Keith Country Day School

What Keith Country Day School does

Keith Country Day School is an independent, non-profit, non-sectarian college-preparatory school located on a 15-acre campus at 1 Jacoby Place in Rockford, Illinois, serving students from preschool (age 3) through 12th grade. Founded in 1916 by Belle Emerson Keith with eight students, the school is organized into three divisions — Lower School (ages 3 to grade 5), Middle School (grades 6-8), and Upper School (grades 9-12) — and is fully accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the Illinois State Board of Education. The school operates with an average class size of 12-15 students, more than 35 leadership/academic/special interest clubs, a college counseling program, FIRST Lego League robotics, and a Spanish curriculum starting in preschool.

The school's revenue model is primarily tuition-based (subscription/recurring), with annual tuition ranging from $11,800 (Kindergarten-grade 5) to $13,500 (Middle and Upper School), supplemented by a $600 one-time upper school registration fee. Approximately 50% of students receive some form of discount through financial aid, merit scholarships, or sibling discounts, with FACTS Management used for tuition assistance administration. Secondary revenue streams include part-time course enrollment for home-schooled and international students (academic courses $1,000/semester, arts $1,100/semester, science labs/AP $2,000/year) and an annual fund supported by unrestricted contributions, memorial gifts, and planned giving (bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts).

The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer combined with community-led referral: enrollment is driven by family inquiries, campus tours, full-day shadow programs, and an online application process via RenWeb, with word-of-mouth referrals from current families and alumni serving as significant enrollment drivers. Technology infrastructure includes RenWeb for student information management and parent progress tracking, Google Apps for Education, SMART boards, Epson projectors, and laptops beginning in 5th grade. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees (Chair: Anisha Grimmett; Vice Chair: Jennifer Aurelien; Treasurer: John Shuster) and led by Head of School Charo Chaney. Reported outcomes include 90% of graduating seniors accepted to first-choice colleges and 4,500+ alumni since the 1916 founding.

Name

Keith Country Day School

Legal name

Keith Country Day School

Website

https://keithschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Keith Country Day School is an independent, non-profit college-preparatory school in Rockford, Illinois, serving students ages 3 through 12th grade on a 15-acre campus with average class sizes of 12-15, generating revenue through tuition ($11,800-$13,500 annually), registration fees, part-time course enrollment, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• College preparatory school
• Independent day school
• Preschool through grade 12
• Montessori-inspired education

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for preschool through 12th grade education. Tuition varies by grade level, ranging from $11,800 to $13,500 annually.
2. Registration Fees: One-time registration fees for new students. Upper School registration fee is $600.
3. Part-time Course Enrollment: Revenue from home-schooled and international students taking individual courses: academic courses at $1,000/semester or $1,600/year, art/music/drama at $1,100/semester, and science labs/AP classes at $2,000/year.
4. Donations and Annual Fund: Unrestricted contributions, memorial gifts, and planned giving (bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts) help bridge the gap between tuition and operating costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Keith Country Day School is an independent, non-sectarian, college-preparatory school delivering private education from preschool (age 3) through 12th grade, organized into Lower School (PreK-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12). It sells tuition-based enrollment, part-time courses for home-schooled students, and supplementary programming such as the Cougar Quest after-school program and award-winning robotics, supported by financial aid, merit scholarships, and donations.

