What IDEA Public Charter School does

IDEA Public Charter School is a free, open-enrollment public charter high school (grades 9-12) located in a single campus in the historic Deanwood neighborhood of Washington, DC. Founded in 1997 and authorized by the DC Public Charter School Board (DC PCSB), it serves DC-resident high school students with a college- and career-preparatory mission, operating under a non-profit governance structure led by a Board of Trustees and a CEO (Dr. Brian Rahaman). The school's core academic product is a platform of five Career and Technical Education (CTE) academies — Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Childhood Development Services, Information Technology and Computer Science, Construction Technology, and Cosmetology — layered onto a rigorous core academic program and supplemented by dual enrollment, mastery-based credit recovery, tutoring, exceptional education, and a 100-hour community service graduation requirement. Co-curricular offerings include the IDEA Timberwolves athletics program (competing in the PCSAA and DCSAA), National Honor Society, Peer Group Connection, Student Advisory Council, and Model UN. The technology platform is a standard K-12 stack: PowerSchool for student information and parent portal, Canvas for learning management, Parchment for transcript ordering, Edlio for the school website, plus integrations for online payments, donations, athletic ticketing, and the IDEA Uniforms Square Store.

The school's business model is fundamentally a publicly funded, non-tuition charter school model. Primary revenue arrives as DC per-pupil charter funding (recurring, formula-driven), supplemented by USDA School Breakfast and National School Lunch Program reimbursements, donations and workplace giving through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #26032), PayPal donations, and minor transactional revenue from athletic event ticket sales, IDEA-branded uniform sales via Square, and occasional ticketed events such as the 20th Anniversary celebration. GTM motion is direct-to-consumer and event-driven: enrollment runs through the centralized My School DC (MSDC) common lottery, with prospective families reached via the school website, social channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn), biweekly family newsletters, Open House events, the College and Career Expo, and a $250-per-referral family referral program. Customer segments are segmented by geography (DC students, particularly from Deanwood and surrounding communities), persona (exceptional education scholars with IEPs/504s, parenting scholars, homeless scholars, college-bound dual-enrollment scholars), and use case (college pathway vs. workforce pathway).

Name

IDEA Public Charter School

Legal name

IDEA Public Charter School

Website

https://ideapcs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IDEA Public Charter School is a free, open-enrollment DC public charter high school (grades 9-12) founded in 1997 in the Deanwood neighborhood of Washington, DC, delivering college- and career-prep academics across five CTE academies, dual enrollment, athletics, and wraparound support services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Charter High School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK), Charter STEM/STEAM-Focused Schools (EDAJACAG)

Keywords

• Public charter school education
• Career and technical education
• College preparatory programs
• Dual enrollment programs
• High school athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. District of Columbia Public Charter School Per-Pupil Funding: As a DC public charter school, IDEA receives operational funding from the District of Columbia. Public Information Hub publishes Annual Report (with salary information), At-Risk Funding Plans, FY25 School Budget, and Form 990 to demonstrate financial transparency.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Accepts financial and in-kind contributions from community leaders, local businesses, families, and donors. Offers a Donate page. Designates IDEA as a recipient through workplace giving programs (CFC pledge card #26032). The Big IDEA 20th Anniversary event charged $25 (former staff, alumni, parents) and $50 (general admission) tickets, with 50% tax-deductible for partners.
3. Federal School Breakfast and Lunch Program Reimbursements: Participates in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, providing free meals to scholars. Reimbursements flow from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under federal civil rights and nutrition law compliance.
4. Athletic Event Ticketing: Cashless ticket sales for athletic events with tickets going live the day before each game. All tickets purchased online.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

IDEA Public Charter School is a free, open-enrollment DC public charter high school (grades 9-12) delivering college- and career-preparatory education through five CTE academies (Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Childhood Development Services, Information Technology and Computer Science, Construction Technology, and Cosmetology), dual enrollment with nine partner colleges, and comprehensive wraparound supports (Exceptional Education, Student Support Services, free USDA meals, free Safe Passage Shuttle Bus). It operates from a single state-of-the-art campus in the Deanwood community of Washington, DC, with a 100% college acceptance goal.

