Camino de Oeste / 6000 N Camino de la Tier, Tucson 85745 | Independent Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | PK-12 | 1 APSTO | 117 |
| Accelerated Learning Lab/Green Fields Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Arizona Behavior & Autism Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Autism Academy for Education & Development 6880 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson 85710 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 1-12 | 2 APSTO, School Choice Arizona | 99 |
| AZ Learning Communities Sahuarita · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Blessed Beginnings Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Blessed Beginnings of Oro Valley Oro Valley · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | Not reported | 1 ACSTO | — |
| Blessed Beginnings of Oro Valley Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 School Choice Arizona | — |
| Casa Ninos School of Montessori - East Campus 8655 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson 85710 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | PK-3 | 1 IBE | 37 |
| Casita Daycare & Preschool 1440 W Ajo Way, Tucson 85713 | Independent Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | 1-6 | None found | 219 |
| Castlehill Country Day School 3225 N Craycroft Rd, Tucson 85712 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | PK-5 | 1 IBE | 83 |
| Catalina Hills Preschool and Kinder Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Climbing Tree Community School Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Intermountain Academy 401 N Bonita Ave, Tucson 85745 | Independent Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | 1-12 | 1 IBE | 101 |
| International School of Tucson 1701 E Seneca St., Tucson 85719 | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | PK-8 | 2 APSTO, IBE | 225 |
| Kino Learning Center 6625 N 1st Ave, Tucson 85718 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 3-8 | 3 APESF, APSTO, IBE | 82 |
| Liberty Youth Academy Sahuarita · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Mis Manos Montessori School 100 W Magee Rd, Tucson 85704 | Independent Schools | Northwest Tucson, Oro Valley & Marana | PK-K | 1 IBE | 2 |
| Pathways School Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 2 APSTO, School Choice Arizona | — |
| Renaissance Academy Tucson 4064 E 22nd St., Tucson 85711 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 4-12 | 1 APSTO | 33 |
| Santa Rosa Ranch School Hwy 86 Mile Post 131, Sells 85634 | Independent Schools | Elsewhere in Pima County | K-8 | None found | 50 |
| Satori 3801 N 1st Ave, Tucson 85719 | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | PK-1 | 1 IBE | 24 |
| Second Street Children's School 2430 E 2nd St., Tucson 85719 | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | PK-K | 1 IBE | 12 |
| St. Andrews Kindergarten Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| The Abbie School 5870 E 14th St., Tucson 85711 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 2-12 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 83 |
| The Gregory School 3231 N Craycroft Rd, Tucson 85712 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | 5-12 | 3 APESF, APSTO, IBE | 367 |
| The Village: School of Abilities Green Valley · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | South Side, Sahuarita, Green Valley & Vail | Not reported | 2 ACSTO, IBE | — |
| Tucson Community School Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Tucson Ingenuity Academy Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Tucson Waldorf School 3605 E River Rd, Tucson 85718 | Independent Schools | Catalina Foothills & the East Side | PK-8 | 3 APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 167 |
| Ubuntu Academies Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Wings On Words Tucson · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | Central Tucson, the University & the West Side | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
* Enrollment reported to the NCES Private School Survey (2023-24 or 2021-22). "STO lists" counts the School Tuition Organizations whose published school list included the school (Oct 2026). Arizona has no state list of ESA schools; ask each school whether it accepts ESA payments through ClassWallet.
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