Lutheran schools and education were a priority for Lutherans who migrated to the United States and Australia from Germany and Scandinavia. One of the first things they did was to create schools for their children. This strong educational tradition was handed down from Martin Luther himself.
The first Lutheran school in Australia opened in 1839. At 2013, there were twenty-seven Lutheran-run primary and secondary schools in Queensland, thirty-three in South Australia and sixteen in Victoria, with a much smaller number in each of the other states and territories. The body overseeing these is Lutheran Education Australia, which has a branch in each State.
There has been a very significant growth in Australian Lutheran school enrolments over the twenty-five years and particularly in the decade up tp 2011. As of August 2011, 37 313 Australian children attended Lutheran schools, with another 3 600 in early childhood centres. At this time, there were 3 249 teachers employed at Lutheran schools around Australia.
When the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) was founded in 1847, this tradition of Lutheran education was continued. The synod was started by twelve churches that operated a total of nineteen schools. Several of the churches operated a number of schools in the rural countryside so that students would not have to walk too far to school each day.
The LCMS operates the largest Protestant school system in the United States. Currently the LCMS operates 1,368 Early Childhood Centers, 1,018 elementary schools, 102 high schools, ten universities and two seminaries for a total of 2488 schools in the United States. These schools educate more than 280,000 students and are taught by almost 18,000 teachers. The only state without a Lutheran school is Maine. Lutheran schools operated by the LCMS also exist in Hong Kong, mainland China (2006-2007 school year statistics) and Vietnam.
For the most part, Lutheran schools are operated by individual congregations. Some schools are operated by groups of congregations, or associations. The schools are autonomous in that they hire their own teachers, select their own curriculum, and set their own fees. In the past most of the costs were paid by the operating congregations. With the economic situation that exists today more and more of the operating funds come from tuition and fees.
High Schools
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) has 102. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) currently operates 23 high schools.
Alabama
Grace Lutheran School (GLS), Huntsville
Arizona
Arizona Lutheran Academy (WELS), Phoenix
Valley Lutheran High School, Phoenix
California
Concordia Canoga Park, Canoga Park
Concordia Sylmar, Sylmar
Lutheran High School of San Diego, Chula Vista
Lutheran High School, Elk Grove
South Bay Lutheran High School and Preparatory Academy, Inglewood
Crean Lutheran High School, Irvine
Lutheran High School—La Verne, La Berne
Lutheran High School of Orange County, Orange
Pacific Lutheran High School, Torrance
California Lutheran High School (WELS), Wildomar
Colorado
Vail Christian High School, Edwards
Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School, Federal Heights
Lutheran High School, Parker
Florida
Zion Lutheran Christian School, Deerfield Beach
Calvary Academy (WELS), Mulberry
St. John Lutheran High School, Ocala
Divine Savior Lutheran Academy (WELS), Doral
New Hope Lutheran Academy (WELS), West Melbourne
Hawaii
Lutheran High School of Hawaii, Honolulu
Iowa
Valley Lutheran High School, Cedar Falls
Illinois
Christ Lutheran High School, Buckley
Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, Centralia
Luther North High School, Chicago
New Luther High School, Chicago
Illinois Lutheran High School (WELS), Crete
Faith Lutheran High School, Crystal Lake
Lutheran School Association High School, Decatur
Metro East Lutheran High School, Edwardsville
Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School, Evansville
Luther East High School, Lansing
Walther Lutheran High School, Melrose Park
Christ Lutheran Academy, Plainsfield
Lutheran High School, Rockford
Lutheran High School, Springfield
Indiana
Concordia Lutheran High School, Fort Wayne
Lutheran High School of Indianapolis, Indianapolis
Trinity Lutheran High School, Seymour
Louisiana
Lutheran High School, Metairie
Maryland
Baltimore Lutheran High School, Towson
Michigan
Detroit Urban Lutheran School, Detroit {Former Lutheran West} (Closed)
Holt Lutheran High Schools, Holt
Lutheran High School North, Macomb
Lutheran High School South, Newport (Closed)
Lutheran High School Northwest, Rochester Hills
Michigan Lutheran Seminary (WELS), Saginaw
Valley Lutheran High School, Saginaw
Michigan Lutheran High School (WELS), Saint Joseph
Huron Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), Westland
Lutheran High School Westland, Westland
West Michigan Lutheran High School, Wyoming
Minnesota
Lion's Gate Christian Academy, Bloomington
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, Fergus Falls
Sioux Valley Lutheran Secondary School, Lakefield
Immanuel Lutheran High School, Mankato
Lutheran High School, Mayer
Cannon Valley Lutheran High School, Morristown
Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), New Ulm
Martin Luther High School, Northrup
West Lutheran High School (WELS), Plymouth
Concordia Academy, Roseville
St. Croix Lutheran High School (WELS), West St. Paul
St. John Lutheran School, Thief River Falls
Missouri
St. Paul Lutheran High School, Concordia
Saxony Lutheran High School, Jackson
Calvary Lutheran High School, Jefferson City
Lutheran High School of Kansas City, Kansas City
Lutheran High School North, Saint Louis
Lutheran High School South, Saint Louis
Lutheran High School of Saint Charles County, Saint Peters
St. John Lutheran School, Ellisville
North Dakota
Oak Grove Lutheran High School, Fargo
Nebraska
Heartland Lutheran High School, Grand Island
Lincoln Lutheran Middle/Senior High School, Lincoln
Lutheran High Northeast, Norfolk
Concordia Junior Senior High School, Omaha
Nebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School, Waco
Nevada
Sierra Lutheran High School, Carson City
Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School, Las Vegas
New York
Our Saviour Lutheran High School, Bronx
Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School, Brookville
Our Savior New American School, Centereach
Martin Luther High School, Maspeth
Ohio
Lutheran High School East, Cleveland Heights
Lutheran High School West, Rocky River
Oregon
Trinity Lutheran School, Bend
Portland Lutheran High School, Portland
South Dakota
Lutheran High School of Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls
Great Plains Lutheran High School (WELS), Watertown
Texas
Concordia High School, Austin
Prince of Peace Christian School, Carrollton
Dallas Lutheran High School Dallas, Tx
Lutheran High School North, Houston
Lutheran South Academy, Houston
Lutheran High School of San Antonio, San Antonio
Concordia Lutheran High School, Tomball
Utah
Concordia Preparatory School, Riverton
Washington
Evergreen Lutheran High School (WELS), Des Moines
Seattle Lutheran High School, Seattle
Mount Rainier Lutheran High School, Tacoma
Wisconsin
Fox Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), Appleton
Wolf River Lutheran High School, Cecil
Immanuel Lutheran College High School, Eau Claire
Winnebago Lutheran Academy (WELS), Fond du Lac
Northeastern Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Green Bay
Martin Luther High School, Greendale
Lake Country Lutheran High School, Hartland
Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School (WELS), Jackson
Living Word Lutheran High School, Jackson
Lakeside Lutheran High School (WELS), Lake Mills
Manitowoc Lutheran High School (WELS), Manitowoc
Milwaukee Lutheran High School, Milwaukee
Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WELS), Milwaukee
Northland Lutheran High School (WELS), Mosinee
Wisconsin Valley Lutheran High School, Mosinee
Luther High School (WELS), Onalaska
Racine Lutheran High School, Racine
Sheboygan Lutheran High School, Sheboygan
Shoreland Lutheran High School (WELS), Kenosha
Luther Preparatory School (WELS), Watertown
