Dallas Academy

What Dallas Academy does

Dallas Academy is a 501c-3 nonprofit private school located at 950 Tiffany Way in East Dallas, Texas, founded in 1965 as the Plano Academy for the Achievement of Human Potential and renamed in 1967. It serves students in grades 1-12 with diagnosed learning differences — including Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, ASD (Level 1), and memory and processing disorders — whose cognitive abilities are average to above-average but whose reading, writing, computing, and organizational skills lag their potential. The school is the oldest institution in Texas serving this population and intentionally caps enrollment at 210 students, drawing applicants from 69 zip codes across the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Its core product is a college-preparatory curriculum meeting or exceeding Texas state requirements, delivered through three divisions (Lower School grades 1-5, Middle School 6-8, High School 9-12) and reinforced by specialized interventions: an Orton-Gillingham-based Dyslexia Program, Executive Functioning support, a school-wide Social & Emotional Learning program, and a comprehensive Fine Arts department offering Music Therapy, Performing Arts, Creative Technology, and Visual Arts. A 1:1 technology program launched in 2020 provides every student with a laptop and access to Microsoft Office, Teams, and digital curriculum; admissions, financial aid, and college advising are supported by RenWeb, FACTS Grant and Aid, and Naviance Family Connection, respectively.

The school's business model is tuition-based, with revenue primarily derived from enrollment tuition that covers approximately 90% of operating expenses; the balance is closed through philanthropic fundraising (e.g., the Diamond Jubilee Gala, DAwg Run, North Texas Giving Day) and grants from foundations such as The Hillcrest Foundation and The Dallas Foundation. Ancillary revenue streams include private music therapy sessions priced at $300 per semester, summer camp partnerships (notably with Studio Bella for 2026), a $2,000 enrollment deposit applied to tuition, a $400 senior fee, a $60 non-refundable application fee, and a $45 tuition-assistance application fee. The 2005 merger with The Lattner School of Richardson expanded the grade range to 1-12, and the 2008 campus expansion — funded by a $1.5 million donation from Jim and Geneva Donald and designed by Good Fulton & Farrell — added a 22,900-square-foot, two-story facility housing a library, cafeteria, science labs, administrative offices, classrooms, and technology labs. The school holds Cognia accreditation and is a member of NAIS and the Association of Learning Differences Schools, and its IRS special-day-school designation under code section 213-1-e makes tuition tax-deductible as a medical expense for families.

Name

Dallas Academy

Legal name

Dallas Academy

Website

https://dallas-academy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dallas Academy is a 501c-3 nonprofit private school in Dallas, Texas, founded in 1965, serving up to 210 students in grades 1-12 with diagnosed learning differences including dyslexia, ADHD, and ASD. The oldest school in Texas for this population, it relies on tuition supplemented by grants and fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education / Private K-12 School for Students with Learning Differences

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transition-to-College/Independence Skills Tutoring for Learning Differences (EDANAFAJ), Music Exam Prep & Certification (ABRSM, Trinity, RCM, AP Music Theory) (EDAMANAJ)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Learning differences school
• Private K-12 education
• College preparatory programs
• Dyslexia therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from tuition for specialized education services for students with learning differences. Enrollment deposit of $2,000 applied to tuition, $400 senior fee, and $60 application fee. FACTS charges additional fee for credit card payments.
2. Summer Camp Programs: Revenue from summer camp partnerships with Studio Bella, running 2 two-week sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Open to DA students and siblings/friends, designed for rising 1st through 7th graders.
3. Music Therapy Services: Private music therapy sessions charged at $300 per semester, covering 30-minute weekly sessions and all materials. Available to students in grades 1-12.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dallas Academy is a private, nonprofit K-12 school serving grades 1-12, providing individualized, multi-sensory, evidence-based education exclusively for students with diagnosed learning differences such as dyslexia, ADHD, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ASD Level 1. The school delivers a college-preparatory curriculum exceeding Texas state requirements, complemented by specialized programs (Dyslexia Therapy, Executive Functioning Support, Social & Emotional Learning, STEAM) and a Fine Arts department that includes board-certified Music Therapy. Enrollment is capped at 210 students to ensure personalized instruction.

