Northwest Local School District

What Northwest Local School District does

Northwest Local School District (NWLSD) is a public K-12 school district and government entity headquartered at 3377 Compton Road, Suite 110 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. The district serves approximately 7,252 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across a network comprising two high schools (Colerain High School and Northwest High School), multiple middle schools, six elementary schools, and an Early Learning Center. The student population is 88.1% economically disadvantaged and 22.2% students with disabilities, with 24% of General Fund expenditures allocated to special education. NWLSD's core technology stack centers on the Infinite Campus Student Information System, transitioned from ProgressBook starting in the 2025-26 school year, delivering real-time web and mobile access to schedules, assignments, grades, attendance, and bus routes for families and staff. Supporting services include free breakfast and lunch for K-8 students, transportation, athletics, child care, mental health services, and special education, alongside partnership-driven programs such as Kids In School Rule (KISR) with Hamilton County Job & Family Services and the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati that produce a 91% graduation rate for foster care students.

NWLSD is funded almost entirely through a combination of local earned income and property taxes, state foundation aid, and competitive grants, with the district having been approximately 82% locally funded and projected to reach a 90% local share at the July 2026 state maximum. A Board-approved 1.5% earned income tax levy, calculated to generate approximately $31.96 million annually and headed to the November 3, 2026 ballot, is structured to replace two existing property tax levies expiring in 2027 and 2029. In 2019, the district formalized a 3% Community Partnership with residents that caps annual operational expenditure growth at 3%, an arrangement that has reportedly delivered $12 million in savings since 2020. Operational metrics position NWLSD favorably: 72% of operating expenditures flow directly to the classroom (versus a 68% state average), 7% of expenditures are administrative (versus a 15% statutory cap under HB96), and per-pupil operating expenses rank in the bottom 20% of Ohio districts.

Recent strategic activity includes the October 2025 groundbreaking on a new Colerain Elementary School funded in part by $20.4 million in Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) funds, the Infinite Campus platform migration, expansion of the KISR partnership, multiple new administrative appointments, and Board recognition including the 2025 Ohio School Boards Association Aptitude Award to Board President Nancy Slattery and the Ohio PBIS Bronze Award earned by Houston Early Learning Center. Superintendent Darrell Yater leads day-to-day operations under the governance of the elected Board of Education.

Name

Northwest Local School District

Legal name

Northwest Local School District

Website

https://nwlsd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Northwest Local School District is a public K-12 government entity in Hamilton County, Ohio, serving approximately 7,252 PK-12 students across multiple schools and funded primarily through local earned income and property taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Special education services
• School nutrition programs
• Student transportation services
• District athletics programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Earned Income Tax Levy: 1.5% earned income tax on residents' adjusted gross income (excluding retirement and investment income), generating approximately $31,956,034 annually. Approved on May 11, 2026 for November 3 ballot.
2. Property Tax Levies: Emergency levy tax structure in place since 2012. Collecting $7,355,871 per year since 2012 and $11,422,160 per year since 2019. Two existing property taxes expiring in 2027 and 2029.
3. State and Federal Funding: State and federal funding including grants. Over the last two years received $381,302 in competitive local, state, and federal grants, and $20.4 million in OFCC funds for facilities.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Northwest Local School District is a public PreK-12 school system that delivers comprehensive educational programs to approximately 7,252 students through two high schools, two middle schools, six elementary schools, and an early learning center in Hamilton County, Ohio. Beyond classroom instruction, the district provides school nutrition (free meals for K-8 students), transportation, athletics, mental health services, special education, and before/after-school child care, supported by the Infinite Campus student information system. Funding comes from local property and earned income tax levies plus state and federal education funding.

