Houston Academy
Houston Academy is a private independent PK3-12th grade college-preparatory school in Dothan, Alabama, serving approximately 735 students. It is the only SAIS-accredited independent school in the Wiregrass region, offering AP coursework, athletics, and arts programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersDothan, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Houston Academy does
Houston Academy is a private independent college-preparatory school founded in 1969 (under the original charter name Southeast Education, Incorporated) and opened in September 1970 in Dothan, Alabama. The school serves approximately 730-735 students across a continuous PK3-through-12th-grade program and is the only SAIS-accredited independent school and only NAIS member school in the Wiregrass region of Southeast Alabama, with additional SACS and Alabama State Department of Education accreditations. It operates from a single campus at 901 Buena Vista Dr under a Board of Trustees (chaired by Harrison Morris for 2025-26), with Dr. Vince Janney serving as Head of School and a leadership team including division heads for Preschool through Upper School plus directors of Admissions, Communications, Facilities, Advancement, Finance, and Technology.
The school delivers its academic program through four integrated divisions — Preschool (3P/4P/5K), Lower School (grades 1-4), Middle School (grades 5-8), and Upper School (grades 9-12) — augmented by 16 Advanced Placement courses (91% pass rate, 210 of 232 exams earning college credit in 2024-25), Fine Arts programs (band, choir, theater, visual arts), an Athletics program of 40 teams across 15 sports for grades 7-12, College Advising (with stated 100% college acceptance), and a diversified Summer Camp portfolio spanning athletics, academics, and arts. The technology infrastructure is composed of standard third-party SaaS platforms rather than proprietary systems: PowerSchool for the student information system, FACTS for tuition billing and financial aid assessment, GiveCampus for online donations, Tandem for school calendars, JotForm for camp registration, and NFHS Network for athletic livestreaming. No proprietary technology, patents, or AI/ML capabilities are referenced.
The business model is primarily subscription-recurring tuition with multi-cadence billing (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, annual plans). Stated annual tuition ranges from $7,083 (preschool) to $15,073 (9th-12th grade), supplemented by a $225-$450 technology fee, $175-$300 in textbook charges, a $125 non-refundable application fee, and a $200 one-time enrollment fee. Summer camps ($75-$160 per program) represent a small ancillary revenue stream. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the school's website (houstonacademy.com), organic social channels (Instagram @haraiders, Facebook, Vimeo), campus tours and shadow days, and parent/alumni referrals. Donor fundraising through the Raider Fund on GiveCampus supplements operating revenue.
Houston Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Houston Academy
- Legal name
- Houston Academy
- Website
- https://houstonacademy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Houston Academy is a private independent PK3-12th grade college-preparatory school in Dothan, Alabama, serving approximately 735 students. It is the only SAIS-accredited independent school in the Wiregrass region, offering AP coursework, athletics, and arts programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Houston Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB)
Keywords
Where Houston Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dothan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Houston Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for PK3 through 12th grade education. Multiple payment plan options available including monthly, quarterly, and annual billing.
- Application and Enrollment Fees: $125 non-refundable application fee and $200 one-time enrollment fee
- Textbook Sales: Textbook costs billed separately through student accounts, with typical annual costs of $175 (Lower School), $225 (Middle School), and $300 (Upper School)
- Summer Camps: Revenue from summer camp programs including athletics, academic enrichment, and arts camps ranging from $75-$160
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 3P/4P/5K Tuition |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 1st-4th Grade Tuition |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 5th-8th Grade Tuition |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | 9th-12th Grade Tuition |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Technology Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Application Fee |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Initial Enrollment Fee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Houston Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Houston Academy is a PK3 through 12th grade independent college-preparatory school that delivers classroom-based academic instruction across Preschool, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School divisions, enhanced by 16 AP courses, a 40-team athletics program spanning 15 sports, a fine arts program (band, choir, theater, visual arts), college advising, and seasonal summer camps. The core deliverable is in-person private schooling sold to families on annual tuition contracts, with related services including college counseling and supplemental summer programming.
Product overview
Houston Academy is a PK3-12th grade independent private school offering a unified college-preparatory education program. The school provides academic instruction across four divisions (Preschool, Lower School, Middle School, Upper School), enhanced by integrated Fine Arts and Athletics programs. Key offerings include AP courses (16 offerings across disciplines), summer camps spanning athletics, academics, and arts, and college advising services. The school operates as a single institution with integrated programs rather than separate product lines.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Preschool Program (3P, 4P, 5K) Early childhood education program serving children ages 3 through kindergarten with play-based learning, foundational academics, and enrichment in art, music, and library. Tuition is $7,083 annually under Plan D (with monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual plan alternatives).
- Lower School Program (Grades 1-4) Elementary education program (Grades 1-4) building academic foundations in reading, writing, and mathematics using Math in Focus, Benchmark Workshop, and Accelerated Reader, supplemented by STEAM, art, music, and PE enrichment. Tuition is $14,233 annually under Plan D.
