Grad Solutions
Grad Solutions operates a free, accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21, funded by public school district partnerships and delivering self-paced Edgenuity-powered coursework with wrap-around mentoring, therapy, and HUB resource centers across Arizona.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersMesa, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Grad Solutions does
Grad Solutions (legally Graduation Solutions LLC) is an Educational Management Organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Gilbert, Arizona, that operates a free, fully accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21 who have left traditional high school. The core product delivers 100% online, self-paced coursework through the Edgenuity curriculum platform with no attendance or seat time requirements, supplemented by remote exam proctoring via ProctorKey. Graduates receive accredited diplomas issued through partner schools, with the program triple-accredited by Accreditation International, the Middle States Association, and the National Council for Private School Accreditation.
The business model is a managed-services EMO funded by Arizona public school districts and county school superintendent offices (Maricopa and Pima counties), allowing zero-cost tuition to eligible students. Distribution relies on a product-led self-enrollment website (iwantmydiploma.com), a network of 6 HUB (Helping Undo Barriers) resource centers and 3 Goodwill partner locations across Arizona, formal county and school district referral partnerships, and a sister program Smart Schools that captures non-qualifying (over-21 or out-of-state) students. Customer segmentation is intentionally broad — covering expelled students, teen parents, students with chronic illness or mental health needs, low-income and homeless students, military aspirants, and full-time workers — each served through dedicated programs including Mentoring, Next Step college/career counseling, CREW work-study credit, Exceptional Student Services (IEP/504), and free licensed therapy.
Strategic positioning is reinforced by wrap-around human services rather than technology differentiation: there is no disclosed AI or proprietary model capability, and competitive advantage derives from regulatory accreditation, a dense Arizona community footprint, multi-stakeholder referral channels, and emotional switching costs created through personalized mentor relationships. The company has expanded into Arkansas in February 2024 and announced a Texas administrative office in Houston as coming soon, while operating subsidiaries include Smart Schools (adult/out-of-state tuition program), Lumos Arts, The HUB brand, and nonprofit StudentsFirst.
Grad Solutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grad Solutions
- Legal name
- Graduation Solutions LLC
- Website
- https://iwantmydiploma.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Grad Solutions operates a free, accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21, funded by public school district partnerships and delivering self-paced Edgenuity-powered coursework with wrap-around mentoring, therapy, and HUB resource centers across Arizona.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grad Solutions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online High School Education / Dropout Recovery Services
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Credit Recovery & Learning Loss Catch-Up Programs (K–12) (EDAJAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Alternative, Continuation & Credit-Recovery Schools (EDAJAAAG)
Keywords
Where Grad Solutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mesa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Grad Solutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government-Funded Educational Services: Grad Solutions operates as a fully-funded dropout recovery program for Arizona residents aged 16-21. The program is tuition-free to students, funded through partnerships with Arizona public school districts and county school superintendents. Diplomas are issued through partner schools. The organization also receives grants (e.g., Cardinals Charities $2,500 grant to Smart Schools in Mesa).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Dropout Recovery Program for Arizona Residents aged 16-21 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Grad Solutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Grad Solutions operates a free, accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21 who have been withdrawn from high school. The program delivers self-paced Edgenuity curriculum 100% online with no attendance or seat time requirements, supplemented by personal mentoring, tutoring, therapy, college/career counseling, and in-person wraparound services at six HUB resource centers across Arizona. Accredited high school diplomas are issued through partner schools, with graduates receiving a full diploma rather than a GED.
Product overview
Grad Solutions operates as a free, accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21. The core product, the Grad Solutions Dropout Recovery Program, delivers curriculum through Edgenuity with 100% online, self-paced courses requiring no attendance or seat time. Students receive wraparound support through multiple integrated services including the Mentoring Program for personalized guidance, the Next Step Program for college and career planning, the CREW work-study program for earning elective credits through employment, Exceptional Student Services (ESS) for IEP/504 accommodations, and Therapy and Counseling Services for mental health support. Physical support is provided through The HUB resource centers across Arizona. The company also operates Smart Schools as a partner program serving adults 21+ and out-of-state students through a separate tuition-based model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Grad Solutions Dropout Recovery Program Free, fully accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21 not currently enrolled in high school. Students earn an accredited diploma through self-paced Edgenuity-powered curriculum accessible 24/7 with no attendance or seat time requirements.
