In shortHeritage Oak Private Education is an independent (non-sectarian) private K-8 school in Yorba Linda, California, founded in 1966, serving grades K-8 with about 520 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $21,630 to $24,440, or roughly $194,670 to $219,960 across all 9 years at today's rates. No standardized entrance exam; admission uses an on-campus assessment or visit day.
- Location
- 16971 Imperial Highway, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
- Founded
- 1966
- Affiliation
- independent (non-sectarian)
- Head of school
- Latrese Jackson (Head of School)
- Phone
- (714) 524-1350
- Official Website
- heritageoak.org
Heritage Oak Private Education overview
Heritage Oak Private Education is an independent, non-sectarian private K-8 school in Yorba Linda, California, serving grades K-8, founded in 1966, with about 520 students. Tuition for 2026-27 is $21,630 to $24,440. The school accepts F-1 international students and issues the I-20 needed for a student visa.
Heritage Oak Private Education admissions
Heritage Oak Private Education does not use a standardized entrance exam; admission uses an on-campus assessment or visit day.
The school publishes the following application details. The school website’s Admissions Process page lists four steps: (1) inquiry, by contacting Enrollment Director Shawna Rhebergen (714-646-1546 ext. 1), who commits to responding within 24 business hours; (2) campus visit, in which a school leader walks families through the four-acre campus, including the science lab, art room, performance stage and athletic facilities; (3) application, submitted online after the visit; (4) assessment, in which elementary and middle school applicants take a placement test within a few weeks of applying (Beginning Preschool through Pre-K applicants do not test) and, if they pass and a seat is open, receive an enrollment contract. International students follow a separate process described on the International Students page: an international student application, an English teacher recommendation form, transcripts for the past two years and current grades converted to the US grading scale, a copy of the passport and bank statements showing funds sufficient to cover tuition, plus an English test (ITEP SLATE minimum 4.5, or TOEFL Junior 845 / CEFR B2 equivalent), a Zoom interview and the school’s own placement test.
This school does not use a standardized entrance test. It assesses applicants on campus, so preparation centers on the visit day and the parent interview rather than test registration. Application dates are set by the school each year; ask the admissions office for the current calendar and plan backward from it.
Heritage Oak Private Education tuition and fees
Heritage Oak Private Education tuition for 2026-27 is $21,630 to $24,440.
2026-27 tuition (school website, Tuition & Fee Information PDF): Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten are both $21,630, grades 1-5 are $22,440 and grades 6-8 are $24,440; in the preschool division, five-day full-day Beginning Preschool and Intermediate Preschool (8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.) are both $18,400 and Pre-K (8:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m.) is $20,200. There are two payment options. The Annual Plan is paid in full, due July 1, 2026, with a discount based on the start date: 4% off for students starting between August 1 and December 1, 2% off for those starting between January 1 and May 1, and no discount from June 1 on. The Monthly Plan is 10 installments, from August 1, 2026 through May 1, 2027. The school year runs ten months, September through June. Preschool admission uses September 1 as the age cutoff.
All enrollment-related fees are nonrefundable: application fee $75; new student fee $500, billed with tuition; assessment fee $125, for JK through grade 8 only; and an annual registration fee of $2,000. Before- and after-school care is billed separately (page 2 of the tuition PDF on the school website, applying to all divisions): Before Care, Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until the start of class, $130 a month, and After Care, from dismissal until 6:00 p.m., $375 a month, both requiring separate sign-up through the school office. ACH bank debit is the preferred payment method and carries no fee, while credit card payments carry a surcharge. Changing a schedule requires 30 days’ written notice and withdrawal requires 60 days’ written notice. The school website states that a sibling discount exists but does not publish the amount, which must be requested from the Enrollment Director (school website, Tuition & Fee Information PDF). International student tuition is a separate schedule that the school website does not publish; families must contact the Enrollment Director (school website, International Students page).