- Middle School Program (Grades 5-8) Middle school education (Grades 5-8) bridging elementary and high school through diverse subjects, band, choir, physical education, and leadership development under the Head of Middle School. Tuition is $14,772 annually under Plan D.
- Upper School Program (Grades 9-12) High school college-preparatory program (Grades 9-12) offering 16 AP courses across disciplines, college advising, and comprehensive academics preparing students for university admission. Tuition is $15,073 annually under Plan D.
- Summer Camps Seasonal summer programs including Athletics & Sports Camps (soccer, basketball, cheer, dance), Nature & Science (Chemistry Boot Camp), Academic & Enrichment (Chess, ACT Prep, grade-level bootcamps), and Arts programs for ages 4K through high school. Camp prices range from $75 to $160.
- CPR Certification Class CPR certification class offered within the summer camps program for students in grades 5-12, delivered in partnership with the Dothan Fire Department.
Quantifiable outcome
- 35% of Class of 2025 earned ACT 30+ score
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Houston Academy
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Houston Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Houston Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreNAIS membership provides students with unique scholarship opportunities not available at non-accredited schools. Houston Academy is the region's only member of NAIS.
- Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS)coreSAIS accreditation as the only SAIS-accredited independent school in the Wiregrass region, ensuring high academic standards and continuous improvement.
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)coreDual accreditation with SAIS and SACS demonstrates commitment to academic excellence and meets high standards for college-preparatory education.
- Dothan Fire DepartmentminorPartnership for CPR Certification Class offered as part of summer camps program. Students in grades 5-12 can earn certification through the partnership with local fire department.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Houston Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Briarwood Christian School: Large independent K-12 college-prep school in the Birmingham, Alabama metro. Comparable in scale (~900+ students), athletics breadth, and AP offerings for Alabama private-school families.
- Indian Springs School: Independent college-preparatory day/boarding school near Birmingham, Alabama serving grades 8-12. Closely comparable academic model and AP-heavy curriculum at a private Alabama institution.
- Randolph School: Independent college-preparatory K-12 school in Huntsville, Alabama with similar tuition band, accreditation, and AP/college-counseling offerings. Direct comparable for Alabama private-school market analysis.
- Saint James School: Independent college-preparatory school in Montgomery, Alabama serving grades PK3-12. Closely comparable size, mission, and tuition band as an SAIS-accredited Alabama private school.
- The Altamont School: Independent college-preparatory school in Birmingham, Alabama serving grades 5-12. Competes for the same Alabama private-school families seeking rigorous college prep and is similarly SAIS-accredited.
- The Baylor School: Independent college-preparatory day and boarding school in Chattanooga, Tennessee (grades 6-12). Comparable academic rigor, AP breadth, and athletics-heavy college-prep model in a regional Southeast market.
- McCallie School: Independent college-preparatory day and boarding school in Chattanooga, Tennessee for boys in grades 6-12. Comparable academic depth, AP offerings, and athletic program depth among Southeast regional private schools.
- The Montgomery Academy: Independent college-preparatory PK3-12 school in Montgomery, Alabama, serving families across central Alabama. Closely comparable in size, tuition band, and mission as an SAIS/SACS-accredited private school.
- UMS-Wright Preparatory School: Independent college-preparatory K-12 school in Mobile, Alabama with similar SAIS/SACS accreditation profile and athletics/academics mix. Operates in the same state with the same regulatory framework and tuition band.
- Westminster School at Oak Mountain: Independent college-prep day school serving K-12 in the Birmingham, Alabama metro. Comparable academic and athletic programs with similar tuition positioning in the Alabama private-school market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Houston Academy social profiles
Digital presenceHouston Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Houston Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Houston Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Houston Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Houston Academy 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 Houston Academy
What does Houston Academy do?
Houston Academy is a PK3 through 12th grade independent college-preparatory school that delivers classroom-based academic instruction across Preschool, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School divisions, enhanced by 16 AP courses, a 40-team athletics program spanning 15 sports, a fine arts program (band, choir, theater, visual arts), college advising, and seasonal summer camps. The core deliverable is in-person private schooling sold to families on annual tuition contracts, with related services including college counseling and supplemental summer programming.
Is Houston Academy a public or private company?
Houston Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Houston Academy founded?
Houston Academy was founded in 1969. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Houston Academy based?
Houston Academy is headquartered in Dothan, United States, in the North America region.
How does Houston Academy make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition is the primary driver. The others are application and Enrollment Fees, textbook Sales and summer Camps.
Who are Houston Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Briarwood Christian School, Indian Springs School, Randolph School, Saint James School, The Altamont School, The Baylor School, McCallie School, The Montgomery Academy, UMS-Wright Preparatory School and Westminster School at Oak Mountain.
Does Houston Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Houston Academy.
What industry is Houston Academy in?
Houston Academy's product category is Private K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAB, Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.