La Scuola

What La Scuola does

La Scuola International School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit private school founded in 2002 in San Francisco, operating across four campuses: two in San Francisco (Mission for K-8 and Dogpatch for Preschool), one in East Palo Alto's Silicon Valley Ravenswood neighborhood (PreK through Grade 3, expanding to Grade 5), and a new Milan, Italy campus opening for the 2026-27 school year. The school enrolls approximately 436 students from 329 families speaking 34 languages, served by a faculty and staff of roughly 108 drawn from 16 countries.

The school's core product is a preschool-through-grade-8 education built on three integrated pillars: the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Reggio Emilia Approach (extended through grade 8, an arrangement described as unique globally), and Italian language immersion following the Montreal Model that shifts from 90% Italian in preschool to roughly 30% in middle school with Spanish introduced in grade 4. Supporting infrastructure includes specialized atelier spaces (Art, Music, Garden, Environmental Studies, Design, with a Digital Atelier planned), the Pollyanna Racial Literacy Curriculum K-8, Singapore Math and Science of Reading integration, and the California International Reggio Center (CIRC) inaugurated November 2023 for educator training and research. Architect Michele Zini of ZPZ Partners has designed multiple campuses to embody Reggio-inspired environments.

The business model is tuition-driven subscription revenue billed annually, with tiered pricing by campus, program (full-day/half-day), and schedule (2/3/5-day), ranging from roughly $17,685 to $39,300 per year. A sliding-scale tuition program serves 30% of families, and a SMART partnership provides access to lowest-quartile-income families. Additional revenue streams include extended-day/camp programs, food service partnerships (La Cucina, 54 Mint, Flik Hospitality), fundraising via the Annual Fund, La Dolce Vita gala, and the Embrace Capital Campaign ($9M of $10M raised toward the new Mission building), with tax-exempt bond financing supplementing capital expenditures.

Name

La Scuola

Legal name

La Scuola International School

Website

https://lascuolasf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

La Scuola International School is a nonprofit K-8 private school operating four campuses (San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Milan) that delivers an integrated International Baccalaureate, Reggio Emilia Approach, and Italian-language immersion curriculum to roughly 436 students from 329 families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 International Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAG

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDAJABAL

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDACABAM

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

SECONDARYEDACABAH

Bilingual/Language-Immersion Preschools

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

Keywords

• International baccalaureate education
• Private K-8 education
• Language immersion schools
• Reggio Emilia schools
• Independent preschool education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Private school tuition charged to families for preschool through Grade 8 education. Tuition varies by campus and program type (full-day vs half-day, 5-day vs 3-day vs 2-day schedules). Sliding scale tuition program available for families demonstrating financial need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

La Scuola International School delivers private Preschool through Grade 8 education for approximately 436 students across four campuses (San Francisco Mission, San Francisco Dogpatch, Silicon Valley/East Palo Alto, and Milano, Italy). Its core educational product is the blended International Baccalaureate (PYP and MYP) + Reggio Emilia Approach + Italian language immersion curriculum delivered through specialized Atelier learning spaces, with Sliding Scale tuition available to roughly 30% of families.

Product overview

La Scuola International School is an educational institution offering a comprehensive K-8 program with multiple campuses. The core offering consists of preschool through grade 8 education following the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary and Middle Years Programs, integrated with the Reggio Emilia Approach and Italian/Spanish language immersion. The school operates specialized Atelier spaces for art, music, garden, and design, along with Extended Day programs, athletics, and travel-based experiential learning. A key differentiator is the California International Reggio Center (CIRC) for educator professional development. The school serves approximately 436 students across four campuses in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Milan, Italy. Financial accessibility is supported through a sliding scale tuition program used by 30% of families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Program Italian immersion preschool for children ages 2-5, following the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) with the Reggio Emilia Approach, play-based learning, and Atelier experiences. Approximately 90% Italian instruction in the youngest grades.
• Elementary School (Grades K-5) Elementary education program for Grades K-5 following the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) with Italian/English bilingual instruction and Reggio Emilia pedagogy; offered at the San Francisco Mission and Silicon Valley campuses with sliding scale tuition up to 30% off.
• Middle School (Grades 6-8) Middle school program for Grades 6-8 following the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) with Italian, English, and Spanish language instruction differentiated by proficiency, emphasizing critical thinking, global citizenship, and community engagement.
• Extended Day & Camps Extended care program and summer camps providing supervision and enrichment activities for enrolled students outside of regular school hours.
• California International Reggio Center (CIRC) Professional development, educator training, and research center dedicated to the Reggio Emilia educational approach, operated by La Scuola for internal staff and the broader education community.

