The Bush School

What The Bush School does

The Bush School is a private, independent, coeducational K-12 day school founded in 1924 by Helen Bush, operating today as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit governed by a Board of Trustees with FY2024-25 operating revenue of $35,492,000. It serves approximately 750 students across three academic divisions — Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12) — across two campuses: the main campus on East Harrison Street in Seattle and the twenty-acre Methow Campus in Mazama, WA, acquired in 2016. The school's pedagogical model is "Engaged Learning," an experiential methodology centered on hands-on, project-based instruction, complemented by the Cascades International Program (multi-destination experiential trips), 75+ co-curricular programs, and a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio with 77 teaching faculty holding advanced degrees. Outcome metrics include 100% college matriculation, 51% students of color, and 74% Middle/Upper School participation in Blazer Athletics.

The school's primary revenue stream is tuition and fees, supplemented by an Annual Fund, the Celebrate Bush annual giving event ($732K raised recently), planned giving, endowment distributions (~$1.3M drawn against a $31.7M endowment as of June 30, 2025), and auxiliary services including Extended Day, the Blazer Bus Program, SKIBUS, summer programs, and a Shopify-powered Spirit Store. Approximately $5.3M in financial aid is distributed annually to 167 students (average award $31,489). Tuition is not publicly disclosed. Notable physical assets include the New Upper School Building opened May 16, 2022, certified as the first Salmon Safe school in Seattle, the first Passive-House school in the Western United States, and one of the first Net Zero Energy school buildings in the nation. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through an admissions funnel that converted 807 applications from 1,483 inquiring families in a recent cycle, supported by website, virtual tours, social media, open houses, and word-of-mouth referrals. The institution is currently led by Head of School Sarah Smith following an eleven-year tenure by Percy L. Abram, Ph.D.

Name

The Bush School

Legal name

The Bush School

Website

https://bush.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Bush School is a private, independent K-12 day school in Seattle founded in 1924, serving approximately 750 students across two campuses with an experiential "Engaged Learning" curriculum, a 7:1 student-to-teacher ratio, 100% college matriculation, and FY2024-25 operating revenue of $35.5M.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative/Pedagogical Model Private Schools (Project-Based, Democratic, etc.) (EDAJABAJ)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• Independent day school
• Experiential learning programs
• College preparatory school
• Elementary and secondary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from K-12 tuition. Total operating revenue for FY 2024-2025 was $35,492,000 from tuition and fees, philanthropic support, auxiliary income, and income from the Endowment.
2. Annual Fund: Annual fundraising campaign supporting the school's annual operating budget. The Annual Fund Family Campaign takes place for five weeks in the fall. Supports $5.3 million financial aid budget.
3. Celebrate Bush Event: Annual K-12 community celebration in support of financial aid. Recent event raised $732,000 including $279,155 through Raise the Paddle, plus $41,100 from Golden Raffle tickets.
4. Endowment Distribution: The endowment draws approximately 5% annually for operations. Total endowment value was $31,681,791 as of June 30, 2025, with $1,300,000 drawn in FY 2024-2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bush School delivers a private K-12 independent day school education for approximately 750 students across three divisions (Lower K-5, Middle 6-8, Upper 9-12) on two campuses in Seattle and Mazama, Washington, using an experiential 'Engaged Learning' pedagogical model. Supplemental offerings include the Cascades International Program (immersive trips to 10+ countries), college counseling, athletics, arts, extended day, summer programs, and transportation services.