- Smart Schools Partner program serving adults over 21 and out-of-state students. A non-profit, private, accredited online high school with low tuition and flexible program options.
- The HUB Resource Centers Physical resource centers (Helping Undo Barriers) across Arizona providing in-person tutoring, mentoring, computer/wifi access, meals, food pantry, clothing closet, mental health counseling, and other community services to enrolled students.
- Mentoring Program Each student is assigned a dedicated personal mentor who monitors progress, provides one-on-one guidance, and remains with the student through graduation via phone, email, and text check-ins.
- Next Step Program College and career counseling program helping students identify career pathways including employment, military enlistment, trade and certificate programs, college degree seeking, and university rigor tracks. Includes FAFSA support and concurrent enrollment options.
- CREW Program Work-study program allowing students to earn elective credits by applying hours from their current employment toward graduation requirements.
- Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Specialized support for students with IEP and 504 plans, providing accommodations, modifications, assistive technology, assessment modifications, and social-emotional support in an online learning environment.
- Therapy and Counseling Services No-cost licensed professional counseling services available to students and their families, offered in-person in Gilbert, AZ or online via tele-therapy to support mental health and emotional well-being.
- Arkansas High School Diploma Program Expansion of the free online high school diploma program to Arkansas residents, extending Grad Solutions' dropout recovery services beyond Arizona for the first time.
Quantifiable outcome
- High school graduates earn 22% more annually than those who did not complete high school (per National Center for Education Statistics)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Grad Solutions
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Grad Solutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature6 records
Grad Solutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Arkansas Education Seekers (new state expansion)minorGrad Solutions announced expansion of its high school diploma program for Arkansas residents, extending services beyond Arizona for the first time.
- Maricopa County School SuperintendentcoreFormal partnership with the Maricopa County School Superintendent's office (led by Steve Watson) to provide dropout recovery services to students across Maricopa County, Arizona's most populous county. Grad Solutions issues diplomas through partner schools in the county.
- Pima County School SuperintendentcorePartnership with the Pima County School Superintendent's office (led by Dustin Williams) to launch a new high school diploma recovery program serving Pima County students. Graduate photos with Pima County Superintendent at graduation ceremonies.
- Ace Charter High SchoolcoreCharter school partner through which Grad Solutions issues high school diplomas. Partner logo displayed on Grad Solutions partnerships page.
- New Crossroads AcademyminorSchool partnership providing diploma issuance and student referral services.
- J.O. Combs Unified School DistrictminorSchool district partnership for dropout recovery program delivery.
- Flagstaff Unified School DistrictminorSchool district partnership for dropout recovery program delivery in the Flagstaff area.
- Goodwill of Southern ArizonacoreThree Goodwill partner locations in Tucson (Metro Youth Center, Opportunity Youth Center, REC Center) serve as community access points providing computer and internet access, study space, and referral services for Grad Solutions students.
- Phoenix Rescue MissionminorCommunity organization partner providing resources and referrals for students experiencing homelessness or economic hardship.
- Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Teen CenterminorCommunity partner providing resources and referrals for teen students through the Solid Rock foundation.
- Harvest Compassion CenterminorCommunity organization partner providing food and compassion resources for students and their families.
- Smart SchoolscoreSister nonprofit organization offering a private, accredited online high school with low tuition for students who don't qualify for the free Grad Solutions program (e.g., over age 21 or outside Arizona). Creates a comprehensive student referral pipeline across all 50 states and globally.
