Dobbs Ferry School District

What Dobbs Ferry School District does

Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District (dba Dobbs Ferry School District / DFSD) is a New York State public school district headquartered at 505 Broadway in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County, approximately 20 miles north of New York City. Established in 1896, the district operates three schools — Springhurst Elementary School (Pre-K through Grade 5), Dobbs Ferry Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Dobbs Ferry High School (Grades 9-12) — serving roughly 1,450+ students with a faculty of which over 98% hold Master's degrees or higher. The district is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education and led by a Superintendent of Schools as CEO, with senior leadership covering curriculum and instruction, finance and operations, technology, facilities, and special education.

The district's academic model is anchored by the International Baccalaureate framework: Dobbs Ferry High School is one of the first in Westchester County to offer the IB Diploma Programme, and in 2016 the district extended the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) to all middle and high school students, creating a continuous IB-aligned pathway from elementary through Diploma. The core technology stack is composed of third-party K-12 platforms rather than proprietary systems: Finalsite for the website, ClassLink for single sign-on, ManageBac for IB program management, eSchoolData for student information, Atlas Rubicon for curriculum mapping, DataMate for analytics, Panopto for board meeting video, Pick-A-Time for parent-teacher scheduling, Frontline for HR, and Anonymous Alerts for safety reporting. Athletics, school health services, and a recycling/sustainability program round out the service offering.

The business model is that of a government entity, not a commercial enterprise. Revenue is raised through voter-approved property taxes and New York State education aid, with no tuition charged to district residents; the Universal Pre-K program is provided at no cost to families under New York Education Law §3602-e. Enrollment is automatic for district residents rather than sold, and go-to-market consists of community engagement, Board of Education governance, and parent partnerships (PTSA, Dobbs Ferry Schools Foundation, Spring Community Partners, booster clubs) rather than sales motion. The district is not VC-backed, has no funding rounds, and is not pursuing geographic or vertical commercial expansion.

Name

Dobbs Ferry School District

Legal name

Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District

Website

https://dfsd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dobbs Ferry School District is a New York State public K-12 district in Westchester County serving 1,450+ students across Springhurst Elementary, Middle School, and High School, anchored by an International Baccalaureate curriculum framework. It is funded through property taxes and state aid with no tuition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• International Baccalaureate programs
• Early childhood education
• Secondary education services
• College preparatory curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Dobbs Ferry

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: Primary funding source through voter-approved property taxes. Annual budget votes determine the property tax levy for the district.
2. State Education Funding: State aid and funding from New York State Education Department based on formulas related to enrollment, property values, and other factors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dobbs Ferry School District operates a unified public school system comprising three schools—Springhurst Elementary School (Pre-K through Grade 5), Dobbs Ferry Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Dobbs Ferry High School (Grades 9-12)—serving approximately 1,450+ students. The district delivers comprehensive K-12 education anchored by the International Baccalaureate (IB) framework, including the Middle Years Program at the middle/high school and the IB Diploma Programme at the high school. Educational services are provided at no tuition charge to district residents, funded through local property taxes and New York State education aid.

Product overview

The Dobbs Ferry School District operates as a unified public school system comprising three schools: Springhurst Elementary School (Pre-K through Grade 5), Dobbs Ferry Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Dobbs Ferry High School (Grades 9-12), serving approximately 1,450+ students. The district offers a comprehensive educational program anchored by the International Baccalaureate framework, including the Middle Years Program (MYP) at the middle school and the IB Diploma Programme at the high school. The Pre-K Program provides early childhood education at Springhurst for eligible four-year-olds. Beyond core academics, the district provides athletics, health services, and sustainability initiatives. The district leverages various educational technology platforms including ManageBac for IB program management, Atlas Rubicon for curriculum planning, and eSchoolData for student information management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dobbs Ferry Pre-K Program
• Springhurst Elementary School
• Dobbs Ferry Middle School
• Dobbs Ferry High School
• International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
• DFSD Athletics Program
• School Health Services
• Recycling and Sustainability Program

Quantifiable outcome

• National Merit Scholars and Intel Science Semi-Finalists
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Hudson River Community Education (HRCE)coreOthersHudson River Community Education is a partner organization providing community education services. The district links to HRCE's website for additional educational programs and services.
• PTSA (Parent-Teacher-Student Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerParent-Teacher-Student Association plays an integral role in the school community, supporting educational programs and student activities through volunteerism and fundraising.
• Dobbs Ferry Schools FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Foundation supports the district through fundraising for educational initiatives and programs beyond what public funding covers.
• Spring Community PartnerssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization that partners with the district to support educational and community initiatives.
• Trailguides PartnerssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerParent volunteer organization that supports school programs and community engagement.
• Booster ClubssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious booster clubs support athletics and extracurricular activities through fundraising and volunteer efforts.
• Village of Dobbs FerrysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with the district on sustainability initiatives including recycling and waste reduction programs, as well as facility decisions affecting the broader community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free School District: Adjacent Westchester K-12 district serving a similar Hudson River rivertown community; comparable enrollment scale and similar emphasis on progressive, college-preparatory public education.
• Edgemont Union Free School District: Mid-sized Westchester K-12 district in the Greenburgh area with comparable demographics and a similar college-preparatory orientation, competing for the same regional family pool.
• Ossining Union Free School District: Hudson Valley Westchester K-12 district operating multiple schools with similar grade-band structure; provides comparison on scale of multi-school public district operations in the region.
• Irvington Union Free School District: Neighboring Westchester County public K-12 district of comparable small size; serves families in the Rivertowns area with similar IB and advanced coursework offerings, making it the closest demographic and programmatic peer.
• Ardsley Union Free School District: Nearby mid-sized Westchester K-12 district with comparable demographics and academic programming; competes with Dobbs Ferry for the same family demographic in the southern Westchester corridor.
• Bronxville Union Free School District: Highly-ranked Westchester K-12 district with strong college-prep reputation; comparable in size and academic positioning, and competes with Dobbs Ferry for college-bound families in Westchester.
• Tarrytown Union Free School District: Nearby rivertown Westchester K-12 district of similar size and demographic mix; comparable school configuration with elementary, middle, and high school campuses.
• Byram Hills Central School District: North-central Westchester K-12 district of similar enrollment scale and reputation for strong academic outcomes; another reference point for high-performing small suburban public school districts.
• Tuckahoe Union Free School District: Small neighboring Westchester K-12 district serving a similar suburban village community; comparable scale and student demographic profile.

Broad incumbents

• Scarsdale Union Free School District: Larger, well-known Westchester K-12 district that serves as a regional benchmark for academic rigor; sets the bar for what families in the area expect from public K-12 education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dobbsferryufsd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSJZkEIJNMO00xcD_42uTJg
• Facebookfacebook.com/dobbsferryschooldistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/dobbschools

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 Dobbs Ferry School District