What Quest Academy does

Quest Academy is a private nonprofit independent school located in Palatine, Illinois, serving academically gifted children from Preschool through 8th grade. Founded in 1982 by Helene Bartz as Creative Children's Academy, the school operates today as Creative Children's Academy (DBA Quest Academy), a 501(c)(3) governed by a Board of Trustees and led by Executive Director & Head of School Dr. Vicki Phelps. It has been continuously accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) since 1988 and serves its community from a main campus at 500 N Benton St plus a 2-acre West Campus for outdoor learning. The school enrolls students through a multi-step admissions process that includes an inquiry form, campus tour, online application with a $75 fee, IQ testing (minimum FSIQ of 125 for Kindergarten and above), a student visit day, and an optional FACTS-based financial aid application, with approximately 30% of students receiving tuition assistance.

The school's academic product is differentiated curriculum for gifted learners, anchored by a Project Lead the Way-based STEAM/Innovation Lab that exposes students to circuits, Arduinos, Raspberry Pis, Micro:bits, drones, 3D printing, Scratch, Python, JavaScript, laser cutting, Lego Mindstorms, and LittleBits, and by a Computer Science/Artificial Intelligence (CSAI) curriculum for middle school. Acceleration pathways allow students to reach Pre-Calculus by 8th grade, and the proprietary Knights Character Education Program defines 8 character traits developed through the academic year. Students have produced documented competitive outcomes including entrants in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge and a delegation of 8 at the Invention Convention U.S. Nationals (the largest from any Illinois school).

Quest Academy's revenue model is tuition-based subscription pricing of $12,830 to $27,985 per year depending on program (Preschool half-day through 8th grade), with payment options for full, three-installment, or ten-month billing. Supplementary revenue streams include one-time new family fees ($500 for Preschool, $1,500 for JK-8th), a $75 application fee, Summer Quest day camp at $475/full week or $380/short week, Extended Day before/after-school care, and an annual Kingdom Campaign charitable giving program that the school describes as necessary to balance the budget. Marketing and distribution run through a sales-led direct admissions motion supported by organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), Calendly tour scheduling, Veracross inquiry forms, and content marketing on gifted education.

Name

Quest Academy

Legal name

Creative Children's Academy

Website

https://questacademy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Quest Academy is a private nonprofit independent school in Palatine, Illinois serving academically gifted children from Preschool through 8th grade with differentiated curriculum, a STEAM/AI lab, and character education, funded primarily by tuition of $12,830-$27,985 annually plus a year-round camp program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Education (Gifted)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Enrichment Programs for Gifted Learners (STEM, Humanities, Arts) (EDAKALAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accelerated Learning & Grade Advancement Programs (EDAJAGAE), Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Gifted education
• STEAM curriculum
• Independent school
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Palatine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue source from tuition payments for Preschool through 8th grade programs. Payment options include full payment, three installments, or ten monthly installments.
2. Summer Quest Program: Summer day camp for children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade, open to all children regardless of Quest enrollment. Full weeks $475, short weeks $380.
3. Annual Giving (Kingdom Campaign): Annual fundraising campaign to balance the budget and support short-term annual needs including teacher recruitment, tools, equipment, and infrastructure.
4. New Family Fee: One-time fees charged upon enrollment: $500 for Preschool, $1,500 for Junior Kindergarten through 8th Grade, supporting new academic programs and technology enhancements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Quest Academy is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent school serving gifted learners from Preschool (age 3) through 8th grade, with a differentiated curriculum, accelerated academics, STEAM/AI education, and character development. The school supplements its core academic programs with enrichment offerings including Summer Quest (summer day camp open to all K-6 children), an Extended Day before/after-school care program, My Museum, athletics, and academic competitions.

Product overview

Quest Academy is a private school for gifted children offering a comprehensive educational program from Preschool through 8th grade. The core offerings include the Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, Lower School (Kindergarten-Grade 5), and Middle School (Grades 6-8) programs, all designed specifically for academically gifted learners. The school complements its academic curriculum with enrichment programs including Summer Quest (summer day camp), Extended Day Program (before/after school care), My Museum (children's museum), Athletics, and Academic Competitions. Programs emphasize differentiated instruction, STEAM education including Computer Science/AI, social-emotional development through the Knights Character Education Program, and preparation for high school through accelerated coursework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool Program Early childhood education program for 3-year-old children focusing on play-based learning where curriculum emerges from children's fascinations. Tuition: $12,830 per year (half day) or $17,125 per year (full day).
• Junior Kindergarten Program

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS)coreOthersISACS is the organization through which Quest Academy is accredited. The rigorous accreditation standards help schools improve through continuous introspection, evaluation, and revision. Member schools participate in a seven-year cycle including self-study, evaluation team visitation, and follow-up stages.
• National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC)coreOthersProfessional membership organization for gifted education; Quest Academy holds membership supporting best practices in gifted education.
• Illinois Association for Gifted Children (IAGC)coreOthersIllinois state membership organization for gifted education professionals.
• Association of Independent Schools for Gifted Students (AISGS)minorOthersMembership organization for independent schools serving gifted students.
• East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS)minorOthersInternational organization supporting international and American schools in East Asia.
• International Baccalaureate (IB)minorOthersInternational education foundation offering programs for schools.
• Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools (LMAIS)minorOthersRegional organization for independent schools in the Lake Michigan area.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)minorOthersNational organization representing independent schools.
• FACTS Grant & Aid AssessmentminorOthersThird-party service used for processing need-based financial aid applications. Families apply through FACTS and submit financial documentation for review.
• Kiddos CateringminorOthersProvides lunch catering services for Quest Academy students.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Francis W. Parker School: Independent PreK-12 school in Chicago with progressive curriculum and college-prep focus. Comparable on independent-school structure in the same metro region but broader (not exclusively gifted).
• Latin School of Chicago: Independent PreK-12 school in Chicago offering rigorous college-prep curriculum. Regional peer in private independent education serving similar Chicago-area families.
• North Shore Country Day School: Independent PreK-12 school in Winnetka, IL with progressive and accelerated programs. Geographic peer for Chicago-area private-school families comparing alternatives to Quest.
• Prairie School: Independent K-12 school in Naperville, IL with strong STEAM and experiential-learning focus. Regional private-school peer for Chicago-suburb families in the same catchment area.

Direct peers

• Acera School: Private K-8 school in Winchester, MA focused on gifted and creative learners with project-based and STEAM learning. Directly comparable to Quest in grade span (K-8) and gifted-learner specialization.
• The Nueva School: Private K-12 independent school in Hillsborough, CA that specializes in gifted and twice-exceptional learners with a strong STEAM/humanities curriculum. Closest direct peer to Quest Academy in mission, age span, and pedagogy.
• Bridges Academy: Private school in Studio City, CA specifically designed for twice-exceptional (2e) gifted learners with social-emotional support. Highly comparable mission and 2e focus.
• The Avery Coonley School: Independent K-8 school in Downers Grove, IL serving gifted learners with a challenging academic curriculum. The closest direct local peer to Quest in the Chicago suburbs.

Broad incumbents

• Greenhill School: Large independent PreK-12 school in Addison, TX with comprehensive academics, STEAM, and athletics. Comparable on independent-school scale and STEAM focus though broader and not exclusively gifted.

Emerging players

• MUSE Academy: Emerging private K-8 microschool-type program in Chicago focused on gifted and twice-exceptional learners. A relevant emerging alternative in the Chicago-region gifted-education space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@questacademypalatine
• Facebookfacebook.com/questacademyknights
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/quest-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/questacademypalatine
• Xx.com/QuestAcademy_

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Quest Academy