Houston Academy

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.

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

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

• Private school education
• College preparatory
• K-12 independent school
• Advanced placement courses
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dothan

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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for PK3 through 12th grade education. Multiple payment plan options available including monthly, quarterly, and annual billing.
2. Application and Enrollment Fees: $125 non-refundable application fee and $200 one-time enrollment fee
3. Textbook Sales: Textbook costs billed separately through student accounts, with typical annual costs of $175 (Lower School), $225 (Middle School), and $300 (Upper School)
4. Summer Camps: Revenue from summer camp programs including athletics, academic enrichment, and arts camps ranging from $75-$160

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreOthersNAIS 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)coreOthersSAIS 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)coreOthersDual accreditation with SAIS and SACS demonstrates commitment to academic excellence and meets high standards for college-preparatory education.
• Dothan Fire DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership 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

Direct 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

• YouTubevimeo.com/user160136798/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/HoustonAcademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/haraiders
• Xx.com/haraiders

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Houston Academy