What Port Townsend School District does

Port Townsend School District No. 50 is a public K-12 school district and political subdivision of the State of Washington, founded in 1894 and headquartered in Port Townsend on Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The district operates four schools serving preschool through grade 12: Salish Coast Elementary (PreK-5), Blue Heron Middle School (6-8), Port Townsend High School (9-12), and OCEAN K-12 Alternative School, which offers Family Partnership, Online, and Open Doors programs. The district serves students and families within its statutory geographic boundaries in Jefferson County and operates under a Vision 2027 Strategic Plan emphasizing place-based and maritime-focused education, equity, and the CARES values framework.

The district's technology infrastructure consists entirely of standard, off-the-shelf K-12 administrative and learning platforms: Skyward for student information and online enrollment, Apptegy for the district website and LiveFeed communications, Google Workspace for Education, Peachjar for digital flyer distribution, Zoom for community engagement, TouchBase/InTouch Receipting for online payments (replacing E-Funds in February 2026), SchoolSpring for employment, Ready Sub for substitute teacher notifications, FMX for facilities maintenance, Vector Solutions for staff training, and Info Finder for bus routing. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capabilities, and no differentiated technical assets beyond the curriculum identity (Maritime Academy, garden program).

The district's revenue model is typical of a Washington State public school district: primary funding flows from state apportionment under the prototypical school funding formula, supplemented by voter-approved local property tax levies and bonds (including the $99.25 million 2026 capital bond) and federal categorical grants (Title I, Title VI Indian Education, McKinney-Vento, USDA school meals). Ancillary revenue includes fee-based school meal pricing (elementary breakfast $2.50, secondary breakfast $2.75, elementary lunch $3.75, secondary lunch $4.00 for the 2025-26 school year) and facility rentals. Enrollment is direct for in-district families and via the annual OSPI Choice Transfer process for non-resident students.

Name

Port Townsend School District

Legal name

Port Townsend School District No. 50

Website

https://ptschools.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Port Townsend School District is a public K-12 school district in Port Townsend, Washington, operating four schools serving preschool through grade 12 with maritime and place-based curriculum, funded primarily by state apportionment, local property taxes, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Townsend

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public School District Funding: As a public school district in Washington State, funding comes primarily from state apportionment, local property taxes (levies and bonds), and federal grants. The district also generates revenue through food service programs and facility rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Port Townsend School District is a public K-12 school district operating four schools—Salish Coast Elementary (PreK-5), Blue Heron Middle School (6-8), Port Townsend High School (9-12), and OCEAN K-12 Alternative School—delivering general education, special education, Title I support, multilingual learner services, career and technical education, a maritime-focused curriculum, and supporting services such as food service, transportation, school nursing, and language interpretation to resident and choice-transfer families in Jefferson County, Washington.

