Orinda Academy

What Orinda Academy does

Orinda Academy is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) college preparatory school located at 19 Altarinda Road in Orinda, California, serving students in grades 8 through 12. Founded in 1982 by Ron Graydon (originally as North Bay Orinda School) and led since 2022 by Head of School Nancy Rowland, the school differentiates through a deliberately small environment with class sizes of 5-13 students and a 7:1 student-teacher ratio. Its core product is a college-preparatory curriculum built on Harvard and CAST's Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, bundled with on-site learning specialists, a certified emotional wellness counselor, executive function support, and a dedicated college advisor who has visited over 400 colleges.

The school's product surface extends beyond academics to include a 9th-grade study skills class, a 12th-grade college/adult/financial literacy class, supervised FLEX study halls, and an Educational Adventures international travel program. Business operations are enabled by an integrated SaaS stack: Ravenna for admissions applications, Clarity for need-based financial aid processing, and FACTS for tuition billing, supported by direct-to-consumer marketing via Zoom information sessions, in-person open houses, campus tours, and shadow visits. The school is accredited by WASC and holds memberships in NAIS and CSEE.

The revenue model is subscription-recurring tuition: $40,900 for 8th grade and $55,100 for grades 9-12, plus a $1,200 Materials and Activities fee, with payment via annual, two-pay, or monthly plans. Need-based financial aid is substantial, awarded to 86% of applicants at an average of $21,500, funded through the school's nonprofit status, donor contributions, and an active annual fundraiser (GiveButter "PaveTheWay4OA"). Reported outcomes include a 96% four-year college matriculation rate and $1.37 million in merit aid secured for the Class of 2026. The addressable market is Bay Area families seeking an alternative to large public or traditional independent schools for neurodivergent, gifted, or otherwise underserved learners.

Name

Orinda Academy

Legal name

Orinda Academy

Website

https://orindaacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Orinda Academy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) college preparatory school in Orinda, California, serving grades 8-12 through small classes (5-13 students), a 7:1 student-teacher ratio, and the Universal Design for Learning framework for neurodivergent and diverse learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College Preparatory Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAKAE

Behavioral & Social-Emotional Support (ABA, PBIS, Counseling)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

Keywords

• College preparatory education
• Private secondary school
• Personalized learning services
• College advising services
• Learning support education

Headquarters

HQ city

Orinda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition - 8th Grade: Annual tuition for 8th grade students includes all core educational services, learning support, counseling, and college advising. Additional Materials & Activities Fee of $1,200 applies.
2. Tuition - Grades 9-12: Annual tuition for upper school students includes all educational services, college prep programs, and support services. Materials & Activities Fee of $1,200 additional.
3. Financial Aid: Need-based financial aid awarded to 86% of applicants with average award of $21,500. Funded through nonprofit status and donor contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Orinda Academy is an independent, accredited nonprofit college preparatory school offering personalized education for students in grades 8 through 12. The school delivers small-class college-prep instruction (5-13 students per class, 7:1 student-teacher ratio) built on Harvard & CAST's Universal Design for Learning framework, and bundles on-site learning specialists, emotional wellness counseling, executive function support, and individualized college advising into a single annual tuition.

Product overview

Orinda Academy is an independent, accredited nonprofit 501(c)(3) college preparatory school for grades 8-12. The core offering is its college preparatory education program built on Harvard & CAST's Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, with small class sizes (5-13 students) and a 7:1 student-teacher ratio. Supporting modules include on-site learning specialists and emotional wellness counseling, college and career advising services, and the Educational Adventures international travel program. All support services are included in tuition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College Preparatory Education Program Accredited college preparatory program for grades 8-12 with small class sizes of 5-13 students, a 7:1 student-teacher ratio, and a college-focused curriculum with comprehensive support services. Designed for families seeking a personalized alternative to traditional large high schools.
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Approach Harvard and CAST's Universal Design for Learning framework implemented as the primary pedagogical approach, embracing all learning styles through multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression while encouraging student ownership of learning.
• Learning Support Services Comprehensive student support including on-site certified learning specialists, certified emotional wellness counselor, executive function support, a 9th grade study skills class, and individualized accommodation plans for students with diverse learning needs. Included in tuition.
• College and Career Advising On-site individualized college advising program providing personalized guidance through all four years, including individual meetings, customized college lists, essay support, application guidance, and merit aid acquisition support. Helped Class of 2026 secure $1.37 million in merit aid.
• Educational Adventures Program International travel opportunities and enrichment activities including trips to destinations such as New York City, Patagonia, Grand Tetons, Galapagos Islands, and Savannah, engaging students with various learning styles beyond the traditional classroom.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of OA graduates matriculate to a four-year college or university
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RavennacoreTechnology or IntegrationRavenna serves as the online application hub for Orinda Academy, allowing families to create accounts, submit applications, and track admissions status through a standardized independent school application platform.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationClarity provides the financial aid application platform for Orinda Academy families, enabling need-based financial aid applications to be submitted and processed through a standardized digital system.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Park Day School: Park Day School is an independent K-8 progressive school in Oakland, CA. Adjacent Bay Area independent school with progressive pedagogy but does not serve grades 9-12.
• Gateway Public Schools: Gateway Public Schools operates charter middle and high schools in San Francisco serving a similar mission of personalized, supportive college-prep education. Bay Area peer with comparable mission but charter/public funding model.

Direct peers

• Bentley School: Bentley School is an independent K-12 college-prep school with campuses in Oakland and Lafayette, CA, serving Bay Area families with small class sizes and college counseling. Highly comparable to Orinda Academy in mission, geography, and student demographic.
• The College Preparatory School: College Prep is a highly selective independent 9-12 school in Oakland, CA with small seminar-style classes and individualized college counseling. Direct Bay Area college-prep peer.
• Head-Royce School: Head-Royce is an independent K-12 school in Oakland, CA offering college-prep academics with emphasis on individualized learning and a diverse student body. Comparable Bay Area independent school.
• Athenian School: Athenian School is an independent 6-12 college-prep day and boarding school in Danville, CA emphasizing small classes and individualized learning. Comparable mission and Bay Area geography.
• Marin Academy: Marin Academy is an independent 9-12 college-prep school in San Rafael, CA with small classes, individualized college advising, and a focus on supportive community. Directly comparable Bay Area independent school.
• Charles Armstrong School: Charles Armstrong School is a Bay Area independent school specifically serving students with language-based learning differences (dyslexia, etc.). Closest peer focused on learning-differences support, mirroring OA's niche.
• Sand Hill School: Sand Hill School in Palo Alto, CA serves students with learning differences including ADHD and dyslexia, with small classes and executive-function support. Direct peer in the learning-differences niche.

Broad incumbents

• Woodberry Forest School: Woodberry Forest is a well-established independent all-boys boarding school in Virginia with small classes and individualized college advising. Comparable small-by-design college-prep model, though boarding and geographically distant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/OrindaAcademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/orindaacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/orindaacademy
• Xx.com/orindaacademy

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 Orinda Academy