Bentonville Schools
Bentonville Schools is a public K-12 district in Northwest Arkansas operating 24 schools and specialty programs that serve approximately 20,000 students across a 142-square-mile boundary, funded by state aid, local property taxes, federal programs, and student fees on a $254.8M operating budget.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1841
- HeadquartersBentonville, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bentonville Schools does
Bentonville Schools, legally Bentonville School District 6, is a public K-12 school district headquartered at 500 Tiger Boulevard in Bentonville, Arkansas, governed by an elected Board of Education under Arkansas state law. Founded in 1841 as a subscription school and operating its first public school in 1872, it now serves 19,979-20,167 students across 24 campuses (13 elementary, 5 middle, 4 junior high, 2 high schools) plus virtual, gateway, pre-K, and specialty programs spanning a 142-square-mile district that includes portions of Bentonville, Bella Vista, Cave Springs, Centerton, Highfill, Little Flock and Rogers. The district employs 1,435 certified teachers, 65 of whom are National Board Certified, supported by an executive team led by Superintendent Dr. Debbie Jones (2025 Arkansas Superintendent of the Year and National finalist), Deputy Superintendent & CFO Dr. Janet Schwanhausser, and COO Tanya Sharp.
The district's core technology stack is a Finalsite-powered website integrating BusQuest (transportation registration), Bus Compass (real-time bus tracking), Otus and Home Access Center (grades and attendance), SchoolStatus Connect (family engagement), Nutrislice (menus), a 1:1 Chromebook program, and the recently deployed Transportant cloud-based fleet management system. Academic and workforce programs include Ignite Professional Studies (with AI, robotics, biomedical, and aviation strands), Career & Technical Education with industry certifications, Parent Choice Schools (IB, Arts Integration, Leadership, Visible Learning), TREC gifted programming, NJROTC, and a Visual & Performing Arts program ranked #1 in Arkansas.
Bentonville Schools is funded by per-pupil state aid through the Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, local property taxes at a 46.8 millage rate, federal Title I/IDEA/COVID-19 relief, and ancillary student fees (meals K-6 at $2.85, 7-12 at $3.05, adult at $4.75). Its 2024-2025 operating budget is $254,846,400, equivalent to $11,509 per pupil. The district monetizes its public-mission position through program breadth rather than per-seat pricing, achieving a 95% graduation rate, 21 National Merit Finalists in 2025-2026, 79% AP pass rates, $12.9M in scholarships, and a 3rd-ranked US athletics program with 200+ Arkansas state championships.
Bentonville Schools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bentonville Schools
- Legal name
- Bentonville School District 6
- Website
- https://bentonvillek12.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1841
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Bentonville Schools is a public K-12 district in Northwest Arkansas operating 24 schools and specialty programs that serve approximately 20,000 students across a 142-square-mile boundary, funded by state aid, local property taxes, federal programs, and student fees on a $254.8M operating budget.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bentonville Schools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ), Public Magnet & Specialty Schools (STEM/Arts/IB/CTE) (EDAJAAAF), District-Run Virtual Academies & Online Programs (EDAJADAB)
Keywords
Where Bentonville Schools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bentonville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Bentonville Schools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- State Funding: Per-pupil state funding distributed through Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education based on enrollment and performance metrics.
- Local Property Taxes (Millage): Local revenue from 46.8 millage rate on property values within district boundaries.
- Federal Programs: Federal funding including Title I, IDEA special education, and COVID-19 relief funds.
- Student Fees: Meal prices (Student Lunch K-6: $2.85, Student Lunch 7-12: $3.05), facility rentals, and program fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Operating Budget 2024-2025 |
| Subscription | Annual | Per Pupil Expenditure |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student Lunch K-6 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student Lunch 7-12 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult Lunch |
| Subscription | Annual | Free and Reduced Meals |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Bentonville Schools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bentonville Schools operates as a public K-12 school district delivering comprehensive primary, middle, and secondary education to approximately 19,979 students across 24 campuses in Northwest Arkansas. The district offers standard academics alongside specialized programs including International Baccalaureate, Career & Technical Education, Ignite Professional Studies, Visual & Performing Arts, Gifted & Talented (TREC), virtual schooling, and parent choice specialty schools, supported by transportation, food services, and family engagement platforms.
Product overview
Bentonville Schools operates as a public school district offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and digital services. The district's core technology platform is its website powered by Finalsite, which integrates multiple digital tools including BusQuest and Bus Compass for transportation management, Otus and Home Access Center for grades/attendance, SchoolStatus Connect for family engagement, Nutrislice for food services, and the Online Safety Hub. The district's academic programs include Ignite Professional Studies (with AI, robotics, biomedical science strands), Career & Technical Education, Parent Choice Schools (offering IB, Arts Integration, Leadership, Visible Learning models), Virtual School, Gateway, Excellent Beginnings (pre-K), Gifted & Talented (TREC), Visual & Performing Arts, and NJROTC. Transportation services utilize Transportant cloud-based technology for fleet management and real-time tracking.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ignite Professional Studies
- Career & Technical Education (CTE)
- Parent Choice Schools
- Bentonville Schools Virtual
- Bentonville Schools Gateway
- Excellent Beginnings
- Gifted & Talented (TREC)
- Visual & Performing Arts
- Bentonville NJROTC
- Student Transportation Services
- Food & Nutrition Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% graduation rate with 1,550 graduates in 2026
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Bentonville Schools
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Bentonville Schools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Bentonville Schools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- TransportantcoreImplementing cloud-based school transportation technology including integrated GPS, routing, and live video capabilities. The system replaces fragmented legacy tools with unified platform enabling real-time bus monitoring and parent arrival updates.
