What Alpha Public Schools does

Alpha Public Schools is a nonprofit network of tuition-free public charter schools serving approximately 1,900 students in East San José, California. Founded in 2012 by local families seeking stronger academic options, the network operates four schools: three TK-8 campuses (Alpha: Cornerstone Academy, Alpha: Blanca Alvarado, and Alpha: José Hernández) and one high school (Alpha: Cindy Avitia). The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, led by CEO Shara Hegde, and structured around a college-preparatory mission with an explicit focus on first-generation students, reporting an 80% college matriculation rate and a 89% high school graduation rate, with 543+ graduates to date.

The network's "product" is a whole-child TK-12 education that bundles a Common Core and A-G approved college-prep curriculum with social-emotional learning, special education services, English language development, free meals, and a broad athletics and clubs program. The technology stack is intentionally light: there is no proprietary platform; instruction is delivered through traditional in-person classrooms augmented by partner-provided 1:1 virtual tutoring (Ignite Reading) and a third-party lottery/enrollment system (SchoolMint). Extended-day programming is delivered via partnerships with Boys & Girls Club and Catholic Charities CORAL, and high schoolers access college credit through a dual-enrollment partnership with Evergreen Community College. An Alumni Success program supports graduates through college completion.

The business model is public funding: Alpha is financed primarily through California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) per-pupil revenue, supplemented by federal Title funds, state and local grants targeted at high-need students, and philanthropic donations. There is no tuition. Enrollment is demand-driven via a public lottery, with sibling and FRPM preferences applied per California Education Code. Operating geographies are restricted to a single market (East San José), and the network declared "full scale" in 2023 with no disclosed plans for additional schools. Awards (California Distinguished School 2014 and 2018; School to Watch 2023; Hart Vision Equity and Innovation Leader 2023) and an experienced charter-sector leadership bench constitute the principal intangible assets.

Name

Alpha Public Schools

Legal name

Alpha Public Schools

Website

https://alphapublicschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alpha Public Schools is a nonprofit network of four tuition-free public charter schools in East San José, California, serving approximately 1,900 TK-12 students with a college-preparatory mission focused on first-generation college students, funded primarily through per-pupil state and federal allocations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ), Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• Public charter schools
• K-12 education
• College preparatory programs
• Special education services
• Extended learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (Per-Pupil Revenue): As a public charter school network, Alpha Public Schools is funded primarily through per-pupil state and federal funding. No tuition is charged to students.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alpha Public Schools operates four tuition-free public charter schools in East San José, California, serving approximately 1,900 students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade. The network delivers a college-preparatory A-G curriculum with whole-child supports including special education, English language development, extended-day programming, athletics, and an Alumni Success program supporting graduates through college completion. All schools are publicly funded through per-pupil state and federal allocations; no tuition is charged to families.

Product overview

Alpha Public Schools is a unified network of four free public charter schools serving TK-12 students in East San José, California. The network provides a college-preparatory education with four schools: three TK-8 schools (Alpha: Cornerstone Academy, Alpha: Blanca Alvarado, and Alpha: José Hernández) and one high school (Alpha: Cindy Avitia High School). Schools offer rigorous academics aligned with Common Core standards, A-G approved courses, special education services, extended day programming through partners like the Boys & Girls Club and Catholic Charities, competitive athletics, interest clubs, and comprehensive college readiness programs including an Alumni Success program supporting graduates through college completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alpha: Cornerstone Academy Preparatory School Tuition-free TK-8 public charter school within the Alpha Public Schools network, providing A-G aligned college-preparatory academics, free breakfast and lunch, special education services, English language development, athletics, and interest clubs for students in East San José.
• Alpha: Blanca Alvarado School Tuition-free TK-8 public charter school and the founding school of the Alpha network, providing college-prep academics, inclusion-based special education, social-emotional learning, free meals, athletics, and extended-day programming through the Boys & Girls Club for students in East San José.
• Alpha: José Hernández School Tuition-free TK-8 public charter school within the Alpha network offering college-preparatory academics, inclusion-based special education, English language development, free meals, athletics, interest clubs, and extended-day programming through the Boys & Girls Club for students in East San José.
• Alpha: Cindy Avitia High School Tuition-free 9-12 public charter high school offering a college-preparatory A-G curriculum, free meals, dual-enrollment college courses at Evergreen Community College, special education, competitive athletics, interest clubs, and Alumni Success program support for college-bound graduates (80% of seniors enroll in college).
• Alumni Success Program Network-wide support program for Alpha Public Schools graduates that helps first-generation college students navigate college enrollment, persistence, and completion; foundational to the network's reported 80% college enrollment and 90% first-generation outcomes.
• Special Education Services Inclusion-based special education program operating across all four Alpha schools, providing individualized education plans, continuum of services, and compliance structures for students with IEPs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of Alpha: Cindy Avitia seniors enroll in college the fall after graduation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boys & Girls ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Boys & Girls Club provides extended day programming at Alpha: José Hernández and Alpha: Blanca Alvarado schools. The program offers homework help, healthy snacks, active play, and mentorship, available immediately after school through 6pm for all grades.
• Catholic Charities of Silicon Valley (CORAL Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCORAL (Catholic Charities) provides extended day programming at Alpha: Cornerstone Academy. The program offers homework help, healthy snacks, and active play with 230 spots available including 30 specifically for TK/K students.
• Ignite ReadingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Ignite Reading provides 1:1 virtual tutoring using the Science of Reading methodology to help young readers develop strong reading skills and confidence.
• Gordon PhilanthropiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGordon Philanthropies enriches classrooms with new books in both English and Spanish, providing teachers and students access to educational, entertaining, and age-appropriate reading materials.
• Evergreen Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual enrollment partnership allowing Alpha: Cindy Avitia High School students to take college-level courses at Evergreen Community College while completing high school requirements.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Citizens of the World Charter Schools: Charter school network serving diverse, underserved communities in California with a social-emotional and rigorous academics model. Comparable to Alpha's whole-child approach and lottery-based enrollment serving high-need families.
• Rocketship Public Schools: Bay Area-rooted charter CMO serving TK-5 students in underserved communities, with a blended learning model. Comparable to Alpha's TK-8 campuses in mission and geography, but younger grade-band focus and national footprint.
• Caliber Public Schools: Bay Area charter network operating TK-8 schools with a mission to close the opportunity gap for underserved students. Comparable to Alpha in geography, grade-band mix, and equity-driven mission; smaller in scale.
• Summit Public Schools: Bay Area-based charter school network with a college-preparatory mission and self-directed learning model. Highly comparable to Alpha in geography and K-12 charter positioning, though it has pursued a broader national replication strategy.
• KIPP Bay Area Public Schools: Large Bay Area charter CMO operating multiple TK-12 schools with a college-prep mission and focus on underserved communities. Directly comparable to Alpha in model, geography, and student demographic, but at significantly greater scale.
• Lighthouse Community Public Schools: Oakland-based public charter school system serving TK-12 students with a college-prep focus and whole-child approach. Closely comparable to Alpha in scale, mission, and operating model; Alpha's CFO previously served as Director of Finance at Lighthouse, evidencing direct talent crossover.

Broad incumbents

• Aspire Public Schools: California-headquartered charter network operating schools across multiple states with a college-prep mission. Broader geographic and grade-band reach than Alpha, but operates in the same charter K-12 space with a similar equity-focused student population.
• Green Dot Public Schools: California-based charter organization operating multiple public charter schools focused on college preparedness in underserved communities. Comparable mission and student demographic to Alpha, but materially larger and more geographically diversified within California.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AlphaCornerstone
• Xx.com/alphaschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Alpha Public Schools