Product overview

The Bush School is a K-12 independent day school in Seattle, WA, offering a unified educational program structured across three academic divisions: Lower School (K-5), Middle School (grades 6-8), and Upper School (grades 9-12). The school employs an Engaged Learning pedagogical approach emphasizing experiential, hands-on education. Core academic programs include Technology & Media Literacy, College Counseling & Student Success, and Support Services. The school operates specialized facilities including the Methow Campus (20-acre experiential campus in Mazama, WA) and The Commons community space. Arts programming spans Music (with Jazz Band and Modern Orchestra), Visual Arts (7 studios), and Theater. Athletics engage 74% of Middle and Upper School students through Blazer Athletics. Student life is enriched through Summer Programs, Extended Day childcare, the Blazer Bus Program, and Bush SKIBUS. The development program includes an Annual Fund, Celebrate Bush event, Planned Giving, and an Endowment ($31.6M). The school maintains digital infrastructure through a Community Portal (myschoolapp.com), Library Resources (Google Sites), and athletics scheduling (Arbiter Live). Sustainability leadership is demonstrated through the New Upper School Building (opened 2022), the first Salmon Safe school in Seattle, first Passive-House school in the West, and one of the first Net Zero Energy school buildings in the nation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School Foundational K-5 academic program featuring an Engaged Learning experiential pedagogy with emphasis on learning by doing, serving entry-level students at the Seattle campus.
• Middle School Grades 6-8 academic program with accelerated math pathway, after-school clubs in math, science, and computer engineering, and divisional student-life programming led by the Middle School Director.
• Upper School Grades 9-12 college-preparatory program offering Cascades experiential programs, internship opportunities at 43 partner businesses, comprehensive college counseling, and a 100% college matriculation outcome, housed in the New Upper School Building.
• Cascades International Program Immersive international experiential education program sending students to destinations including Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, New Zealand, Taiwan, Canada, Joshua Tree, Sonoran Desert, Georgia, and the Methow Valley, combining experiential education with service learning.
• College Counseling and Student Success Comprehensive college counseling program with dedicated timelines for each grade level that guides Upper School students through college applications and supports a 100% college matriculation rate.
• Athletics Program (Blazer Athletics) Comprehensive athletics program engaging 74% of Middle and Upper School students through Blazer Athletics team sports, with scheduling managed via Arbiter Live.
• Music Program Music education program spanning Jazz Band, Modern Orchestra, and Ensemble classes covering classical, jazz, and rock genres across all divisions, housed in dedicated music spaces.
• Visual Arts Visual arts education program across all divisions, delivered in seven dedicated art studios covering clay, felt, papier-mâché, and other media.
• Theater Program Theatrical program producing combined Upper School and Middle School productions featuring student performers and crew.
• Summer Programs Seasonal summer programming offering enrichment activities for students during school break periods.
• Extended Day Before and after-school childcare and enrichment program providing supervision and activities for enrolled students.
• Blazer Bus Program Daily transportation service for students commuting to and from the Seattle campus.
• Bush SKIBUS Ski bus transportation service for students participating in winter sports and ski programs.
• Methow Campus Twenty-acre experiential campus in Mazama, WA (Methow Valley) providing immersive educational and outdoor learning programs, including the Methow Campus Family Open House program, connected to the Seattle main campus across one mountain range.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 43 Partner Businesses and OrganizationsminorOthersSixty-seven Tenth and Eleventh Grade students completed internships at forty-three partner businesses and organizations as part of the school's experiential learning program. These internships provide students with real-world work experience and career exploration opportunities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lakeside School: Lakeside School is a private, coeducational, independent day school serving grades 5-12 on two campuses in Seattle, making it the closest direct competitor to The Bush School in mission, geography, and student profile.
• University Prep: University Prep is an independent, coeducational day school in Seattle serving grades 6-12 with a similar college-preparatory mission, urban location, and tuition-funded business model.
• Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS): SAAS is an independent, coeducational day school in Seattle serving grades 6-12 with a strong experiential and arts-integrated focus, directly comparable to Bush's engaged-learning model.
• The Northwest School: The Northwest School is an independent, coeducational day school in Seattle serving grades 6-12 with a progressive, experiential curriculum — closely aligned with The Bush School's pedagogical approach.
• The Overlake School: The Overlake School is an independent, coeducational day school in Redmond, WA serving grades 5-12, with comparable college-prep outcomes, tuition-funded economics, and Pacific Northwest private school positioning.
• Eastside Preparatory School: Eastside Prep is an independent, coeducational day school in Kirkland, WA serving grades 5-12, comparable to Bush in size, mission, and Eastside Seattle competitive market.
• Charles Wright Academy: Charles Wright Academy is an independent, coeducational day school in Tacoma, WA serving grades K-12, comparable in mission and K-12 span to The Bush School within the broader Puget Sound private school market.
• The Bear Creek School: The Bear Creek School is an independent, coeducational Christian day school in Redmond, WA serving grades K-12, comparable in scale, K-12 structure, and regional private school market to The Bush School.

Broad incumbents

• Harker School: The Harker School is a large independent, coeducational day school in San Jose, CA serving grades K-12 with similar experiential learning and college-prep positioning; broader in scale but a useful premium-school benchmark.

Emerging players

• Stanford Online High School: Stanford OHS is an accredited, university-affiliated online school for highly motivated students grades 7-12; an emerging alternative for families seeking rigorous, college-prep instruction outside traditional day schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBushSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/thebushschool
• Xx.com/thebushschool

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Bush School