Vancouver Public Schools

K-12 Public Educationvansd.org

Vancouver Public Schools is a public K-12 district in Vancouver, Washington serving approximately 20,000 students across 39 schools, funded through state apportionment and voter-approved levies, and offering traditional, choice, and dual-language programs.

Company typePublic
Founded1852
HeadquartersVancouver, United States
Headcount1,001–5,000
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Vancouver Public Schools does

Vancouver Public Schools (VPS) is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, providing free public education to approximately 20,000 students across 39 schools within a 58-square-mile service area. The district operates traditional neighborhood schools alongside a portfolio of choice programs — including the VITA and RBG elementary schools launched in 2023-24 — and dual-language instructional offerings designed to serve a diverse, bilingual student population.

VPS funds its operations through a mix of state per-pupil apportionment, voter-approved local levies (including a 2013 technology levy and a February 2025 technology/safety/capital levy), federal categorical grants, and bond proceeds. The 2017-2020 bond program financed a major cycle of school rebuilds and modernization, while recurring technology levies institutionalize ongoing investment in classroom and digital infrastructure. The district is governed by an elected school board and led by a superintendent (recently transitioned to Torres-Morales, succeeding Jeff Snell).

As a public-sector entity, VPS operates as a geographic monopoly on compulsory K-12 education within district boundaries, with no commercial revenue model, no equity holders, and no M&A optionality. Its strategic levers are voter-approved funding cycles, programmatic differentiation to retain and attract families, capital reinvestment in facilities, and talent/leadership succession. The entity is not an investable target in the conventional PE/VC sense but is comparable in scale and operating discipline to mid-sized public agencies.

Vancouver Public Schools firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Vancouver Public Schools
Legal name: Vancouver School District #37
Website: https://vansd.org
Company type: Public
Founded year: 1852
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1,001–5,000 employees
Short description: Vancouver Public Schools is a public K-12 district in Vancouver, Washington serving approximately 20,000 students across 39 schools, funded through state apportionment and voter-approved levies, and offering traditional, choice, and dual-language programs.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Vancouver Public Schools industry classification

Industry

Product category: K-12 Public Education
NAICS: Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
SIC: Services-Educational Services (8200)
akta.pro primary industry: Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

Keywords

K-12 public education
School district services
Special education programs
Career technical education
Language immersion schooling

Where Vancouver Public Schools is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Vancouver
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

Vancouver Public Schools business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

State Funding: Primary funding source from Washington State for basic education, covering approximately 80% of special education costs and other educational programs.
Local Levy Funding: Educational Program and Operations (E&O) levies approved by voters, representing approximately 12.5% of annual district funding. Covers classroom supplies, teachers, nurses, counselors, mental health staff, programs of choice, special education, safety staff, Family-Community Resource Centers, extracurricular activities, and building maintenance.
Bond Measures: Capital funding from voter-approved bonds used exclusively for facility construction, renovation, and major building projects. Bonds cannot fund day-to-day operations.
Technology and Capital Levy: Local levy funding for technology devices, software platforms, infrastructure, building system repairs, and safety improvements. Estimated at $0.29-$0.38 per $1,000 of assessed property value from 2026-2031.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Other	Annual	Free public education for all enrolled students

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Vancouver Public Schools product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Vancouver Public Schools is a public K-12 school district that delivers neighborhood schooling, specialized choice programs (including language immersion and STEM academies), career-technical education pathways, and a full continuum of student support services such as special education. Its core deliverable is free, publicly funded K-12 instruction and related student services to children residing within its boundaries.

Product overview

Vancouver Public Schools is a public school district serving approximately 20,000 students across 39 schools in Vancouver, Washington. The district operates a unified portfolio of educational offerings centered around its traditional neighborhood schools and comprehensive choice programs. The core educational delivery consists of 23 elementary schools (K-5), 6 middle schools (6-8), 5 comprehensive high schools, and specialized choice schools including Vancouver iTech Preparatory (STEM-focused, grades 6-12), Vancouver School of Arts and Academics (arts-focused, grades 6-12), Vancouver Innovation Technology and Arts Elementary (VITA, project-based learning), and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Elementary (dual-language choice school). Supporting infrastructure includes the weLearn 1:1 technology initiative providing devices to students grades 3-12, the Family-Community Resource Center network for family support services, Vancouver Virtual Learning Academy for remote learning, and Vancouver Home Connection for homeschool support. The district also offers career-focused choice programs including Construction Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Medical Arts, and Culinary Arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Neighborhood K-12 Schools Free, publicly funded K-12 instruction delivered to resident students at district-run neighborhood schools across elementary, middle, and high school grades. Intended for school-age children residing within district boundaries.
Choice Schools and Programs Specialized public school programs including language immersion, STEM-focused, and other option schools that allow families to choose alternatives to their assigned neighborhood school. Targeted at families seeking specialized academic pathways within the public system.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Career-pathway coursework and applied learning programs preparing high school students for industry credentials, trades, and post-secondary careers. Intended for secondary students interested in career and technical fields.
Special Education Services Comprehensive special education and related student support services for students with disabilities and learning needs, delivered as part of the district's K-12 public education mission. Intended for qualifying students and their families.