- Alice L. Walton FoundationflagshipPartnership to expand the Ignite Professional Studies program at the planned Bentonville Health Care Campus, creating a pipeline for future healthcare professionals. Students from eight regional districts will gain work-based learning experience and industry credentials before the campus opens in 2028.
- Heartland Whole Health InstituteflagshipCollaborating with Alice Walton Foundation and Bentonville Schools to expand Ignite Professional Studies program focused on healthcare workforce development, potentially doubling enrollment capacity for the health sciences strand.
- Pitt State (Pittsburg State University)coreScholarship program where ten Ignite Professional Studies students receive full tuition to attend Pitt State.
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American ArtminorCommunity partner for Sugar Creek Arts Academy, providing arts integration opportunities for students through museum collaborations.
- AmazeumminorCommunity partner for Sugar Creek Arts Academy, offering STEAM-focused learning experiences and collaborations.
- Community Businesses and PartnerscoreLocal businesses partner with Ignite instructors to provide students workplace experience in environments ranging from boardroom to operating room. Over 2,400 field trips annually supported through community partnerships.
- Arkansas State LegislaturecoreCollaborated on legislation to make schools safer.
- U.S. Department of Homeland SecuritycorePartnership supporting See Something, Say Something campaign for school safety and threat reporting.
Scale indicators36 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Bentonville Schools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Springdale School District: Adjacent Northwest Arkansas public school district serving a comparable K-12 population with overlapping labor market, transportation corridors, and statewide accountability metrics. Most direct geographic and operational peer for Bentonville.
- Rogers Public Schools: Neighboring NWA public district within the same Benton County labor pool and competing for the same families. Operates a similar K-12 footprint with overlapping district boundaries.
- Fayetteville Public Schools: Northwest Arkansas public district anchored by the University of Arkansas. Comparable size, similar demographics, and competes with Bentonville for regional talent and Walton-family philanthropy.
Regional players
- Cabot Public Schools: One of the largest Arkansas public school districts outside central Arkansas. Comparable scale and statewide accountability framework but operates in a different regional market.
- Fort Smith Public Schools: Large Arkansas public school district operating across a similar enrollment scale. Comparable funding mix (state, local millage, federal) and similar governance structure under Arkansas law.
Broad incumbents
- Gwinnett County Public Schools: Largest public school district in Georgia and one of the largest in the U.S., serving a similar suburban/exurban population with comparable scale and program breadth (CTE, fine arts, athletics).
- Wake County Public School System: Large, high-performing North Carolina public district comparable in size and academic reputation. Frequently cited alongside Bentonville as a top-tier large suburban district.
- Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District: Large Texas suburban district of comparable enrollment scale with strong athletics and CTE programming. Useful peer for benchmarking operating efficiency and program breadth.
Emerging players
- BASIS Charter Schools: High-performing charter network competing for college-bound families in many of the same metros where Bentonville draws students. Useful proxy for charter/private competitive pressure on enrollment.
- KIPP Public Schools: National charter network with strong college-prep focus. Represents the alternative K-12 model competing for outcome-driven families and benchmarking partner for performance-based funding strategies.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bentonville Schools social profiles
Digital presenceBentonville Schools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bentonville Schools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
Bentonville Schools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bentonville Schools 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 Bentonville Schools
What does Bentonville Schools do?
Bentonville Schools operates as a public K-12 school district delivering comprehensive primary, middle, and secondary education to approximately 19,979 students across 24 campuses in Northwest Arkansas. The district offers standard academics alongside specialized programs including International Baccalaureate, Career & Technical Education, Ignite Professional Studies, Visual & Performing Arts, Gifted & Talented (TREC), virtual schooling, and parent choice specialty schools, supported by transportation, food services, and family engagement platforms.
Is Bentonville Schools a public or private company?
Bentonville Schools is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Bentonville Schools founded?
Bentonville Schools was founded in 1841. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Bentonville Schools based?
Bentonville Schools is headquartered in Bentonville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Bentonville Schools make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. State Funding is the primary driver. The others are local Property Taxes (Millage), federal Programs and student Fees.
Who are Bentonville Schools's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Springdale School District, Rogers Public Schools and Fayetteville Public Schools. Regional players are Cabot Public Schools and Fort Smith Public Schools. Broad incumbents are Gwinnett County Public Schools, Wake County Public School System and Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. Emerging players are BASIS Charter Schools and KIPP Public Schools.
Does Bentonville Schools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bentonville Schools.
What industry is Bentonville Schools in?
Bentonville Schools's product category is Public K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADABAA, Public School Districts (K–12), with a secondary code of EDAJAAAJ, Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs. Its NAICS code is 611110 and its SIC code is 8200.