Dayton Regional Stem School

What Dayton Regional Stem School does

Dayton Regional STEM School is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public independent STEM school headquartered in Kettering, Ohio. Founded in 2008/2009, it has historically served grades 6-12 and currently enrolls approximately 750 students drawn from 8 counties and 35 districts across the Dayton region. In 2025 the school expanded to include an Elementary School (K-5) at a second Kettering campus, completing a K-12 pipeline. Enrollment is lottery-based, tuition-free, and open to Ohio residents.

The school's core product is a project-based STEM education built around a Design Thinking curriculum, full-day school-wide design challenges, a required career exploration program (job shadowing, internships, College and Career Fair with 50+ regional organizations), and partnerships with regional universities and employers including Wright State University, Miami University, the University of Dayton, DCS Corp, and the PMI Dayton Miami Valley Chapter. Technology supporting operations consists of commodity K-12 administrative and learning tools (Schoology LMS, ProgressBook, FinalForms, PaySchools, ParentSquare, Stay Safe Speak Up) and school-issued laptops. The school holds an ODE STEM designation (renewed May 2023) and a Purple Star School designation.

The business model is that of a public, tax-funded non-profit: primary revenue is Ohio state per-pupil funding — explicitly characterized in the source as the lowest-funded school model in Ohio — supplemented by philanthropic donations (501(c)(3) status), grants (e.g., the 2024 ODE CTE Equipment Grant), and ancillary fee-based services (lunch via Quest food service at $5/day, YMCA-operated after-school care, STEM Apparel e-commerce). The school cannot levy local taxes, has no parent tuition, and is governed by a Board of Trustees. There is no venture capital or private equity involvement. The institution is operating with a headcount of 101-250 employees across two Kettering campuses.

Name

Dayton Regional Stem School

Legal name

Dayton Regional STEM Schools, Inc.

Website

https://daytonstemschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dayton Regional STEM School is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public independent K-12 STEM school in Kettering, Ohio, serving ~750 students from 8 counties via lottery-based, tuition-free enrollment, with project-based Design Thinking curriculum and deep regional industry and university partnership ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 STEM Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM/STEAM-Focused Private K–12 Schools (EDAJABAM)

Keywords

• STEM K-12 education
• Project-based learning
• Design thinking curriculum
• Career exploration programs
• Public charter schools

Headquarters

HQ city

Ohio

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, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. State Per-Pupil Funding: Primary funding from Ohio state per-pupil funding formula. As a public independent STEM school, receives per-pupil allocation from the state.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Non-profit 501(c)(3) organization accepting tax-deductible donations from families, partners, and community. Multiple giving options including one-time, monthly, employer matching, and in-kind donations.
3. Grants: Received CTE Equipment Grant from Ohio Department of Education (September 2024). Actively works with legislators to advocate for equitable STEM education funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Dayton Regional STEM School is a public, tuition-free, lottery-based STEM school network serving approximately 750 students in grades K-12 across the Dayton region. The school offers elementary (K-5), middle (6-8), and high school (9-12) programs built on project-based STEM learning, full-day Design Thinking Challenges in mixed-grade teams, and a required Career Exploration Program featuring job shadowing, internships, and an annual College and Career Fair with 50+ regional organizations and universities.

Product overview

The Dayton Regional STEM Schools is a public, tuition-free, lottery-based STEM school network serving grades K-12 across three distinct programs: Elementary School (K-5 established 2025), Middle School (6-8 established 2009), and High School (9-12 established 2009). The school offers a unified educational approach centered on project-based STEM learning, Design Thinking challenges, and career exploration through partnerships with over 50 regional organizations. All students participate in annual design challenges and the comprehensive career exploration program including job shadowing and internships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elementary School Program (Grades K-5) A lottery-based, tuition-free public STEM school serving students in grades K-5 with project-based STEM learning emphasizing innovation and real-world problem solving. Established 2025.
• Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) A public STEM middle school serving grades 6-8, located at 1724 Woodman Drive, Kettering, OH 45420, focused on STEM education, project-based learning, and career exploration with industry partnerships. Established 2009.
• High School Program (Grades 9-12) A public STEM high school serving grades 9-12, providing advanced STEM curriculum, college and career preparation, internships, and Design Thinking challenges with regional industry partners. Established 2009.
• Career Exploration Program A required career exploration program for all students in grades 6-12, including job shadowing, internships, and the annual College and Career Fair featuring 50+ regional organizations and 100+ professionals.
• Design Thinking Challenges Full-day school-wide design challenges where mixed-grade student teams use the Design Thinking process to address real-world problems and present solutions at Exhibition Night.
• After School Care (YMCA-Partnered) Fee-based after-school care for elementary students (YMCA-run, until 6:00 p.m.) and middle/high school students (study hall and recreation, until 5:30 p.m.).
• School Lunch Program (Quest-Managed) Daily school meal service operated by Quest Food Management Services, offering $5 Innovator Meals (entree, side, milk) for middle/high and elementary students, with $2.50 reduced pricing for meal-assistance-approved students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 750 students in grades 6-12 participating in annual College and Career Fair with 50+ organizations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Wright State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Gold Sponsor of Annual College and Career Fair. Partner in career exploration programming for STEM students. University-level pathway for student college planning and preparation.
• Miami UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Gold Sponsor of Annual College and Career Fair. Partner in providing higher education pathways and career guidance for STEM students.
• University of Dayton School of EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Silver Sponsor of Annual College and Career Fair. Engineering education partner providing mentorship, project opportunities, and technical career exposure for students.
• University of Dayton Sustainability ProgramsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Silver Sponsor providing sustainability-focused educational content and career pathways in environmental STEM fields.
• Project Management Institute, Dayton Miami Valley ChaptersecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Silver Sponsor connecting students with professional project management expertise and career mentorship opportunities.
• DCS, CorpsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Silver Sponsor providing industry exposure and potential career pathways in defense and technology sectors.
• University of Dayton Fitz Center for Community and LeadershipminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Bronze Sponsor supporting community engagement and leadership development programming for students.
• Information Systems Laboratories, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2022Bronze Sponsor providing technology sector career exposure and professional mentorship connections.
• Ohio Alliance of Independent STEM SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization connecting Ohio's independent STEM schools for shared resources, advocacy, and best practice development.
• OSLN Dayton STEM HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio STEM Learning Network hub providing regional STEM education coordination, resources, and professional development.
• DO STEM EcosystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional STEM ecosystem network connecting education, industry, and community stakeholders to advance STEM workforce development in the Dayton region.
• QuestcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFood service management provider operating school kitchens. Fully renovated middle/high school kitchen offering multiple food stations including Grill, Pizza, Greens, and a la carte options.
• YMCAsecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAfter-school care provider for elementary school students. Offers on-site programming until 6:00 p.m. with daily interactive activities and academic support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dayton_stem
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC75xIpk5w_PyMgBo25iklOQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/daytonstemschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-dayton-regional-stem-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/daytonstemschool

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Dayton Regional Stem School