Product overview

Port Townsend School District is a public K-12 school district operating four schools: Salish Coast Elementary (PreK-5), Blue Heron Middle School (6-8), OCEAN K-12 Alternative School, and Port Townsend High School (9-12). The district offers educational programs including general education, Title I/LAP support, multilingual learner services, special education, highly capable programs, and career/technical education with a maritime focus. Supporting services include school nutrition (with garden-to-cafeteria program), school nursing, counseling, transportation, and language interpretation. The district is undertaking a $99.25 million capital bond project to modernize facilities. Website and student systems are powered by Apptegy and Skyward platforms respectively.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Salish Coast Elementary School PreK-5th grade public elementary school for district-resident students and choice-transfer students, providing general education, library media services, free meals, and before/after school programs.
• Blue Heron Middle School 6th-8th grade public middle school for district-resident and choice-transfer students, offering general education, library services, athletics, and pipeline programs into high school.
• Port Townsend High School 9th-12th grade public high school for district-resident and choice-transfer students, providing general education, career and technical education, athletics, arts programs, and a maritime-focused curriculum.
• OCEAN K-12 Alternative School Alternative K-12 public school with Family Partnership, Online, and Open Doors programs for students seeking a non-traditional educational setting through a separate application process.
• Skyward Online Enrollment Online enrollment platform for new and returning students to register for preschool through grade 12 at Port Townsend School District, with proof-of-residency requirements for resident families.
• Title VI Indian Education Program Federal Title VI grant program providing educational support services and culturally relevant curriculum to American Indian/Alaska Native students, operated under a formal partnership with the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe.
• Choice Transfer Program Annual non-resident student transfer program allowing students from outside district boundaries to attend Port Townsend School District schools through the OSPI-managed application process.
• Language Interpretation Services Free interpretation and translation services provided to families in multiple languages, including in-person, telephone, and video interpretation for school meetings and events.
• Homeless Resources Program McKinney-Vento support services for students and families experiencing homelessness, including assistance with housing, food, clothing, and health referrals, with the district homeless liaison.
• Garden Program 20,000 square feet of growing space — including an orchard, hoop houses, and greenhouse — producing vegetables for school meals and providing hands-on nutrition and sustainability education.
• School Food Service District-run USDA National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program that prepares scratch-cooked meals, sources local produce from on-site school gardens, and participates in the Healthy Meals Incentives grant program.
• School Nursing Services Health services for students including vision and hearing screenings, immunization compliance, medication administration, Individual Health Plans, and liaison with community health resources.
• 2026 Capital Bond - PTHS/OCEAN Modernization $99.25 million capital bond project to renovate Port Townsend High School and create a permanent home for OCEAN K-12 School, focusing on safety, seismic resilience, and modern learning environments. Approved by 70% of voters in February 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% voter approval for $99.25 million capital bond
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jamestown S'Klallam TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership for Indian Education program providing educational support to American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. Includes Memorandum of Understanding for Title VI support and culturally relevant curriculum, plus Data Sharing agreement.
• Olympic ESD #114coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional educational service district providing certification support, clock hour registration, workers' compensation administration, and professional development services.
• Port Townsend Food Co-opminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided $8,000 grant for greenhouse tables at Salish Coast Elementary School supporting the garden program and farm-to-school initiative.
• Educational Partners (Multiple)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Skillmotion, Hoot360, The Nest, Jefferson Public Health, Empowered Teens Coalition, The Benji Project, Northwest Salmon Coalition, JCIRA, and The ReCyclery for student enrichment, guest speakers, field trips, and community programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Bainbridge Island School District: Washington State public K-12 district serving Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound. Similar multi-school structure, strong community-funded levy model, and emphasis on place-based/environmental education, though operating in a more affluent suburban context rather than rural peninsula.

Direct peers

• Sequim School District: Adjacent public K-12 school district on Washington's Olympic Peninsula (Clallam County). Comparable size, rural/small-town demographic, similar state apportionment and levy funding model, and overlapping alternative-education programs. Direct geographic and operational peer.
• Coupeville School District: Small Washington State public K-12 district on Whidbey Island with comparable enrollment scale (hundreds of students), rural community profile, similar funding model and reliance on levies/bonds, and a comparable four-school or smaller campus footprint.
• Chimacum School District: Neighboring K-12 public school district in Jefferson County, WA, sharing the same Olympic Peninsula geographic footprint and serving a similarly rural community. Operates multiple schools with comparable enrollment scale, tax-base dependency, and Washington state funding model, making it the closest operational peer.

Others

• Olympic Educational Service District 114: Regional ESD providing shared services (certification, professional development, workers' compensation) to Port Townsend and other Olympic Peninsula districts. Listed as a formal 'strategic or co-development partner' supplying back-office services rather than competing instructionally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_Tc5oqGtj_BSzfVYM4WI6w
• Facebookfacebook.com/PTSchoolDistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/porttownsendschooldistrict
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grant-street-elementary-school

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Port Townsend School District