Academics and programs at Heritage Oak Private Education
Academics and programs described on the Heritage Oak Private Education website include:
- Accelerated curriculum: the school website states in several places that the core curriculum runs a year ahead of national and public school standards (“one year ahead of national standards,” “one year ahead of public school standards”) (school website, Elementary School page and International Students page)
- Personal Learning Plan (PLP): starting in Junior Kindergarten, each student’s teachers build an individualized learning plan from assessment data and update it each year (school website, FAQ and Elementary School page)
- The foreign language offering is a choice between French and Spanish, assigned by grade; the curriculum descriptions on the school website include no Chinese course (school website, Elementary School page, Middle School page and International Students page)
- Required instrumental music: younger students study violin and older students move into band or orchestra; middle school students must also take one year-long elective chosen from band, orchestra, musical theater and debate (school website, Elementary School page and Middle School page)
- Cotillion etiquette class for grades 2-8, covering social conversation, public speaking and formal dining etiquette, and expanding in middle school to resume writing and interview preparation (school website, FAQ and Middle School page)
- Technology: every student has an iPad from kindergarten on, and the school website says more than 90% of teachers hold Apple Teacher certification; there is also a Computer Science course and a Technology Director (school website, Elementary School page and Leadership & Faculty page)
Schools near Heritage Oak Private Education at the same level
These are the schools nearest to Heritage Oak Private Education at the same level, with the basic facts each school publishes. Select a name to open that school’s admissions guide:
| School | Grades | Tuition | Entrance test | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage Oak Private Education | K-8 | $21,630 | On-campus assessment | — |
| Calvary Chapel Yorba Linda Christian Academy | K-8 | $10,400 | — | 2.1 mi |
| St. Joseph Catholic School | K-8 | $8,495 | On-campus assessment | 2.4 mi |
| Heights Christian Schools - Brea Campus | K-4 | $11,069 | On-campus assessment | 2.4 mi |
| Independence Christian School | K-8 | $7,200 | — | 3.4 mi |
Total tuition through graduation at Heritage Oak Private Education
Heritage Oak Private Education tuition for 2026-27 is tiered by grade or program, from $21,630 to $24,440. Over 9 years covering grades K-8, total tuition falls between $194,670 and $219,960, depending on which tier each grade falls in; ask the school for its grade-by-grade tuition table. This uses current-year rates and excludes registration fees, deposits, uniforms and activity fees; the school sets tuition for later years annually.
Getting to Heritage Oak Private Education from Irvine
These are straight-line distances to Heritage Oak Private Education from neighborhoods where many Irvine families live. Actual drive times will be longer; time the drive once during school hours:
| Neighborhood | Straight-line distance |
|---|---|
| Woodbury | 15.1 miles |
| Northwood | 14.0 miles |
| Turtle Rock | 18.5 miles |
| Portola Springs | 15.5 miles |
The website does not describe bus service; confirm this during your visit.
Questions to ask on a Heritage Oak Private Education campus visit
When you visit Heritage Oak Private Education, confirm these points with the admissions office:
- Financial aid — the Admissions and Tuition pages on the school website and the tuition PDF mention only a sibling discount, with no amount published, and no need-based aid or scholarship channel of any kind appears
- Sibling discount amount — the tuition PDF on the school website says only to ask the Enrollment Director and does not publish the reduction
- International student tuition — the International Students page on the school website carries only an “International Student Tuition” link and a request to contact the Enrollment Director, with no amount published on the page
- Average class size — the elementary page on the school website says only “small group lessons,” and neither the FAQ nor the individual program pages gives a class size or student-teacher ratio
- Registration, technology, uniform and activity fees beyond tuition
How EDUBUS helps families applying to Heritage Oak Private Education
EDUBUS counselors in Irvine work in both Chinese and English with families applying to Heritage Oak Private Education. We track Heritage Oak Private Education’s admissions calendar, prepare students for the campus visit and interview, and review application materials before they are submitted. Book a school-selection consultation or read the Chinese version of this page.
Heritage Oak Private Education: Frequently Asked Questions
What test does Heritage Oak Private Education require?
Heritage Oak Private Education has no standardized entrance exam; admission uses an on-campus assessment or visit day.
Does Heritage Oak Private Education accept F-1 international students?
Yes. Heritage Oak Private Education issues I-20s; international applicants also submit English proficiency and financial documents.
How much is tuition at Heritage Oak Private Education for 2026-27, and is aid available?
Tuition at Heritage Oak Private Education is $21,630 to $24,440 for 2026-27. Check the school website for aid policies.
When should an Irvine family start preparing for Heritage Oak Private Education?
Heritage Oak Private Education does not use a standardized entrance test. It assesses applicants on campus, so preparation centers on the visit day and the parent interview rather than test registration. Application dates are set by the school each year; ask the admissions office for the current calendar and plan backward from it. EDUBUS advises Irvine families from its Irvine office and works back from Heritage Oak Private Education's timeline for visit-day and interview preparation. Heritage Oak Private Education is in Yorba Linda; families driving from Irvine should time the commute during school hours on their visit day.
Sources14 sources · checked 2026-09-08
Compiled from the official Heritage Oak Private Education website and public filings. Tuition and deadlines follow the school's current notice.
- heritageoak.org
- heritageoak.org/about
- heritageoak.org/about/faqs
- heritageoak.org/about/leadership-faculty
- heritageoak.org/academics/elementary-school
- heritageoak.org/academics/middle-school
- heritageoak.org/admission
- heritageoak.org/admissions/tuition
- heritageoak.org/admissions/international-students
- springeducationgroup.com/tuition-pdf/tuition-1063.pdf
- cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/details?cdscode=30666476988257
- cde.ca.gov/ds/si/ps
- geocoding.geo.census.gov/geocoder/locations/onelineaddress
- WeIrvine: community and commute notes for this school