Quantifiable outcome

83.6% four-year graduation rate (2024)
+4 more outcomes

Companies that use Vancouver Public Schools

Customer profile

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Vancouver Public Schools technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Vancouver Public Schools partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

Foundation for Vancouver Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation established in 1988 to provide basic needs assistance, enrichment opportunities, and other support for students. Partners with the district to mobilize resources and remove obstacles to student success.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Vancouver Public Schools competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Seattle Public Schools: Largest Washington public school district with similar governance structure, levy funding model, and broad academic program portfolio. Larger scale but operationally comparable in choice programs, special education, and multilingual services.
Tacoma Public Schools: Large urban Washington public school district operating K-12 schools with IB, CTE, and dual-language programs. Comparable urban-suburban profile with diverse student population and similar funding mix of state and local levy dollars.
Long Beach Unified School District: Large, award-winning California public school district recognized for academic outcomes and integrated technology programs. Comparable in operating scale, choice school portfolio, and use of community resource centers as wraparound support.
Prince William County Public Schools: Large suburban mid-Atlantic public school district with comparable K-12 portfolio including IB, CTE, and specialized academies. Similar headcount band and emphasis on community engagement and choice programs.

Emerging players

Khan Academy: Nonprofit online learning provider serving K-12 students and educators with personalized learning tools. Adjacent to VPS's weLearn 1:1 program and VVLA virtual academy as a potential supplemental content, tutoring, or AI-enabled learning partner.

Direct peers

Portland Public Schools: Adjacent Portland-metro public school district serving a similar urban-suburban student population with extensive choice programs and magnet schools. Comparable size band and governance model with elected board and superintendent structure.
Hillsboro School District: Adjacent Oregon public school district offering STEM, CTE, dual-language, and arts-focused choice programs. Similar suburban profile, levy funding model, and emphasis on equity and wraparound services.
Beaverton School District: Suburban Portland-metro public school district serving a highly diverse student population with extensive choice programs and dual-language immersion. Directly comparable in scale (20,000+ students), demographics, and operational footprint.
Spokane Public Schools: Mid-sized Washington public school district operating neighborhood, magnet, and choice schools. Comparable size band, funding mix, and reliance on local levies, with similar graduation-rate and outcome reporting requirements.
Evergreen Public Schools: Neighboring Washington public school district serving a comparable suburban Vancouver/Clark County footprint. Operates a similar K-12 portfolio with magnet/choice programs and competes with VPS for inter-district transfer students and families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Vancouver Public Schools financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Vancouver Public Schools leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Vancouver Public Schools subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries5 records

Vancouver Public Schools funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Vancouver Public Schools M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vancouver Public Schools

What does Vancouver Public Schools do?

Is Vancouver Public Schools a public or private company?

Vancouver Public Schools is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was Vancouver Public Schools founded?

Vancouver Public Schools was founded in 1852. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.

Where is Vancouver Public Schools based?

Vancouver Public Schools is headquartered in Vancouver, United States, in the North America region.

How does Vancouver Public Schools make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. State Funding is the primary driver. The others are local Levy Funding, bond Measures and technology and Capital Levy.

Who are Vancouver Public Schools's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Seattle Public Schools, Tacoma Public Schools, Long Beach Unified School District and Prince William County Public Schools. Khan Academy is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Portland Public Schools, Hillsboro School District, Beaverton School District, Spokane Public Schools and Evergreen Public Schools.

Does Vancouver Public Schools have an API?

No public API is recorded for Vancouver Public Schools.

What industry is Vancouver Public Schools in?

Vancouver Public Schools's product category is K-12 Public Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAE, Public K–12 Combined Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.