SAU 70 School District

What SAU 70 School District does

SAU 70 School District is a public, government-administered educational entity operating as the nation's first interstate school district, jointly serving the towns of Hanover, New Hampshire and Norwich, Vermont across four constituent school boards. The district runs four schools covering pre-kindergarten through grade 12: Bernice A. Ray School (K-5, Hanover/Etna), Marion Cross School (PreK-5, Norwich), Frances C. Richmond Middle School (grades 6-8, Hanover), and Hanover High School (grades 9-12, Hanover), serving approximately 1,807 students supported by roughly 450 district employees.

Core offerings include a comprehensive academic curriculum spanning English, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, arts, health, and physical education, with honors and AP course options and specialized programs in data science, biotechnology, and engineering design. The district operates a character education framework branded "Portrait of a Learner" focused on Critical Thinking, Empathy, Responsibility, and Communication. Notable programmatic differentiators include a student-developed Climate Action Plan (adopted February 2025, targeting 16% GHG reduction by 2030 and 75% by 2050 from a 2022-23 baseline of 2,987 MTCO2e) and a High-Altitude Ballooning and Engineering team participating as one of five high schools nationally in the NASA/NSF-funded Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project. Technology infrastructure is standard for public K-12 education: PowerSchool for student information, Simbli for board governance, BoardDocs for document management, Finalsite for web, and a Family Portal for parent communications.

Revenue mechanics differ fundamentally from a commercial enterprise. SAU 70 is funded primarily through local property taxes from Hanover and Norwich, with each constituent district operating its own voter-approved budget. Additional revenue streams include non-resident tuition ($17,668-$32,434 annually depending on school for 2026-2027), tuition payments from sending districts (Lyme, Cornish, Croydon, and multiple VT supervisory unions), and Vermont Universal Pre-K funding under Act 166 ($4,106 per student for 2026-27). The district does not have revenue, funding rounds, or ownership in the private-sector sense; it is a tax-payer-funded governmental entity governed by elected school boards under Superintendent Robin Steiner.

Name

SAU 70 School District

Legal name

School Administrative Unit 70

Website

https://sau70.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SAU 70 School District is the nation's first interstate public school district, operating four schools (pre-K through grade 12) serving approximately 1,807 students across Hanover, NH and Norwich, VT, funded primarily through local property taxes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Interstate school district
• Pre-kindergarten programs
• STEM education
• Special education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Local Property Tax Revenue: Funded primarily through local property taxes from the towns of Hanover, NH and Norwich, VT, as well as Hanover School District and Dresden School District tax revenues. Each district is governed by its own school board that develops and defends budgets to voters.
2. Non-Resident Tuition: Revenue from tuition students from outside the district. Private tuition rates for 2026-2027: Bernice A. Ray School $32,434, Hanover High School $26,061, Frances C. Richmond Middle School $27,594, Marion Cross School $17,668. Also receives tuition payments from sending districts like Lyme, NH.
3. Vermont Universal Pre-K Funding: Vermont's Universal Pre-K Program (Act 166) requires Norwich School District to fund up to ten hours of pre-kindergarten education. The 2026-27 statewide rate is $4,106.00 per student.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SAU 70 is a public K-12 school administrative unit operating four schools (Bernice A. Ray School, Marion Cross School, Frances C. Richmond Middle School, and Hanover High School) that deliver pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education to students in Hanover, NH and Norwich, VT. The district also provides athletics, arts, world languages, special education, and enrichment programs, and accepts non-resident tuition students on a space-available basis.

