What Zion Elementary School District 6 does

Zion Elementary School District 6 is a public K-8 school district established in 1906-1907 and located in Zion, Lake County, Illinois. The district operates seven school buildings organized as grade-level centers - Lakeview (PreK-2), Beulah Park and East (K-2), Elmwood and West (3-4), Shiloh Park (5-6), and Zion Central (7-8) - serving over 2,000 students from a demographically diverse community (60% Hispanic, 30% Black, 6% Two or More Races, 4% White per the employment page). It employs 350-500+ teachers, staff, and administrators and is governed by an elected seven-member Board of Education led by Board President Margie Taylor, with Dr. Lawson serving as Superintendent.

The district's core product is comprehensive public education anchored by a Dual Language Program (English/Spanish) spanning PreK-8, Multilingual Learners programming (TPI, Newcomers, ML Learning Resource), Special Education services from early childhood through grade 8, and enrichment offerings such as Summer Exploration with virtual reality components. Supporting services include Food Services (Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Breakfast After the Bell, Community Eligibility Provision), Transportation, Mental Health teletherapy via a strategic Cartwheel partnership, and free/reduced-fee structures for eligible families. The technology stack consists of standard K-12 infrastructure: PowerSchool for student information, ParentSquare for parent-teacher communication, Clever SSO, Peachjar for digital flyers, Nutrislice for menus, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for productivity, and Finalsite for the district website.

As a public entity, ZESD 6 charges no tuition; funding flows from Illinois state aid, local property taxes, and federal programs including Title I and ESSER. The district was awarded approximately $1.2 million in property tax abatement under the state's Evidence-Based Funding program, posted its tentative FY2026 budget for public inspection with a hearing on September 15, 2025, and is currently executing a 2026-2027 Enrollment Realignment Initiative ('Right Size. Right Support. Every Student'). Strategic Plan 2030 governs a multi-year improvement agenda with documented KPIs. In November 2025 the district responded to a cybersecurity incident that disrupted IT systems, which were subsequently restored.

Name

Zion Elementary School District 6

Legal name

Zion Elementary School District 6

Website

https://zion6.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Zion Elementary School District 6 is a public K-8 district in Zion, Illinois, serving 2,000+ students across seven grade-level center schools, funded by state aid and local property taxes, with Dual Language, Special Education, and mental health programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH), Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

Keywords

• Public K-8 education
• Dual language programs
• Special education services
• Multilingual learner programs
• School nutrition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Zion

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: District operates as a public school district funded primarily through state and local property taxes, with additional federal funding through Title I, ESSER funds, and various grant programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Zion Elementary School District 6 provides free, publicly funded PreK-8 education to over 2,000 students through seven grade-level center schools in Zion, Illinois. Its instructional and student-support offerings include a Dual Language (Spanish/English) program, Multilingual Learner services, Special Education, Summer Exploration ("Learning in Motion"), Food Services, and on-site mental health services delivered through a Cartwheel partnership. The district is governed by an elected Board of Education and a superintendent-led administration.

Product overview

Zion Elementary School District 6 operates seven K-8 grade-level center schools serving over 2,000 students. The district's portfolio includes core educational programs (Dual Language, Multilingual Learners, Special Education, Summer Exploration) alongside supporting services (Food Services, Mental Health via Cartwheel, Transportation). Technology-enabled communication products include ParentSquare for parent-teacher messaging, InfoShare newsletters, and Digital Backpack via Peachjar for community resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grade-Level Center Schools (PreK-8) Full-time, tuition-free public instruction for PreK-8 students organized across seven grade-level center schools in Zion, Illinois, serving more than 2,000 students. Intended for resident families with school-age children within the district's attendance boundary.
• Dual Language Program Spanish/English dual language instructional pathway for students across the PreK-8 grade bands, designed to develop bilingual literacy for both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. Intended for resident families seeking bilingual education within Zion Elementary School District 6.
• Multilingual Learner Program District-wide services for English Learners, including identification, instructional support, and language development, led by a Multilingual Learning Coordinator. Intended for resident students whose home language is not English.
• Special Education Services Special education programming and IEP-driven support for students with disabilities across the district's grade-level centers. Intended for resident students who qualify for special education services under IDEA.
• Summer Exploration ("Learning in Motion") Seasonal summer enrichment program ("Learning in Motion") offering extended learning opportunities during the summer break. Intended for Zion Elementary School District 6 students and families seeking continued academic engagement outside the regular school year.
• Food Services District-operated school nutrition program providing meals to enrolled students during the school day, in compliance with federal school meal programs. Intended for Zion Elementary School District 6 students, with fee waivers available for eligible families.
• Mental Health Services via Cartwheel Partnership On-site mental health services delivered to students through a partnership with Cartwheel, expanding the district's wraparound support beyond academics. Intended for Zion Elementary School District 6 students in need of mental health support.
• Student Transportation School bus transportation services for resident students to and from Zion Elementary School District 6 schools, supporting daily attendance across the seven grade-level centers. Intended for resident families needing transportation for their students.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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.

• CartwheelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health teletherapy partnership providing free care for families with Medicaid or uninsured, and in-network for private insurance. Services include one-on-one therapy (grades 3-8), parent guidance sessions, psychiatric evaluation, and family therapy via telehealth. Available 8am-8pm with no waitlists.
• Lake County Regional Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTruancy and dropout prevention program funded by Illinois State Board of Education since 1985. Provides attendance intervention services for students.
• Northern Illinois Food BankminorOthersFood resources partnership - weekly produce distribution at Zion-Benton Library for families with children, part of Mobile Food Pantry program.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Beach Park School District 3: Neighboring Lake County, IL elementary district (K-8) serving a similar demographic and socioeconomic community; directly comparable in size, grade configuration, and student population profile.
• North Chicago School District 187: Adjacent Lake County, IL K-8 district serving a similarly diverse, predominantly Hispanic/Black student body with comparable Title I and bilingual program needs.
• Gurnee School District 56: Lake County, IL K-8 district operating grade-level centers similar to ZESD 6's model; comparable size (~2,000 students) and suburban footprint.
• Round Lake Area Schools District 116: Lake County, IL K-12 district with overlapping bilingual program offerings and similar reliance on state evidence-based funding; comparable demographic profile.
• Mundelein School District 75: Lake County, IL K-8 district with similar enrollment scale and student demographics; comparable grade-level structure and funding profile.
• Hawthorn School District 73: Lake County, IL K-8 district serving Vernon Hills-area families; comparable size and a known competitor for instructional best practices within the region.

Broad incumbents

• Waukegan Community Unit School District 60: Larger Lake County, IL district (PreK-12) with substantially greater enrollment and resources; operates overlapping bilingual, special education, and Title I programs and competes for the same regional student demographic.
• Illinois State Board of Education: State-level oversight body that allocates Evidence-Based Funding, administers assessment programs, and sets compliance requirements — directly governs ZESD 6's funding and operational parameters.

Regional players

• Lake Forest School District 67: Affluent Lake County, IL K-8 district — illustrates the socioeconomic spectrum of comparable elementary districts in the same county; useful peer for resource-allocation benchmarking.
• Libertyville School District 70: Lake County, IL K-8 district in adjacent township; similar grade configuration and serves as a comparable for special education and multilingual program design.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWQJCz5-OykqV8_kmoVttUg
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100063564193133
• Instagraminstagram.com/ziondistrict6
• Xx.com/ZionDistrict6

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Zion Elementary School District 6