- EdgenuitycoreCurriculum delivery platform providing online course content. Edgenuity's Learndsa well platform powers the academic coursework for all Grad Solutions students.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Grad Solutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stride Inc. (K12): The largest publicly traded online K-12 operator in the U.S., serving full-time, part-time, and credit-recovery students across 30+ states. Broad incumbent competing for online learning budgets and district contracts, but not specialized in dropout recovery.
- Connections Academy: National online K-12 public school operator with multiple Arizona presence, including partnerships with county education entities. Broad incumbent in the online K-12 space; overlaps with Grad Solutions in AZ online high school demand, though focused on full-time K-12 rather than dropout recovery.
Direct peers
- Primavera Online Learning: Arizona-based online high school serving at-risk and traditional students with a flexible, self-paced model. Direct peer given the same Arizona market, online K-12 diploma model, and at-risk student focus, though Primavera is a charter operator rather than a dropout-recovery EMO.
- ASU Prep Digital: Arizona State University's online K-12 program offering flexible, accredited high school coursework. Direct peer in the AZ online high school market, differentiated by a university brand and broader academic scope, but serving overlapping student segments seeking alternative paths to a diploma.
- Penn Foster High School: Nationally recognized online high school diploma program serving at-risk, adult, and alternative-pathway students. Direct peer in the online high school diploma category with a tuition-based model and similar self-paced, asynchronous delivery.
- ReUp Education (formerly Graduation Alliance): Specialist in dropout recovery and adult re-engagement, partnering with school districts to re-enroll and graduate stop-out students. Direct peer in the dropout-recovery EMO category with national contracts and similar target population.
- Insight Academy of Arizona: Online charter high school serving Arizona students with a flexible, self-paced model. Direct peer in the AZ online high school market, though structured as a charter rather than an EMO.
- Arizona Virtual Academy: Tuition-free online public school serving K-12 students across Arizona. Direct peer given the same Arizona geography, online K-12 model, and free-to-student funding structure through state public funding.
Others
- Imagine Learning (parent of Edgenuity): Curriculum and digital learning provider whose Edgenuity platform powers Grad Solutions' academic content. Not a competitor but a critical infrastructure partner; a platform change would directly affect Grad Solutions' service delivery.
- Communities In Schools: National nonprofit providing dropout prevention and student support services inside K-12 schools. Adjacent ecosystem participant addressing the same at-risk student population through a different (in-school, nonprofit) model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Grad Solutions social profiles
Digital presenceGrad Solutions compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Grad Solutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grad Solutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Grad Solutions subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Grad Solutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grad Solutions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Grad Solutions
What does Grad Solutions do?
Grad Solutions operates a free, accredited online high school dropout recovery program for Arizona residents ages 16-21 who have been withdrawn from high school. The program delivers self-paced Edgenuity curriculum 100% online with no attendance or seat time requirements, supplemented by personal mentoring, tutoring, therapy, college/career counseling, and in-person wraparound services at six HUB resource centers across Arizona. Accredited high school diplomas are issued through partner schools, with graduates receiving a full diploma rather than a GED.
Is Grad Solutions a public or private company?
Grad Solutions is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Grad Solutions founded?
Grad Solutions was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Grad Solutions based?
Grad Solutions is headquartered in Mesa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Grad Solutions make money?
One revenue line is on record: government-Funded Educational Services.
Who are Grad Solutions's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stride Inc. (K12) and Connections Academy. Direct peers are Primavera Online Learning, ASU Prep Digital, Penn Foster High School, ReUp Education (formerly Graduation Alliance), Insight Academy of Arizona and Arizona Virtual Academy. Others are Imagine Learning (parent of Edgenuity) and Communities In Schools.
Does Grad Solutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grad Solutions.
What industry is Grad Solutions in?
Grad Solutions's product category is Online High School Education / Dropout Recovery Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAGAI, Credit Recovery & Learning Loss Catch-Up Programs (K–12), with a secondary code of EDAJAAAG, Public Alternative, Continuation & Credit-Recovery Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.