DC Prep
DC Prep is a nonprofit public charter school network operating six tuition-free campuses across Wards 5, 7, and 8 of Washington, DC, serving over 2,100 PK3-8th grade students through rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, and 10 years of post-graduation alumni support via PrepNext.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What DC Prep does
DC Prep is a nonprofit public charter school network operating six campuses across Wards 5, 7, and 8 of Washington, DC, serving more than 2,100 students from PK3 through 8th grade. Founded in 2003 as a single middle school of 100 students, the network has grown to include three elementary campuses (Edgewood, Benning, Anacostia) and three middle campuses serving the same ward clusters, with a stated focus on students from underserved communities. The core educational model combines rigorous college-preparatory academics with integrated social-emotional learning, an extended school year providing 25% more instructional time than traditional schools, and a 150:1 student-to-assistant-principal ratio that is materially better than the 400:1 ratio at DCPS.
The network's product surface includes the DC Prep Network as the core offering, the PrepNext alumni program that provides up to 10 years of post-8th-grade support including counseling, internship placement, and scholarship guidance, and the Champions after-school care partnership covering PK3 through 6th grade. Supporting services include high school placement support for 8th graders, a research-based SEL curriculum embedded in daily instruction, and use of standard operational platforms such as PowerSchool for enrollment, PayPal for family payments, and PandaDoc for document signatures. There are no proprietary AI/ML or technology products disclosed.
DC Prep is funded primarily through per-pupil allocations from the DC Public Charter School Board, supplemented by federal grants and private donations raised through an annual fund, the Bash fundraising event, and alumni giving. The network charges no tuition and admits students through the My School DC citywide lottery with no admissions tests. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; based on enrollment and typical DC per-pupil funding rates, implied core operating revenue falls in the $25M-$50M range with a secondary private-donation layer. The network operates under an approved 20-year charter, holds Cognia School System of Distinction accreditation, and has been ranked the #1 public charter school network in DC for eight consecutive years.
DC Prep firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DC Prep
- Legal name
- DC Prep
- Website
- https://dcprep.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- DC Prep is a nonprofit public charter school network operating six tuition-free campuses across Wards 5, 7, and 8 of Washington, DC, serving over 2,100 PK3-8th grade students through rigorous academics, social-emotional learning, and 10 years of post-graduation alumni support via PrepNext.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DC Prep industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-8 Public Charter School Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)
Keywords
Where DC Prep is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
DC Prep business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Per-Pupil Government Funding: Public charter schools in DC receive per-pupil funding from the District of Columbia government based on enrollment. This is the primary funding source for operations.
- Private Donations and Fundraising: Annual fund donations, event-based fundraising (Bash), and alumni support fund contributions from individuals and organizations supporting public education
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Tuition-free public education PK3-8th grade |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
DC Prep product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DC Prep is a network of six tuition-free public charter school campuses in Washington DC serving over 2,100 students from PK3 through 8th grade in Wards 5, 7, and 8. The network delivers college-preparatory academics combined with social-emotional learning, achieving 100% acceptance of 8th-grade graduates to college-prep high schools. Supporting offerings include PrepNext alumni support (10 years post-graduation), Champions after-school care, and high school placement services.
Product overview
DC Prep is a network of six public charter schools serving over 2,100 students in PK3-8th grade across Washington DC (Wards 5, 7, and 8). The network consists of three elementary campuses (Edgewood Elementary, Benning Elementary, Anacostia Elementary) serving PK3-3rd grade and three middle campuses (Edgewood Middle, Benning Middle, Anacostia Middle) serving 4th-8th grade. The core educational model combines rigorous academics with social-emotional learning, and all campuses are tuition-free with no admissions tests. Supporting offerings include the PrepNext alumni support program (providing 10 years of post-graduation support), Champions after-school care, high school placement services, and social-emotional learning curriculum integrated into daily instruction. 100% of DC Prep's 8th-grade graduates are accepted to college-prep high schools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DC Prep Public Charter School Network A network of six tuition-free public charter school campuses in Washington DC serving over 2,100 PK3-8th grade students in Wards 5, 7, and 8, providing rigorous college-preparatory academics combined with social-emotional learning.
- PrepNext Alumni Support Program Alumni support program providing ongoing guidance, counseling, internship opportunities, and professional development to DC Prep graduates for 10 years after 8th-grade graduation, serving over 800 alumni.
- Champions After School Programs On-site aftercare provided through a partnership with Champions (Kelley Services) for PK3-6th grade students, including daily learning activities, STEAM-based curriculum, nutritious snacks, and homework help at elementary campuses and Anacostia Middle campus.
- High School Placement Services Comprehensive support for 8th-grade students applying to selective college-prep high schools, including mock interview days and application assistance, achieving a 100% acceptance rate for DC Prep graduates.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% of 8th grade graduates accepted to college-prep high schools
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use DC Prep
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
DC Prep technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DC Prep partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and recognition.