Product overview

Northwest Local School District provides comprehensive PreK-12 public education services through a network of two high schools (Colerain High School and Northwest High School), four middle schools, six elementary schools, and an Early Learning Center, serving approximately 7,252 students. The district operates Infinite Campus as its primary Student Information System, replacing ProgressBook in 2025-26, which provides families and staff with access to schedules, assignments, grades, attendance, and bus routes through web and mobile platforms. The district offers supporting services including free school nutrition (breakfast/lunch for K-8), transportation, athletics, child care, mental health services, and special education programs. The district is also constructing a new Colerain Elementary school (expected completion 2026) as part of its Master Facility Plan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Infinite Campus Student Information System Student information system and parent portal providing families and staff with real-time web and mobile (iOS/Android) access to student schedules, assignments, grades, attendance, and bus routes.
• PreK-12 Education Services Comprehensive public prekindergarten through 12th grade educational programs serving 7,252 students across two high schools, two middle schools, six elementary schools, and an early learning center in Hamilton County, Ohio.
• School Nutrition Services School nutrition program providing free breakfast and lunch to all elementary and middle school students, plus free and reduced-price meals for qualifying high school students through May 2027.
• Student Transportation Services School bus transportation services for district students, with real-time bus route information accessible through the Infinite Campus portal.
• Athletics Programs Interscholastic athletic programs at NWLSD high schools and middle schools, including eligibility requirements and associated fees, with discounted ticketed access for senior residents through the Golden Pass program.
• Before and After-School Child Care Before and after-school child care program supporting working families enrolled in the district.
• Mental Health Services Counseling and mental health support services for district students.
• Special Education Services Special education programs and services for students with disabilities, including intervention specialists and individualized education plans, serving approximately 22.2% of district students.
• Summer Food Service Program Free meals program for students during summer break.
• Earned Income Tax Levy Program Local tax levy program providing primary operating revenue for the district via a 1.5% earned income tax on district residents' adjusted gross income, structured to maintain the 3% Community Partnership cap on operational growth.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% graduation rate for KISR foster care students vs 58% national average
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• SON Ministries Food PantryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecognized as Summa Cum Laude Business Partner in appreciation of more than four decades of dedicated service to the Northwest Local School District community. Provides food pantry services supporting district families.
• Hamilton County Job & Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Kids in School Rule (KISR) program ensuring education is a high priority for students in foster care, providing additional resources like incentives, enrichment, and tutoring.
• Legal Aid Society of Greater CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKISR partnership ensuring students in foster care have access to legal support and academic success resources.
• Side by SideminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer FREE adult English classes on Saturday mornings, supporting community adult education initiatives.
• Bloc MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer organization that helped reimagine the Northwest High School castle entrance to Knights Stadium.
• Northwest Young LifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth ministry organization that partnered on the Knights Stadium transformation project.
• Comprehensive Substitute Solutions (SubSolutions)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSubstitute management provider responsible for hiring and employment of substitute teachers and classroom assistants for the district.
• Greater Cincinnati School Application Consortium (Applitrack)coreTechnology or IntegrationOnline application platform used for all district employment applications through Frontline Education system.
• Ohio Education Job BoardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStatewide job board where district posts available positions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mason City School District: High-performing suburban Cincinnati-area K-12 district in Warren County with similar enrollment scale. Operates under the same Ohio funding formula and competes for open-enrollment students from NWLSD's footprint.
• Fairfield City School District: Butler County K-12 district bordering the Cincinnati metro with similar enrollment scale. Operates a comparable mix of property, income, and state funding, and competes for open-enrollment students in overlapping attendance areas.
• Lakota Local School District: Suburban Cincinnati-area public K-12 district of similar size in Butler County. Operates multiple elementary, middle, and high schools on a comparable tax-and-state-funding model, and competes directly for open-enrollment students in the same labor market.
• Loveland City School District: Suburban Cincinnati K-12 district operating in Hamilton and Warren counties with similar size and demographics. Functions under the same Ohio funding mechanism and is a direct open-enrollment competitor to NWLSD.
• Princeton City Schools: Hamilton County K-12 district adjacent to NWLSD, serving a similar suburban population. Operates under the same state funding regime and competes directly for resident and open-enrollment students.
• Winton Woods City Schools: Hamilton County K-12 district serving a comparable economically diverse, suburban-to-urban population. Operates a similar model of K-12 schools, special education, and community partnerships under the same state funding formula.
• Sycamore Community Schools: Hamilton County K-12 district operating under the same Ohio funding structure. Comparable in size and suburban demographics, making it a direct open-enrollment competitor for NWLSD families.
• Kings Local School District: Warren County K-12 district in suburban Cincinnati with a similar enrollment profile. Operates under the same Ohio funding structure and is a direct competitor for open-enrollment students from the NWLSD area.
• Oak Hills Local School District: Adjacent Hamilton County K-12 district with comparable enrollment (7,000+ students). Operates a similar network of elementary, middle, and high schools funded by the same mix of property, income, and state revenue.

Broad incumbents

• Cincinnati Public Schools: Large urban K-12 district headquartered in the same Hamilton County seat. Operates many more schools with a substantially larger and more economically disadvantaged student population, but shares the same state funding formula and regional labor pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nwlocal
• Instagraminstagram.com/northwestlocalsd
• Xx.com/nwlocal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colerain-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Northwest Local School District