What The Walker School does

The Walker School is an independent, nonprofit college-preparatory institution serving more than 900 students from PK3 through 12th grade in Marietta, Georgia, within the metro Atlanta area. The school operates across four academic divisions — Primary School (ages 3-6), Lower School (K-4), Middle School (5-8), and Upper School (9-12) — plus specialized programs including the New Avenues Dyslexia Program and the Walker Leadership Institute. Curriculum is built around small classes averaging 15 students and includes concentration programs in Public Health, Engineering, and Humanities, with college-credit-bearing post-AP courses in Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus delivered via the Georgia Tech Distance Math Program.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through tuition billed annually to enrolled families, supplemented by auxiliary programs (Walker Summer Camp, Extended Day, Wolverine Warehouse merchandise store) and philanthropic support via The Walker Fund and the Georgia GOAL scholarship program. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; financial assistance is available through The Walker Fund, Georgia GOAL, and need-based aid. GTM is a sales-led direct-enrollment motion: prospective families inquire via web or phone, take campus tours and division-specific visits, apply through the Ravenna Solutions platform, and enroll through the admissions office.

Cobb County operations span three sites: a main campus at 700 Cobb Parkway North (middle and upper schools, athletics, performing arts, library, dining), the Primary School campus at 830 Damar Road, and athletic fields at 815 Allgood Road. Governance is by a Board of Trustees under Head of School Carl Carlson; senior leadership was restructured in 2024-2025 with the addition of a Head of Middle School (Andrew Fuller), a new Head of Upper School (Ryan Clements), and the creation of an Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs role (Michael Arjona). The school has been ranked Best Private School in Cobb County by Niche for eight consecutive years with an A+ overall grade.

Name

The Walker School

Legal name

The Walker School

Website

https://thewalkerschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Walker School is an independent, nonprofit college-preparatory school in Marietta, Georgia, serving more than 900 students from PK3 through 12th grade across four academic divisions, with tuition-funded operations and eight consecutive years of top Niche rankings in Cobb County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The Walker School generates revenue primarily through tuition charges for students enrolled in PK3 through 12th grade. The school offers tuition and financial assistance programs. Additional revenue streams include summer programs, extended day programs, and the Wolverine Warehouse merchandise store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Walker School is an independent, nonprofit college-preparatory school serving students from PK3 through 12th grade across four academic divisions (Primary, Lower, Middle, and Upper School) on its two Marietta, Georgia campuses. The school sells tuition-based enrollment, supplemented by specialized programs such as the New Avenues Dyslexia Program, Walker Summer Camp, the Walker Leadership Institute, and an extensive Athletics and Arts co-curricular program. Families engage directly through an Admissions Office process that includes campus tours, Open House events, and online applications via Ravenna Solutions.

Product overview

The Walker School is a private, college-preparatory independent school for students in PK3 through 12th grade, located in Marietta, Georgia. The school operates as a single unified educational institution with four academic divisions (Primary School, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School) that work together as an integrated K-12 program. Supporting the core academic divisions are specialized programs including the New Avenues Dyslexia Program, Walker Summer Camp, and the Walker Leadership Institute. The school also offers extensive co-curricular programs in Athletics (with over 50 teams) and Arts (Visual, Performing, and Technical Arts), plus robotics and other extracurricular activities. With an average class size of 15-16 students, the school emphasizes personalized education, academic excellence, and character development based on core values of curiosity, dignity, honor, and kindness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Walker Summer Camp: Summer camp program for students
• Walker Leadership Institute (WLI)
• New Avenues Dyslexia Program
• Wolverine Warehouse
• Spyder Bytes

