New England is home to some of the most prestigious private schools and boarding schools on the continent. New England private schools have a tradition of excellence dating back to the earliest formalized education in North America.
Our Kids lists numerous excellent boarding schools and other private schools in the Eastern United States.
East coast schools' history
Schools in New England were the first to be instituted as mandatory by law. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was the first colony to make formal education compulsory, in 1642. All of the schools begun around this time were private schools, most often started up by religious denominations.
Since this beginning, east coast education has led the way in academic innovation in the United States. For example, Horace Mann was the first to create a statewide (Massachusetts) system of common schools, the first public school system in the USA.
New England private schools still lead the way today, in terms of academic rigor, international reputation and contribution of some of the world’s finest minds in industry, finance, education and various other spheres.
To find out about enrolling your son or daughter in one of the many excellent private and boarding schools in the eastern US, see our listings.
