Method Schools

What Method Schools does

Method Schools Corporation is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation founded in 2013 that operates a network of tuition-free, WASC-accredited public charter schools serving TK-12 students across nine Southern California counties (Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Kern, Santa Barbara, and Ventura). The organization has served over 60,000 students cumulatively and currently operates three charters: Method Schools San Diego (non-classroom-based, authorized 2014 by Dehesa School District), Method Schools Los Angeles (non-classroom-based, authorized 2015 by Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District), and Method Summit Academy (classroom-based, authorized 2025 by Dehesa School District). A fourth charter, Method Sol Academy, is proposed for Imperial County with a planned July 1, 2027 start.

Method's core technology is SmartFox, an in-house learning management system and curriculum platform built and maintained by its own curriculum team since 2013, containing 59+ UC a-g and NCAA-approved courses. Supporting infrastructure includes Scout SIS (student information system with parent portal access), the proprietary Method Grid calendar system, and an Ask Atlas AI assistant for parent support. The platform delivers California Common Core-aligned, mastery-based curriculum with quarterly diagnostics in reading and math, and supports four student archetypes—Performer (athletes/performers), Accelerator (credit recovery/early graduation), Resident (permanent K-12 home), and Resetter (mid-year transfers)—each with differentiated instructional pathways.

Method's business model rests primarily on per-pupil Average Daily Attendance (ADA) apportionments under California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), making it tuition-free for families. The organization is debt-free with clean audits and operates without a Charter Management Organization overhead layer. A secondary revenue stream, SmartFox for Schools, licenses Method's UC a-g approved course catalog to other districts and charter networks under white-label and co-branded arrangements for credit recovery, original credit, and dual enrollment. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via online enrollment (with 24-48 hour start capability) supplemented by a referral channel spanning 50+ Southern California school districts and counselors.

Name

Method Schools

Legal name

Method Schools Corporation

Website

https://methodschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Method Schools is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation operating a network of tuition-free, WASC-accredited public charter schools serving TK-12 students across nine Southern California counties since 2013 via proprietary SmartFox LMS and online plus in-person programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Charter Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual/Online Charter Schools (EDAJACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual Tutoring & Academic Intervention (K–12) (EDAJADAH), Online Credit Recovery & Alternative Pathways (Virtual) (EDAJADAF), Virtual School Course Providers (Single-Course/Part-Time Enrollment) (EDAJADAE)

Keywords

• Online charter school
• K-12 public education
• Personalized learning platform
• Mastery-based curriculum
• Independent study charter

Headquarters

HQ city

Murrieta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding (ADA/LCFF): Method Schools operates as a tuition-free California public charter school, funded through Average Daily Attendance (ADA) apportionments under the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). As a direct-funded charter, ADA is apportioned by the State. Schools receive funding based on enrollment and attendance, with proof of work and continuous progress required. The organization is debt-free with conservative reserves and unmodified ('clean') audits year over year.
2. SmartFox Curriculum Licensing: Method Schools licenses its proprietary SmartFox online curriculum platform to other schools and districts through white-label and co-branded arrangements. Districts can replace expensive third-party course licenses with SmartFox's UC a-g approved courses for dual enrollment, credit recovery, and original credit.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Method Schools operates a network of tuition-free California public charter schools serving TK-12 students across Southern California. The network delivers flexible, mastery-based online education through non-classroom-based (NCB) charters and an in-person classroom-based athletic academy, all powered by the proprietary SmartFox LMS developed in-house. The organization also licenses its UC a-g approved SmartFox curriculum to other school districts and charter networks.

Product overview

Method Schools is a network of tuition-free, WASC-accredited California public charter schools offering flexible TK-12 education since 2013. The portfolio consists of two online non-classroom-based (NCB) charters — Method Schools (San Diego) and Method Schools Los Angeles — plus one classroom-based charter (Method Summit Academy), with a fourth proposed charter (Method Sol Academy) in development for Imperial County. Core technology products include SmartFox LMS (the company's in-house learning management system and UC a-g aligned courseware), Scout SIS (student information system), and SmartFox for Schools (a licensing program allowing other schools and districts to access SmartFox courses). Programs serve students through four archetypes: Performer (flexibility for athletes/performers), Accelerator (credit recovery/early graduation), Resident (permanent K-12 home), and Resetter (mid-year transfers).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartFox: In-house A-G aligned, mastery-based online learning management system and curriculum platform built by Method Schools' curriculum team, available for licensing to other schools and districts.