Product overview

SAU 70 School District is the nation's first interstate school district serving Hanover, New Hampshire and Norwich, Vermont. The district operates as a unified educational platform comprising four schools: Bernice A. Ray School (elementary), Marion Cross School (elementary), Frances C. Richmond Middle School (middle school), and Hanover High School (high school). The district's offerings include comprehensive academic curricula across multiple departments, character education through the Portrait of a Learner framework, athletics and extracurricular programs, and district-wide initiatives including a Climate Action Plan. Administrative functions are supported through Family Portal for parents, board governance through Simbli, and community engagement through podcasts and social media channels. The district also maintains strategic partnerships with Finalsite for web platform, BoardDocs for document management, and PowerSchool for student information management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Public School Education across four schools Pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education delivered across four schools: Bernice A. Ray School (K-5) in Hanover, NH; Marion Cross School (PreK-5) in Norwich, VT; Frances C. Richmond Middle School (grades 6-8) in Hanover, NH; and Hanover High School (grades 9-12) in Hanover, NH.
• Curriculum and Academic Programs Comprehensive academic curriculum including departments for Art, English, Health, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages, with honors, AP, and specialized offerings such as Data Science, Biotechnology, and Engineering Design.
• Athletics and Extracurricular Activities Athletic programs, performing arts, and student clubs for K-12 students across the district, including sports teams and enrichment activities.
• Vermont Universal Pre-K Program Publicly funded pre-kindergarten program at Marion Cross School, provided under Vermont's Act 166 Universal Pre-K legislation, with capacity for 34 students and priority for Norwich residents.
• Non-Resident Tuition Enrollment Space-available enrollment for tuition-paying students from outside the district, requiring Superintendent/School Board approval. Includes formalized tuition agreements with surrounding NH and VT sending/choice districts such as Lyme, Cornish, Croydon, and others.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,987 MTCO2e total GHG emissions tracked across district (2022-2023 baseline)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hanover Police DepartmentcoreOthersKey community safety partner for SAU 70 schools. Collaborates on school safety protocols, emergency response planning, and the Incident Command System-based safety procedures.
• Hanover Fire DepartmentcoreOthersKey community safety partner for SAU 70 schools. Collaborates on emergency response planning and safety protocols.
• Norwich Police DepartmentcoreOthersKey community safety partner for Marion Cross School. Collaborates on school safety protocols and emergency response.
• Norwich Fire DepartmentcoreOthersKey community safety partner for Marion Cross School. Collaborates on emergency response planning and safety protocols.
• Student Transportation of VermontcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted transportation provider for SAU 70 districts. Employs bus drivers and owns the buses that carry district names. Operates 13 regular routes plus special routes across Hanover and Norwich.
• Lyme School District (SAU 76)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSending district arrangement where Lyme pays HHS tuition for their students to attend Hanover High School.
• Cornish School District (SAU 100)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChoice district for grades 9-12. Cornish has choice for 9th-12th graders where parents are responsible for any amount above what the District pays.
• NASA and NSF (Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA and NSF-funded Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP). SAU 70's Hanover High School team is one of only five high schools nationwide participating in this initiative for atmospheric research during solar eclipses.
• Montana State University-BozemancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project providing scientific and financial support to the HHS ballooning team.
• University of MainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project providing scientific and financial support to the HHS ballooning team.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools: Vermont K-12 public school district serving Montpelier and Roxbury with similar district size (~1,000-1,500 students). Comparable as a small Vermont public district operating across multiple school sites with similar funding and governance dynamics.
• Concord School District (SAU 8): New Hampshire K-12 public school district serving the state capital region. Comparable as a New Hampshire SAU-format district operating multiple schools with similar governance and funding model.
• White River Valley Supervisory Union: Vermont supervisory union serving Sharon, Stockbridge, Bethel, and Rochester with K-12 public education. Comparable as a Vermont union structure that partners with SAU 70 on choice/sending arrangements.
• Cambridge Public Schools: Massachusetts K-12 public school district known for innovation in sustainability and STEM programming. Comparable as an academically rigorous K-12 public district with a strong sustainability profile, though larger in scale.
• Champlain Valley School District: Vermont K-12 public school district in the greater Burlington/Chittenden County area. Comparable as a Vermont K-12 public district with a multi-school structure and similar sustainability and STEM focus.

Others

• Hanover County Public Schools: Virginia public K-12 district sharing the 'Hanover' name. Limited direct comparability but included as a similarly named K-12 public system operating across multiple school sites.

Regional players

• Burlington School District: Vermont's largest K-12 public school district, serving a similar student-age population with public elementary, middle, and high schools. Comparable as a Vermont-based public K-12 operator, though significantly larger in scale than SAU 70.
• Hopkinton School District (SAU 66): New Hampshire K-12 public school district with a comparable small-district structure and similar per-pupil demographics. Comparable as a small New Hampshire SAU-format public district.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SAU70Schools
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGkqznI52BRLRtVx61Y5KFw/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dresden-school-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAU 70 School District