U.S.-accredited bilingual school on a 32-acre campus near Reserva Conchal, serving this coast since 2000.
CRIA is the closest thing this coast has to a full American school, and for a lot of families relocating from the US, that is exactly the point.
It has been running since 2000, which makes it one of the longest-established international schools on this coast. Twenty-five years in, it is the school other schools here get compared to.
This is the big one — 32 acres, with about 6,500 square metres built out. Their own list: 41 air-conditioned classrooms, three primary playgrounds, a multipurpose play court, a soccer field, a beach volleyball court, a swimming pool, a covered sports complex with three teaching stations, two fine arts suites, a music suite, a performing arts stage, a cafeteria, a primary library, two science labs, a STEM lab, and two outdoor commons with gazebos.
Nothing else nearby is at that scale. If your kid plays a sport or is deep into music or theatre, this is the campus with the room for it.
Bilingual and US-accredited, Early Years through Secondary, taught in English and Spanish, and accredited both in the US and with Costa Rica's MEP. That dual accreditation matters if there is any chance of moving back — a US-accredited transcript travels without a fight.
The school describes itself as aiming to be "a world-class international school with a culture of high expectations, high performance, and accountability," built around academic excellence, character and citizenship. Their programs include visual and performing arts, physical education, after-school activities, and a STEM and AI track.
Families who want a recognisable US-style school with real facilities, and who are buying around Conchal, Brasilito, Flamingo or Potrero. It is 500 metres south of Reserva Conchal, so if you are looking at that corner of the coast, CRIA is likely the reason.
If you want IB rather than a US track, look at La Paz, just up the road.