Products and services

• Method Schools Online (Non-Classroom-Based Program) Tuition-free online TK-12 public charter program offering flexible, mastery-based learning with year-round enrollment, live instruction, small-group and 1-on-1 teacher support, and the ability to start within 24-48 hours. Available to families in nine Southern California counties.
• Method Summit Academy Classroom-based charter school in El Cajon, CA serving student athletes in grades 6-12. Combines small-group classroom instruction with daily sport-specific training in football, basketball, soccer, baseball, and softball. Flexible Fridays allow online learning for competition and travel.
• Method Schools San Diego Method Schools' original NCB charter authorized by Dehesa School District, serving students in San Diego, Riverside, Orange, and Imperial counties. Offers WASC-accredited online TK-12 education with flexible, mastery-based model.
• Method Schools Los Angeles Method Schools' NCB charter serving families in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Orange, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties, operated under authorization from Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District. Offers the same online TK-12 program as the flagship school.
• SmartFox for Schools (Curriculum Licensing) Licensing offering that allows other schools, districts, and charter networks to access SmartFox's UC a-g aligned, mastery-based course catalog. Includes full courses across English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Language, Electives, CTE, and AP. White-label and co-branded options are available for district partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• +40.9 points on math indicator (approximately 8x California's statewide math growth rate)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dehesa School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorizer of Method Schools San Diego charter (authorized 2014) and Method Summit Academy charter (authorized 2025). Dehesa School District grants the charter petitions and provides oversight. Method Schools operates as an independent California public charter school under the district's authorization.
• Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorizer of Method Schools Los Angeles charter (authorized 2015). Grants the charter petition and provides oversight for the Los Angeles County charter operation.
• Dehesa Method Sports Academies (DMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMSA is a partnership between Dehesa School District and Method Schools. The collaboration shares athletic trainers, some operational overhead, and SmartFox curriculum, while maintaining separate academic programs and governance. DMSA includes both Dehesa Sports Academy (TK-5, under Dehesa SD) and Method Summit Academy (6-12, under Method Schools).
• Califorina Department of Education (CDE)coreOthersMethod Schools operates under California Education Code and California Department of Education requirements for charter school staffing, credentialing, CALPADS reporting, LCAP, and all applicable state compliance requirements.
• 50+ Southern California School DistrictscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMethod Schools has generated thousands of student referrals from more than 50 Southern California school districts over the past decade. School counselors refer students who need flexible options to Method Schools as an alternative placement.
• Imperial County Board of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProposed authorizer for Method Sol Academy, a proposed fourth charter to be authorized by Imperial County Board of Education. Proposed charter type is flex-based, direct-funded, serving TK-12 (9-12 online only) with proposed start of July 1, 2027.
• SDSU-IV (San Diego State University - Imperial Valley)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Method Sol Academy proposal. Method plans to partner with SDSU-IV to recruit and develop credentialed teachers and counselors who already live and work in Imperial County.
• IVC (Imperial Valley College)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Method Sol Academy proposal. Method plans to partner with IVC to recruit and develop Valley-rooted talent including pathways for paraprofessionals and aspiring teachers from the Imperial County community.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Connections Academy (Stride): Operated by Stride (formerly K12 Inc.), Connections Academy is one of the largest tuition-free online public school networks in the U.S., directly competing with Method Schools in California and other states for K-12 online charter enrollment.
• National University Academy (NUA): NUA operates online and hybrid TK-12 charter schools in Southern California affiliated with National University, competing directly with Method for online independent-study students across multiple SoCal counties.
• iLead Schools: iLead operates a network of California tuition-free online and hybrid TK-12 charter schools with homeschool and independent-study pathways — a direct peer for Method's online charter and flex-based programs.
• California Virtual Academies: CAVA is a network of tuition-free online public charter schools in California operated by Stride, offering TK-12 independent study. It is one of Method's closest head-to-head competitors for SoCal non-classroom-based charter students.
• Valiant College Preparatory / Valiant Schools: Valiant is a Southern California-based TK-12 charter network operating independent-study and hybrid programs in the same SoCal counties as Method, directly competing for Resetter and Accelerator-type students.

Others

• Khan Academy: While not a charter school, Khan Academy is a free online learning platform widely used by online and independent-study schools as supplemental curriculum — a potential adjacent or complement to Method's SmartFox for Schools licensing offering.
• Savvas Learning Company: Savvas is a major K-12 curriculum and instructional materials vendor to California districts — a current third-party curriculum incumbent whose district relationships SmartFox is explicitly positioned to displace via licensing.

Regional players

• Excel Academy: Excel Academy is an online public charter school with strong presence in other states; it overlaps conceptually with Method's mastery-based, asynchronous approach but does not directly compete in the SoCal market.

Broad incumbents

• Summit Public Schools: Summit is a California-based TK-12 charter network known for personalized learning and mentoring-based instruction. While its core model is classroom-based, it competes for the same personalized-pacing family segment and operates across Northern California.
• Stride, Inc. (K12): Stride is the largest for-profit online K-12 education provider in the U.S. and the parent operator of California Virtual Academies and Connections Academy — a broader incumbent whose curriculum, funding, and footprint shape the competitive environment Method operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MethodSchools
• Xx.com/methodschools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/method-schools

Compliance3 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 Method Schools