Learning About DMV Independent Schools: Essential Resources and First Steps

This post is intended to provide initial information and suggestions for families contacting the Black Student Fund (BSF) about independent school education. We offer these suggestions and resources to inform and encourage your school search. Families wishing to speak with BSF may contact us at mail@blackstudentfund.org. Please include your child's current school, city and state of residence, and current grade level.

First, we encourage you to register (here) for the upcoming School Fair and review the School Fair webpage. Held at the University of the District of Columbia on October 18, 2026, this event serves as a comprehensive forum for Washington metropolitan area families to connect with more than 70 local independent schools, boarding schools, and educational organizations. The webpage outlines a full schedule of informative workshops beginning at 2:00 p.m. Sessions include Completing the Admissions and Financial Aid Process, Closing the Gap: Money for Education, and Five Tips for Finding the Right School for Your Child. Additional sessions explore the psychology of admissions, feature presentations from A Better Chance (ABC), and include an AI Awareness Workshop.

Second, explore other blog posts on the BSF Blog at https://www.blackstudentfund.org/blog. The blog serves as an online library where BSF publishes articles on topics such as selecting an independent school, navigating the admissions process, maximizing financial aid, identifying schools for students with special needs, choosing boarding schools, Montessori education, single-gender schools, transportation, and many other topics.

Third, review the BSF Member Schools page (here) to access a directory of partner schools with links to each school's website. A DMV school map located below the directory can help you identify where schools are located throughout the region. You should also use the Find a School directory on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) website, which allows families to search by school name, location, or other characteristics to learn more about each school's mission, academic programs, and community. It is available at https://www.nais.org/school-directory.

Fourth, visit AccessBSF at https://www.blackstudentfund.org/accessbsf. This specialized section of the BSF website features an educational resource library and a dedicated section on financing an independent school education. A comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions section addresses many of the questions families have about independent schools.

Finally, here are a few additional resources:

• Families seeking information about independent schools serving students with special needs are encouraged to review the BSF blog article "Independent Schools Serving Special Needs Students" at https://www.blackstudentfund.org/blog.
• Families interested in single-gender education are encouraged to review the BSF blog articles on all-girls and all-boys schools at https://www.blackstudentfund.org/blog.
• Families interested in Catholic education are encouraged to visit the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools (DC and Maryland) at https://adwcatholicschools.org/ and the Catholic Diocese of Arlington Office of Catholic Schools (Virginia) at https://www.arlingtondiocese.org/offices/catholic-schools-office/.
• Families interested in Episcopal education are encouraged to visit the Episcopal Diocese of Washington Schools at https://edow.org/ministries-programs/institutions/episcopal-schools/.
• Families interested in learning more about a particular DMV independent school should explore Schools Visited at https://henrycharlesconsulting.com/schools-visited/.
• Families interested in exploring the full spectrum of educational options are encouraged to visit https://myschoolchoice.com/, presented by National School Choice Week, a BSF collaborator.

We are here to help!

Black Student Fund

Building Strong Futures

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