Quantifiable outcome

• IB students outperform non-IB students in critical academic skills
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Build GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024General contractor for new Mission Campus building project. Has over 17 years of experience in San Francisco with stellar safety rating. Construction began October 2024 with building completion projected April 2026.
• SMART (Schools, Mentoring and Resource Team Inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SMART program provides access to families in the lowest income quartile in San Francisco. More than 97% of SMART students will be first in their family to graduate from college. La Scuola accepted six SMART students this year, giving these families access to a La Scuola education.
• Krista Gustaveson/La CucinaminorOthersSan Francisco preschool campus food service partner providing organic, family-style lunches cooked on site using organic ingredients whenever possible.
• 54 MintminorOthersRestaurant and catering partner providing organic, locally-sourced daily lunches to students, faculty, and staff. Vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free options available.
• Flik HospitalityminorOthersFood service partner for Silicon Valley campus providing fresh, wholesome, safe-to-eat foods that are nutritionally balanced with international influence.
• ZPZ Partners (Michele Zini)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned architect from Modena, Italy recognized globally for creating Reggio-inspired schools and ateliers. Designed San Francisco Dogpatch and Silicon Valley campuses intentionally to spark interest by igniting senses with color, texture, movement, beauty, and joy.
• PollyannacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRacial Literacy Curriculum provider. Implemented K-8 to enhance student awareness of their own racial socialization and empower skills for engaging in productive conversations about race and racism.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Chinese American International School: San Francisco private school combining IB curriculum with Mandarin immersion from preschool through middle school; directly comparable IB + immersion dual-language model.
• Lycée Français de San Francisco: French immersion K-12 school in San Francisco serving a similar globally mobile, multilingual family demographic; competes for immersion-curious Bay Area families.
• San Francisco Friends School: San Francisco private K-8 progressive school; competes for the same mission-driven Bay Area families seeking inquiry-based, progressive private education.
• French American International School: San Francisco private K-12 school offering IB curriculum and French immersion; directly comparable to La Scuola as a Bay Area IB language-immersion school serving globally minded families.
• Presidio Knolls School: San Francisco Mandarin-immersion school serving preschool through middle school with progressive pedagogy; comparable as a Bay Area immersion private school competing for similar families.
• International School of the Peninsula: Palo Alto school offering Mandarin and French immersion through middle school; directly comparable Peninsula immersion school with IB-inspired curriculum.
• Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley: Berkeley-based French immersion school offering preschool through middle school; comparable East Bay dual-language private school competing for similar families.

Regional players

• German International School of Silicon Valley: Bay Area German immersion school serving preschool through middle school; comparable immersion private school but with a different target language.

Broad incumbents

• Harker School: Established Silicon Valley private K-12 school; competes for academically oriented Bay Area families seeking rigorous college-prep outcomes.
• Stratford School: Larger private K-12 operator across multiple Bay Area campuses; competes for tuition-paying families but at a broader, less specialized curriculum offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaScuolaSF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lascuolasf
• Facebookfacebook.com/lascuolasf/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lascuolasf
• Instagraminstagram.com/la_scuola_international_school
• Pinterestpinterest.com/lascuolasf

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 La Scuola