Cincinnati Public Schools

What Cincinnati Public Schools does

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) is a public K-12 school district and government entity under Ohio state law, founded in 1829 and operating as Ohio's second-largest district after Columbus City Schools. It serves more than 33,000 students from preschool through 12th grade across 66 schools in a 91-square-mile service area covering southwest Ohio, making it the largest district in Greater Cincinnati. The district's core product is free public K-12 education delivered through three primary channels: neighborhood schools assigned by residence, magnet/specialty schools selected via lottery (including Montessori, language immersion via the Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies and the Academy of World Languages, gifted programs, and STEM schools), and Career Technical Education pathways across 15+ industries.

The underlying technology stack consists of conventional K-12 platforms rather than proprietary systems: Focus (Student Information System) handles online enrollment, grades, attendance, and parent portals; Canvas serves as the Learning Management System; Google Workspace for Education provides productivity tools; and Naviance supports college and career readiness. The district also operates a virtual high school (John J. Gilligan Digital Academy) for grades 7-12 and integrates AudioEye accessibility and Finalsite content management on cps-k12.org. No proprietary AI/ML capabilities are evident in the input.

CPS's revenue model is non-commercial: it is funded primarily through local property taxes, Ohio state per-pupil allocations, and federal categorical grants (Title III for English learners, special education, nutrition). Fee-based revenue is minor and includes preschool tuition ($3,700 half-day / $7,000 full-day) and small records fees ($2-$5). A 5-year, 7-mill property tax levy was placed on the November 3, 2026 ballot to raise over $66 million annually and avoid a projected $30.6 million negative cash balance by 2029, in the context of a $58.6 million deficit and 100+ personnel cuts. Customer segments include district resident families (primary), out-of-district Ohio families via open enrollment, preschool families, and specialty-program seekers (Montessori, magnet, CTE, gifted). Distribution is hybrid: centralized enrollment at the Mary A. Ronan Education Center, five Welcome Centers, school-based registration, and the Focus online portal.

Name

Cincinnati Public Schools

Legal name

Cincinnati Public Schools

Website

https://cps-k12.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1829

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cincinnati Public Schools is Ohio's second-largest public K-12 district, serving more than 33,000 students across 66 schools in a 91-square-mile southwest Ohio service area via neighborhood, magnet, and CTE programs. It is a government entity funded by property taxes, state aid, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD), Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Magnet school programs
• Preschool education
• Career technical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Local Property Taxes: Primary local funding source through property tax levies. The district placed a 5-year, 7-mill property tax levy on the November 2026 ballot, projected to raise over $66 million annually.
2. State Funding: State of Ohio funding based on enrollment and various categorical programs.
3. Federal Funding: Federal funding including Title III for English learners ($890 million nationally), special education, and nutrition programs.
4. Preschool Tuition: Tuition-based preschool programs charging $3,700/year for half-day and $7,000/year for full-day, with income-based reduced rates for families at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines.
5. Student Records Fees: Transcript requests at $5 each, graduation verification at $2, and other records at $2 per request.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cincinnati Public Schools is a public K-12 school district operating neighborhood schools, magnet programs, preschool, career technical education, and student support services for children and families residing within the district. The district provides core academic instruction, enrichment, transportation, food service, health services, and digital learning through schools serving students from preschool through grade 12.

Product overview

Cincinnati Public Schools is a public school district serving over 33,000 students in 66 schools across southwest Ohio. The district operates a multi-tiered educational platform consisting of neighborhood schools (assigned by residence), magnet schools (lottery-selected including Montessori and language immersion programs), and specialized high schools. Supporting programs include preschool (half-day and full-day options), Career Technical Education pathways (including Zoo Academy, CTE industry sectors), alternative education (Virtual High School, Hospital/Satellite Program), special education services, multilingual learners support, and gifted/talented programming. The district provides technology access through Focus (Student Information System) and Canvas (LMS), along with college readiness tools including AP courses, College Credit Plus, and Naviance. Additional services include summer school, Project Connect homeless services, and community support through Community Learning Centers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Focus: Student Information System (SIS) used for online registration, grades, attendance tracking, and parent communication.
• Montessori Program
• Project Connect
• WRAP Center