- Champions (Kelley Services)coreChampions provides on-site aftercare options for DC Prep students in PK3-6th grade. Programming includes daily learning activities, STEAM-based curriculum, nutritious snacks, and homework help at elementary campuses and Anacostia Middle campus.
- Bright HorizonssupportBright Horizons provides 10 days of high-quality in-center or in-home back-up care for children, dependent adult, and elder family members during lapses in normal care arrangements. Also offers discounts and preferential enrollment at daycare centers.
- CareFirst BlueCross/Blue ShieldsupportMedical and prescription drug coverage through CareFirst's HMO, Open Access, and PPO plans offered as part of DC Prep's competitive employee benefits package.
- MetLifesupportDental coverage through MetLife with buy-up option covering pediatric and adult orthodontia included in DC Prep's employee benefits.
- The Principal Financial Groupsupport403(b) retirement fund management for eligible employees with DC Prep matching contributions up to 5% of salary after one year.
- EmpowerK12recognitionNonprofit research organization whose research highlights bright spots in education. Their Bold Performance recognition highlights schools achieving dramatic proficiency gains with at-risk student populations.
- CogniarecognitionIndependent accreditation organization (formerly AdvancED) that evaluates school performance against standards for leadership, learning, and resource capacity every five years.
- My School DCcoreCitywide common lottery and enrollment system for DC public charter schools. Families apply through My School DC to enroll at DC Prep campuses.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
DC Prep competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KIPP DC: Multi-campus public charter network serving K-12 students across Washington DC, including Wards 5, 7, and 8. Most direct peer given overlapping DC geography, charter structure, college-prep mission, and underserved-student focus.
- Friendship Public Charter School: DC public charter school network operating multiple campuses across the city serving predominantly low-income families. Comparable in size, multi-site charter model, and college-preparatory orientation.
- Capital City Public Charter School: DC-based public charter school serving PK3-12 with a project-based and social-emotional learning model. Comparable in charter status, DC-only footprint, and SEL-integrated college-prep approach.
- BASIS Charter Schools: National charter school network known for rigorous college-prep academics and consistently top-ranked outcomes. Comparable in college-prep focus, performance reputation, and multi-campus charter model.
- Success Academy Charter Schools: Large multi-site urban charter network in NYC with a college-prep mission and rigorous outcomes culture. Comparable as a high-performing charter operator targeting underserved students with extended instructional time.
- Uncommon Schools: Multi-state charter management organization operating college-prep schools in urban Northeast communities. Comparable in extended-day college-prep model, performance culture, and multi-campus charter operations.
- Achievement First: Nonprofit charter management organization operating college-prep public schools in the Northeast. Comparable in rigorous academic model, extended instructional time, and multi-site charter structure serving low-income families.
- IDEA Public Schools: Large nonprofit charter network operating college-prep public schools from PK-12. Comparable in scale, college-prep mission, multi-site charter model, and outcomes focus for underserved communities.
Broad incumbents
- DC Public Schools (DCPS): Traditional public school district serving K-12 across Washington DC. Overlaps with DC Prep on student demographics and geography; DC Prep's 150:1 leadership ratio is benchmarked explicitly against DCPS's 400:1.
- KIPP Foundation (national network): National charter management organization supporting KIPP schools nationwide. Comparable as a multi-site, college-prep charter operator targeting underserved communities with extended instructional time and alumni support.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DC Prep social profiles
Digital presenceDC Prep financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DC Prep leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
DC Prep funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DC Prep M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DC Prep
What does DC Prep do?
DC Prep is a network of six tuition-free public charter school campuses in Washington DC serving over 2,100 students from PK3 through 8th grade in Wards 5, 7, and 8. The network delivers college-preparatory academics combined with social-emotional learning, achieving 100% acceptance of 8th-grade graduates to college-prep high schools. Supporting offerings include PrepNext alumni support (10 years post-graduation), Champions after-school care, and high school placement services.
Is DC Prep a public or private company?
DC Prep is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DC Prep founded?
DC Prep was founded in 2003. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is DC Prep based?
DC Prep is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does DC Prep make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Per-Pupil Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are private Donations and Fundraising.
Who are DC Prep's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KIPP DC, Friendship Public Charter School, Capital City Public Charter School, BASIS Charter Schools, Success Academy Charter Schools, Uncommon Schools, Achievement First and IDEA Public Schools. Broad incumbents are DC Public Schools (DCPS) and KIPP Foundation (national network).
Does DC Prep have an API?
No public API is recorded for DC Prep.
What industry is DC Prep in?
DC Prep's product category is K-8 Public Charter School Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJACAC, Charter School Networks (Multi-Site), with a secondary code of EDAJACAJ, Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools. Its NAICS code is 611110 and its SIC code is 8200.