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), HuntsvilleArizona
Arizona Lutheran Academy (WELS), PhoenixValley Lutheran High School, PhoenixCalifornia
Concordia Canoga Park, Canoga ParkConcordia Sylmar, SylmarLutheran High School of San Diego, Chula VistaLutheran High School, Elk GroveSouth Bay Lutheran High School and Preparatory Academy, InglewoodCrean Lutheran High School, IrvineLutheran High School—La Verne, La BerneLutheran High School of Orange County, OrangePacific Lutheran High School, TorranceCalifornia Lutheran High School (WELS), WildomarColorado
Vail Christian High School, EdwardsRocky Mountain Lutheran High School, Federal HeightsLutheran High School, ParkerFlorida
Zion Lutheran Christian School, Deerfield BeachCalvary Academy (WELS), MulberrySt. John Lutheran High School, OcalaDivine Savior Lutheran Academy (WELS), DoralNew Hope Lutheran Academy (WELS), West MelbourneHawaii
Lutheran High School of Hawaii, HonoluluIowa
Valley Lutheran High School, Cedar FallsIllinois
Christ Lutheran High School, BuckleyChrist Our Rock Lutheran High School, CentraliaLuther North High School, ChicagoNew Luther High School, ChicagoIllinois Lutheran High School (WELS), CreteFaith Lutheran High School, Crystal LakeLutheran School Association High School, DecaturMetro East Lutheran High School, EdwardsvilleChrist Our Savior Lutheran High School, EvansvilleLuther East High School, LansingWalther Lutheran High School, Melrose ParkChrist Lutheran Academy, PlainsfieldLutheran High School, RockfordLutheran High School, SpringfieldIndiana
Concordia Lutheran High School, Fort WayneLutheran High School of Indianapolis, IndianapolisTrinity Lutheran High School, SeymourLouisiana
Lutheran High School, MetairieMaryland
Baltimore Lutheran High School, TowsonMichigan
Detroit Urban Lutheran School, Detroit {Former Lutheran West} (Closed)Holt Lutheran High Schools, HoltLutheran High School North, MacombLutheran High School South, Newport (Closed)Lutheran High School Northwest, Rochester HillsMichigan Lutheran Seminary (WELS), SaginawValley Lutheran High School, SaginawMichigan Lutheran High School (WELS), Saint JosephHuron Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), WestlandLutheran High School Westland, WestlandWest Michigan Lutheran High School, WyomingMinnesota
Lion's Gate Christian Academy, BloomingtonHillcrest Lutheran Academy, Fergus FallsSioux Valley Lutheran Secondary School, LakefieldImmanuel Lutheran High School, MankatoLutheran High School, MayerCannon Valley Lutheran High School, MorristownMinnesota Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), New UlmMartin Luther High School, NorthrupWest Lutheran High School (WELS), PlymouthConcordia Academy, RosevilleSt. Croix Lutheran High School (WELS), West St. PaulSt. John Lutheran School, Thief River FallsMissouri
St. Paul Lutheran High School, ConcordiaSaxony Lutheran High School, JacksonCalvary Lutheran High School, Jefferson CityLutheran High School of Kansas City, Kansas CityLutheran High School North, Saint LouisLutheran High School South, Saint LouisLutheran High School of Saint Charles County, Saint PetersSt. John Lutheran School, EllisvilleNorth Dakota
Oak Grove Lutheran High School, FargoNebraska
Heartland Lutheran High School, Grand IslandLincoln Lutheran Middle/Senior High School, LincolnLutheran High Northeast, NorfolkConcordia Junior Senior High School, OmahaNebraska Evangelical Lutheran High School, WacoNevada
Sierra Lutheran High School, Carson CityFaith Lutheran Middle School & High School, Las VegasNew York
Our Saviour Lutheran High School, BronxLong Island Lutheran Middle and High School, BrookvilleOur Savior New American School, CentereachMartin Luther High School, MaspethOhio
Lutheran High School East, Cleveland HeightsLutheran High School West, Rocky RiverOregon
Trinity Lutheran School, BendPortland Lutheran High School, PortlandSouth Dakota
Lutheran High School of Sioux Falls, Sioux FallsGreat Plains Lutheran High School (WELS), WatertownTexas
Concordia High School, AustinPrince of Peace Christian School, CarrolltonDallas Lutheran High School Dallas, TxLutheran High School North, HoustonLutheran South Academy, HoustonLutheran High School of San Antonio, San AntonioConcordia Lutheran High School, TomballUtah
Concordia Preparatory School, RivertonWashington
Evergreen Lutheran High School (WELS), Des MoinesSeattle Lutheran High School, SeattleMount Rainier Lutheran High School, TacomaWisconsin
Fox Valley Lutheran High School (WELS), AppletonWolf River Lutheran High School, CecilImmanuel Lutheran College High School, Eau ClaireWinnebago Lutheran Academy (WELS), Fond du LacNortheastern Wisconsin Lutheran High School, Green BayMartin Luther High School, GreendaleLake Country Lutheran High School, HartlandKettle Moraine Lutheran High School (WELS), JacksonLiving Word Lutheran High School, JacksonLakeside Lutheran High School (WELS), Lake MillsManitowoc Lutheran High School (WELS), ManitowocMilwaukee Lutheran High School, MilwaukeeWisconsin Lutheran High School (WELS), MilwaukeeNorthland Lutheran High School (WELS), MosineeWisconsin Valley Lutheran High School, MosineeLuther High School (WELS), OnalaskaRacine Lutheran High School, RacineSheboygan Lutheran High School, SheboyganShoreland Lutheran High School (WELS), KenoshaLuther Preparatory School (WELS), Watertown