Products and services

• Neighborhood Schools Traditional K-12 neighborhood schools offering standard academic curriculum for students residing within designated attendance zones of the Cincinnati Public Schools district.
• Magnet School Programs Specialized magnet schools offering themed curricula (STEM, Montessori, language immersion, performing arts) with city-wide open enrollment to qualifying district students.
• Preschool Program Tuition-based preschool program for three- and four-year-old children of district families, providing early childhood education prior to kindergarten entry.
• Career Technical Education (CTE) High school career technical education offering industry credentialing, technical training, and work-based learning pathways for career-bound students.
• Project Connect Community partnership program connecting students and families to wraparound services such as healthcare, dental care, housing, and basic needs supports.
• School-Based Dental Program In-school preventive dental health program delivering oral health services to enrolled students during the school day.
• Cincinnati Digital Academy Online K-12 digital learning program offering full-time virtual instruction as an alternative to traditional classroom schooling for district students.
• Homeschool Support Services Support services for families choosing to homeschool their children, providing guidance, curriculum resources, and required oversight within district requirements.
• Open Enrollment Program Application-based enrollment system allowing district families to apply to schools other than their assigned neighborhood school based on seat availability.

Quantifiable outcome

• Walnut Hills High School ranked No. 1 in Ohio by U.S. News & World Report for third consecutive year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Delta Dental FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner in school-based dental program that began at Oyler School in 2013 as the first school-based dental center in the country. The program serves 24,000 patients annually through 12 dental centers, 6 embedded in public schools.
• Walton Mobile Direct Primary Care (WMDPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides on-site mobile health screenings including vision, hearing, physical, and mental health for children and nutritional counseling for parents. Families receive free telehealth services for one year.
• Freestore FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Project Connect to provide the Order Ahead food program offering monthly groceries and operates an on-site food pantry for families experiencing homelessness.
• University of CincinnatimajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Project Connect seniors attending UC or UC Blue Ash, providing priority campus housing access, essential dorm supplies, and on-campus mentor connections.
• Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey housing partner for Project Connect, working with families experiencing homelessness on housing stability and voucher access.
• CAP Line / Family Housing PartnershipmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agencies providing housing support and services for families experiencing homelessness through Project Connect.
• Hamilton County Department of Job and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides onsite partner services through Project Connect for public benefits access and family support.
• Ohio School Boards AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict participates in OSBA events and community conversations on public education and school funding.
• Libby Perszyk Kathman (LPK)minorOthersCincinnati design firm that developed the CPS hand/star logo as a community service project in 1996.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Toledo Public Schools: Another Ohio urban district sharing the same state funding formula, demographic challenges, and political levy environment as CPS; relevant for benchmarking levy passage and fiscal strategy.
• Milwaukee Public Schools: Mid-sized Midwest urban district with comparable student demographics, magnet program structure, and similar property-tax-dependent funding challenges.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District: Large urban district with similar enrollment scale, significant fiscal stress, magnet/specialty program emphasis, and whole-child wraparound service model.
• Columbus City Schools: Ohio's largest urban school district; most direct comparable given shared state funding model, similar urban demographic profile, and large magnet/choice program portfolio serving comparable student populations.
• Indianapolis Public Schools: Mid-sized urban district in neighboring Midwest region with similar magnet/choice architecture, fiscal stress on property-tax levies, and comparable student demographics.
• Cleveland Metropolitan School District: Major Ohio urban school district operating under identical state funding mechanisms; comparable in scale challenges, demographic profile, and whole-child service delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Public Schools: One of the largest U.S. urban school districts; operates a similar school choice, magnet, and selective-enrollment model with substantially greater scale but analogous governance and funding structure.
• Boston Public Schools: Mid-sized urban district known for its school choice/assignment system, magnet and exam school model, and similar whole-child service orientation with comparable urban demographic profile.
• Philadelphia School District: Major urban district with comparable fiscal challenges, magnet/choice architecture, and wraparound service model focused on poverty-impacted student populations.

Others

• Houston Independent School District: Large urban district with comparable magnet program portfolio, similar reliance on local property taxes, and analogous whole-child/community-school service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iamcps
• Facebookfacebook.com/CincinnatiPublicSchools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cincinnatipublicschools
• Instagraminstagram.com/iamcps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Cincinnati Public Schools