Product overview

Keith Country Day School is a private, independent college-preparatory school offering a unified educational program spanning preschool through 12th grade, organized into three distinct schools: Lower School (ages 3 to 5th grade), Middle School (6th-8th grade), and Upper School (9th-12th grade). The school combines rigorous academics with enrichment programs including Spanish language curriculum starting in preschool, award-winning robotics (FIRST Lego League/Tech Challenge), college counseling, and the Cougar Quest after-school program. With an average class size of 12-15 students, the school emphasizes personalized instruction, character education, and preparation for college success.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School (Preschool through Grade 5) Personalized, differentiated, and accelerated academic program for preschool (age 3) through 5th grade covering literacy, math, technology, visual and performing arts, foreign languages (Spanish starting in preschool), and student life activities for young children.
• Middle School (Grades 6-8) Grades 6-8 college-preparatory program featuring a collegiate-style six-day rotating schedule, honors-level curriculum, foreign language options (Latin, Spanish, French), academic teams (Certamen, MathCounts, Quiz Bowl), and introduction to college counseling for early adolescents.
• Upper School (Grades 9-12) Grades 9-12 rigorous college-preparatory program with demanding graduation requirements across advanced science, math, English, social studies, foreign language, speech, and community service, including AP courses, senior projects, 35+ clubs and activities, 90-hour community service graduation requirement, and dedicated four-year college counseling.
• Cougar Quest After-School Program After-school care program running until 5:30 p.m. providing supervised homework help and enrichment activities including chess, comic book clubs, dance, music lessons, art classes, and soccer for enrolled students.
• Homeschool Course Offerings Individual course enrollment for grades 5-12 home-schooled students covering foreign languages (Latin, French, Spanish), sciences, music, art, drama, and AP classes on a space-available basis at $1,000-$2,000 per semester or year.
• College Counseling Program Four-year personalized college counseling program for Upper School students providing expert guidance on course selection, extracurricular profile building, college applications, and scholarship opportunities, supporting a 90% first-choice college acceptance rate.
• Award-Winning Robotics Program FIRST Lego League and FIRST Tech Challenge robotics program open to students ages 7-16, providing mentor-based STEM engagement designed to develop science and technology leadership skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of graduating seniors accepted to first college of choice
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreOthersMembership organization providing resources, advocacy, and professional development for independent schools
• Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)coreOthersAccrediting body for independent schools in the Central States region
• College BoardcoreOthersPartnership for AP course administration and college entrance exam coordination
• Illinois State Board of EducationcoreOthersState-level educational authority providing accreditation and regulatory oversight
• FACTS ManagementcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party tuition management and financial aid assessment system used for tuition assistance applications and payment processing
• Illinois High School Athletic Association (IHSA)coreOthersGoverning body for high school athletics in Illinois; Keith is a member and founding member of the Northeastern Athletic Conference

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Latin School of Chicago: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in Chicago offering rigorous academics, AP courses, and college counseling. Comparable to Keith in academic positioning and tuition tier, with multiple campuses serving different age groups.
• Avery Coonley School: Independent, nonsectarian K-8 day school in Downers Grove, Illinois with an alternative/pedagogical orientation and small class sizes. Comparable to Keith's Lower and Middle School divisions on philosophy, size, and Illinois independent-school positioning.
• Francis W. Parker School: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in Chicago with progressive pedagogy, AP curriculum, and NAIS accreditation. Comparable to Keith in mission and program mix, though substantially larger and located in a denser urban market.
• North Shore Country Day School: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in Winnetka, Illinois. Closely comparable to Keith in mission, pedagogy, tuition tier, and reliance on NAIS/ISACS accreditation, though larger and located in a more affluent Chicago suburb.
• Detroit Country Day School: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in Beverly Hills, Michigan with strong AP and college-counseling programs. Comparable to Keith on mission, scale, and Midwest regional positioning.
• Blake School: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in Minneapolis with multiple campuses. Comparable to Keith on academic philosophy and college-prep mission, though larger and serving a broader metropolitan area.
• University Liggett School: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. Closely comparable on size, NAIS accreditation, college-prep focus, and Midwest independent-school positioning.
• Roycemore School: Independent, nonsectarian K-12 day school in Evanston, Illinois with a similarly small enrollment footprint and progressive/college-prep orientation. Highly comparable on size, program mix, and target family demographic to Keith.

Others

• FACTS Management: Third-party tuition management and financial aid assessment provider used by Keith and many peer independent schools. Adjacent technology partner rather than a competitor, but a useful ecosystem comparable for understanding Keith's back-office operations.

Broad incumbents

• Woodward Academy: Large independent, nonsectarian K-12 college-preparatory day school in College Park, Georgia. Shares Keith's college-prep mission and AP emphasis but operates at substantially larger scale across multiple divisions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Keith4You

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Keith Country Day School