Private & church schools in North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem
North of the Loop 101, Deer Valley, Desert Ridge, Paradise Valley Village, Anthem and the Cave Creek foothills mix newer Christian academies, Montessori programs and Catholic parishes. Commutes along the I-17 and SR-51 shape which campus is practical. We list 19 private schools here, and 15 of them are on at least one STO school list.
By type: Independent Schools (9) · Christian Schools (8) · Preschool & Kindergarten Programs (6) · Private High Schools (6) · Montessori Schools (4) · Catholic Schools (2) · Special-Needs Schools (2).
STOs that list schools here
| School Tuition Organization | Phoenix-area schools on its list | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| APSTO | 12 | Scottsdale-based; K-12 students at qualified private schools of any kind |
| IBE | 12 | Tucson-based multi-school STO; lists more Valley schools than any other |
| School Choice Arizona | 9 | Chandler-based; mostly low-income corporate scholarships |
| APESF | 7 | Multi-school "best fit" STO operating since 1999 |
| ACSTO | 5 | Christian schools; the largest STO by money raised since 1998 |
| AZTO | 3 | Christian schools; (602) 295-3033 |
| Catholic Education Arizona | 2 | The Diocese of Phoenix STO; applications through FACTS |
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 19 schools in North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem
| School | Type | Community | Grades | STO lists | Students* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldea Montessori 15639 N 40th St., Phoenix 85032 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-K | None found | 3 |
| Annunciation Catholic School 32648 N Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek 85331 | Catholic Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | K-8 | 5 APESF, APSTO, Catholic Education Arizona, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 245 |
| Breakthrough Academy - East Campus 3427 E Bell Rd, Phoenix 85032 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | 1-8 | 4 APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 80 |
| Brightmont Academy 2222 W Pinnacle Peak Rd Ste 110, Phoenix 85027 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | 1-12 | 1 IBE | 26 |
| Carefree Christian Academy 5025 E Carefree Hwy, Cave Creek 85331 | Christian Schools Christian (no specific denomination) | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-12 | 5 ACSTO, APESF, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 71 |
| Cave Creek Montessori 29209 N 56th St., Cave Creek 85331 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-K | None found | 10 |
| Creative Castle Preschool & Kindergarten Anthem · from STO lists only | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | Not reported | 1 IBE | — |
| Dynamite Montessori 28807 N 53rd St., Cave Creek 85331 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-6 | 2 APSTO, School Choice Arizona | 75 |
| Emmaus Lutheran School 3841 W Sweetwater Ave, Phoenix 85029 | Christian Schools Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-8 | 4 ACSTO, APSTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 66 |
| Holy Cross Lutheran School 1420 W Thunderbird Rd, Phoenix 85023 | Christian Schools Other Lutheran | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | K-5 | 3 ACSTO, APSTO, IBE | 5 |
| North Valley Christian Academy 33655 N 27th Dr., Phoenix 85085 | Christian Schools Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-12 | 5 APESF, APSTO, AZTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 641 |
| North Valley Christian Academy Anthem · from STO lists only | Christian Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | Not reported | 1 ACSTO | — |
| Northwest Christian School 16401 N 43rd Ave, Phoenix 85053 | Christian Schools Christian (no specific denomination) | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-12 | 6 ACSTO, APESF, APSTO, AZTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 1369 |
| Paradise for Tots Christian School 13449 N Tatum Blvd, Phoenix 85032 | Christian Schools Christian (no specific denomination) | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-K | 1 APSTO | 20 |
| Primrose School at Tatum 4747 E Dynamite Blvd, Cave Creek 85331 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-K | None found | 27 |
| Quality Interactive Montessori School 33212 N 56th St., Cave Creek 85331 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-K | 2 APSTO, IBE | 56 |
| Ridgeline Academy 39808 N Gavilan Peak Pkwy, Anthem 85086 | Independent Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | K-12 | None found | 1039 |
| Scottsdale Christian Academy 14400 N Tatum Blvd, Phoenix 85032 | Christian Schools Christian (no specific denomination) | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-12 | 5 APESF, APSTO, AZTO, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 907 |
| St. Jerome Elementary School 10815 N 35th Ave, Phoenix 85029 | Catholic Schools | North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Anthem | PK-8 | 5 APESF, APSTO, Catholic Education Arizona, IBE, School Choice Arizona | 160 |
* 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.
ZIP codes: 85023, 85024, 85027, 85029, 85032, 85050, 85053, 85054, 85083, 85085, 85086, 85087, 85331
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