Products and services

• Primary School Early childhood education program for students ages 3-6 (PK3 through Kindergarten), focusing on building academic foundations, social-emotional skills, independence, and curiosity through exploration-based learning at the 830 Damar Road Primary School campus.
• Lower School Elementary education program for grades 1-4 where students achieve cognitive, physical, and emotional milestones while building foundational academic skills and beginning self-discovery.
• Middle School Middle school program for grades 5-8 designed for students to explore their interests while developing study skills, organization habits, and strong character with an average class size of 16 students.
• Upper School College-preparatory high school program for grades 9-12 with concentration programs in Public Health, Engineering, and Humanities, post-AP Calculus courses (Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus), and dedicated college counseling services.
• New Avenues Dyslexia Program Specialized program for students with dyslexia, offering a unique curriculum and support tailored to dyslexic learners with dedicated faculty trained in Orton-Gillingham-based approaches.
• Walker Summer Camp Summer program offering academic and recreational activities for students during summer break, located at the school's campus facilities.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program with over 50 teams across multiple sports; 72% of students in grades 6-12 participate, 30% play more than one sport, including state championships in various sports. Includes Strength and Conditioning and Sports Medicine.
• Arts Program (Visual, Performing, Technical) Comprehensive arts program including Visual Arts, Performing Arts (drama, musical theater), and Technical Arts (stagecraft, set design, lighting, audio). Students participate in annual productions, gallery exhibitions, and competitions including Carnegie Hall selections.
• Walker Leadership Institute Student leadership development program teaching Upper School student leaders how to lead through eight sessions covering communication, marketing, event planning, delegation, trust-building, and inclusive leadership; launched with 30 students in leadership positions.
• Spyder Bytes Robotics Team All-girls FTC (First Tech Challenge) robotics team established to encourage female participation in STEM and robotics, with outreach to younger grades and Women in STEM events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% of students in grades 6-12 participate in athletics
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Georgia Tech Distance Math ProgramcoreTechnology or IntegrationWalker students enrolled in Multivariable Calculus and Linear Algebra courses are eligible to earn college credit through the Georgia Tech Distance Math program. Course curriculum is dictated by Georgia Tech, content is taught by Walker faculty, and tests are created and administered by Georgia Tech.
• Soundcheck Prevention NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA non-profit substance misuse prevention organization that provides educational programming for students, parents, and faculty on prevention, decision-making, and the role relationships play in staying healthy.
• Flik Food ServiceminorOthersFood service provider for the dining hall offering hot meals, salad bar, sandwich station, panini grill and other dining options for Middle and Upper School students, faculty and staff.
• Posse ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA college access and leadership development program that identifies students from diverse backgrounds and helps them succeed in college. Walker alumni have been selected for full scholarships through Posse.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Lovett School: Independent K-12 college-preparatory school in Atlanta, GA. Direct competitor for families in the Buckhead/Intown and northwest Atlanta corridor, with comparable tuition, athletics, and arts programs.
• Holy Innocents' Episcopal School: Independent PK3-12 Episcopal college-preparatory school in Atlanta, GA. Direct competitor with similar religious-heritage background, college-prep focus, and tuition tier.
• Woodward Academy: Large independent PK3-12 college-preparatory school in College Park/Johns Creek, GA. Comparable private college-prep model with similar athletic and arts offerings, competing for the same regional family demographic.
• The Westminster Schools: Large independent K-12 college-preparatory school in Atlanta, GA. Closest direct peer to The Walker School — same market, same college-prep mission, similar tuition tier, and overlapping feeder families in metro Atlanta.
• Pace Academy: Independent K-12 college-preparatory school in Atlanta, GA. Directly competes for the same metro Atlanta college-prep families with similar tuition point and emphasis on small class sizes.

Regional players

• Whitefield Academy: Independent PK3-12 college-preparatory school in Smyrna, GA (also Cobb County). Direct geographic competitor for Cobb County families and comparable in scale and tuition tier.
• Wesleyan School: Independent PK3-12 college-preparatory school in Peachtree Corners (Gwinnett County), GA. Comparable college-prep model serving a slightly different but overlapping northern Atlanta suburban demographic.
• Mt. Bethel Christian Academy: Independent K-12 college-preparatory school in Marietta, GA. Direct geographic overlap with Walker's Cobb County market and similar religious-affiliated private school positioning.
• The Davis Academy: Independent PK-8 Jewish day school in Sandy Springs (metro Atlanta), GA. Comparable independent school model with similar class size emphasis and tuition tier, serving a portion of the same metro Atlanta family market.
• Augusta Preparatory Day School: Independent PK3-12 college-preparatory school in Augusta, GA. The Walker School's new Head of Upper School, Ryan Clements, was previously Head of Upper School there — demonstrating the labor market overlap and comparable operating model for smaller regional private schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thewalkerschool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUMhH_RpU82k0PolhNTxqUA
• Facebookfacebook.com/thewalkerschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-walker-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/thewalkerschool

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 The Walker School