Product overview

Dallas Academy is a private school for students with learning differences serving grades 1-12. The institution operates as a unified educational platform with multiple interconnected programs: a core academic structure spanning Lower School (grades 1-5), Middle School (grades 6-8), and High School (grades 9-12 college preparatory); specialized intervention programs including Dyslexia Therapy (Orton-Gillingham methodology), Executive Functioning Support, and Social & Emotional Learning; a comprehensive Fine Arts Department encompassing Visual Arts, Creative Technology, Music and Performing Arts, and Music Therapy; and support services including college advising, counseling, nursing, and summer camp. The programs work together to provide individualized education for students with ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, ASD Level 1, and other learning differences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School Program (Grades 1-5) Core foundational curriculum for grades 1-5 covering Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies, building a strong academic foundation for young learners with diagnosed learning differences.
• Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Core curriculum for grades 6-8 encompassing English Literature, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Education, and STEAM, designed for students with learning differences.
• High School College Preparatory Program (Grades 9-12) College preparatory academic plan for grades 9-12 meeting and exceeding Texas state curriculum requirements, enabling students with learning differences to apply to institutions of higher education throughout the nation.
• Dyslexia Therapy Program Specialized dyslexia therapy and intervention program using evidence-based approaches including Orton-Gillingham methodology (Take Flight and MTA curricula).
• Executive Functioning Support Program helping students build skills in organization, time management, and self-advocacy.
• STEAM Program Integrated STEAM curriculum combining Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics for experiential learning.
• Social & Emotional Learning Program School-wide initiative fostering self-awareness, resilience, and interpersonal skills development, including individual and group social skills instruction.
• Music Therapy Services Private music therapy sessions using music as a tool to achieve individual therapeutic and educational goals; includes piano, guitar, and voice instruction at $300 per semester for 30-minute weekly sessions plus materials.
• College & Career Advising Program Comprehensive college advising and post-high school career planning program with a dedicated college adviser working with families beginning freshman year, including college and career planning support and transition vocational rehabilitation counseling via Texas Workforce Solutions.
• Student Support Services Comprehensive on-site student support services including a licensed counselor, full-time registered nurse, specialized speech and language therapist, board-certified music therapist, and individual and group social skills instruction.
• Fine Arts Program Department offering enrichment classes in music, creative movement/dance, performing arts, creative technology, and visual arts with emphasis on therapeutic opportunities.
• Summer Camp Program STEM and art summer camp activities in partnership with Studio Bella, designed for rising 1st through 7th graders; open to DA students, siblings and friends across two two-week sessions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% college acceptance rate for graduates pursuing higher education
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Studio BellacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership with local organization Studio Bella for creative, hands-on STEM and art summer camp programming. Two 2-week sessions running June 1-12 and June 15-26, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Camps open to DA students and siblings/friends for rising 1st-7th graders.
• Texas Workforce SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership providing dedicated Transition Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor working with students and families. Classes cover Career Exploration, Self-Advocacy, Work Readiness, Post-Secondary Education Training, and other vocational skills. Includes summer programming, UNT programming, and transition services.
• FACTS Grant and AidminorOthersPartnership with FACTS for tuition assistance financial aid awarding process. School partners with FACTS Grant and Aid to support the financial aid application and awarding process.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shelton School: Dallas-based private school serving students with learning differences, grades K-12. The closest geographic and mission-aligned peer, using similar individualized, multi-sensory methodologies in the same North Texas market.
• The Winston School: San Antonio private school for students with learning differences, grades K-12. Mirrors Dallas Academy's college-preparatory, individualized teaching approach and competes for the same Texas LD-family segment.
• The Westview School: Houston-area private school specifically serving children with learning differences including dyslexia, ADHD, and dysgraphia. Directly comparable in mission, methodology, and tuition-funded operating model.
• The Laurel School of Princeton: Independent school in Princeton, NJ serving bright students with language-based learning differences. Comparable in offering language-therapy-integrated college preparatory education to a similar LD-student persona.
• The McLean School: Maryland-based K-12 school for students with learning differences and ADHD. Operates with a similar small-class, individualized-instruction model and similar outcome-focused value proposition.
• The Lab School of Washington: Washington, DC school serving students with learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADHD. Closely aligned in offering integrated arts, college-prep academics, and therapy services to LD students.
• The Gateway School: New York City private school serving students with learning disabilities. Comparable in individualized curriculum, multi-sensory instruction, and small enrollment size.
• The Frostig School: California school serving students with learning differences, grades 1-12. Comparable in offering therapeutic and academic services under one roof for a similar diagnosed-learner persona.
• The Newgrange School: New Jersey private school for students with language-based learning differences. Comparable in delivering Orton-Gillingham-based reading instruction and individualized college-prep academics.
• Eagle Hill School: Connecticut/Massachusetts boarding and day school for students with specific learning disabilities, ADHD, and similar profiles. Directly comparable in mission, methodology, and family demographic served.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DallasAcademy
• Facebookfacebook.com/DallasAcademyTX
• Instagraminstagram.com/dallasacademytx

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Dallas Academy