Product overview

IDEA Public Charter School is a single unified public high school in Washington, DC, founded in 1997 in the historic Deanwood community, delivering a platform of academic, athletic, and student support programs rather than a software product portfolio. Its core academic offering (the "Academics" program) is anchored by four CTE academies — Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Childhood Development Services, Information Technology and Computer Science, and Construction Technology — plus a Cosmetology academy, all aligned with OSSE's state CTE plan. These academic programs are supported by a layered set of auxiliary services: Dual Enrollment, Credit Recovery, Tutoring, Exceptional Education, Student Support Services (social work/psychology), and 2026 Summer Programs (Credit Recovery, Extended School Year, SYEP). Co-curricular offerings include Athletics (the IDEA Timberwolves program spanning fall, winter, and spring sports), the Scholar Leadership programs (National Honor Society, Peer Group Connection, Student Advisory Council), the College Exploration program, Community Service (a 100-hour graduation requirement), and activities such as Model UN. Operational services such as the Safe Passage Shuttle Bus, Food Service (free USDA breakfast and lunch), and the IDEA Uniform program (via Square Store) round out the offering. The school's administrative platform runs on Edlio and integrates with PowerSchool (parent portal/SIS), Canvas (LMS), Parchment (transcripts), MaxPreps (athletics), FEV Tutor (tutoring), Square (uniforms), PayPal (donations), and Google Sites (StudentHub).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Business Management and Entrepreneurship (CTE Academy) CTE academy offering business management and entrepreneurship coursework integrated with core academic courses to build problem-solving and critical thinking skills using real-world industry scenarios; aligned with OSSE's state CTE plan.
• Childhood Development Services (CTE Academy) CTE academy providing scholars with training in childhood development services as a career pathway, part of IDEA's CTE academies aligned with OSSE's state CTE plan.
• Information Technology and Computer Science (CTE Academy) CTE academy offering coursework in information technology and computer science, including computer programming taught by an industry professional from Cookout Games.
• Construction Technology (CTE Academy) CTE academy providing scholars with hands-on training in construction technology as a career pathway, with instruction from a dedicated Carpentry Teacher.
• Cosmetology (CTE Academy) CTE academy providing cosmetology training as a career pathway, taught by a licensed professional Cosmetology Teacher.
• Athletics Program (IDEA Timberwolves) Comprehensive athletics program for IDEA Timberwolves competing in the Public Charter School Athletic Association (PCSAA) Conference and DCSAA, offering fall, winter, and spring sports including cross country, flag football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, cheerleading, baseball, softball, track and field, and girls flag football.
• Dual Enrollment Program College credit-earning program allowing IDEA scholars to take summer classes at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC-CC CARE program) and fall classes through the OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium, with eligibility for rising 10th, 11th, or 12th graders with a 2.5 GPA.
• Credit Recovery Program Structured academic program providing students who have failed a course the opportunity to retake and earn credit through mastery-based learning (70% minimum mastery) via online programs, teacher-led in-person classes, blended learning, after-school sessions, summer school, or independent study.
• Tutoring Services Academic assistance program offering after-school tutoring with individual teachers, Saturday School, and on-demand virtual tutoring (via FEV Tutor) for scholars needing additional support.
• 2026 Summer Programs Summer program offering Credit Recovery, Extended School Year, and Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) for IDEA scholars, typically running early July through early August with classes Monday through Thursday and catered breakfast and lunch provided.
• Exceptional Education (Special Education) Services Special education program supporting scholars and families through identification, evaluation, eligibility determination, IEP development, and reevaluation, with approaches including parent involvement, multidisciplinary evaluations, annual IEP reviews, co-taught classes, resource pull-out, behavior intervention plans, small-group study zones, assistive technology, and accommodations.
• Student Support Services Social work and psychological support services for scholars dealing with behavioral challenges, homelessness, learning challenges, medical crises, mental illness, parenting, and pregnancy, delivered by a team of social workers and psychologists.
• Community Service Program Required program requiring scholars to complete 100 hours of community service for graduation, with 25 hours per academic year, documented annually by April 15.
• Scholar Leadership Programs (National Honor Society, Peer Group Connection, Student Advisory Council) Student leadership offerings including the National Honor Society (criteria: scholarship, leadership, service, character), Peer Group Connection (peer mentoring for incoming freshmen), and Student Advisory Council (scholar representation across grade levels).
• College Exploration Program College-readiness program helping all scholars apply to college, providing information about colleges, financial aid, college visits, and on-campus college visits by admissions staff.
• Model UN Team Student extracurricular program in which scholars represent assigned countries and UN committees at the Washington Area Model United Nations Conference, building skills in critical thinking, diplomacy, negotiation, public speaking, writing, and research.
• Safe Passage Shuttle Bus Free roundtrip shuttle bus service for IDEA scholars with specific drop-off and pickup times at stops in the community, supplementing access via the Deanwood Metro station and U4 bus route.
• Food Service Program Free daily breakfast and lunch program for all IDEA scholars (with vegetarian options), participating in the federal School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program.
• IDEA Uniform Program Required school uniform program for scholars, with uniform tops available to order through the IDEA Uniforms Square Store, supporting unity and equity across the school community.
• IDEA PCS Course Catalog Official IDEA PCS course catalog outlining graduation requirements, academic policies, and course descriptions for all courses offered during the school year.
• IDEA Parchment Transcript Service Secure transcript ordering and delivery service for IDEA alumni and current students, in partnership with Parchment, allowing electronic delivery to colleges and other institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% college acceptance goal for graduating class
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

28 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• My School DC (MSDC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDEA participates in the My School DC common application and common lottery for the 2026-27 school year. MSDC is the centralized platform through which prospective families apply to DC public charter and public schools. Application deadline: February 2, 2026. Lottery results: March 27, 2026. Post-lottery applications open February 3, 2026 and are waitlisted.
• University of the District of Columbia (UDC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUDC-CC's College Access and Readiness for Everyone (CARE) Dual Enrollment Summer Program allows DC high school students to earn college credits at no cost. IDEA scholars who are rising 10th, 11th, or 12th graders with at least a 2.5 GPA can enroll in summer classes.
• OSSE Dual Enrollment ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education) Dual Enrollment Consortium Program allows IDEA scholars to enroll in approved college courses and earn college and/or high school credit. Consortium includes American University, Bard College, Bay Atlantic University, Catholic University of America-Metropolitan School of Professional Studies, Marymount University, Montgomery College, Northern Virginia Community College, Trinity Washington University, and UDC.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationPowerSchool is IDEA's student information system and parent portal. Parents use the PowerSchool Parent Portal to log in, review grades, and submit enrollment paperwork for returning students. The system also supports PowerSchool Enrollment as IDEA's electronic enrollment system.
• ParchmentcoreTechnology or IntegrationIDEA has partnered with Parchment to allow scholars and alumni to order and send transcripts and other credentials securely. Allow minimum three business days for processing.
• Public Charter School Athletic Association (PCSAA) ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDEA Timberwolves are members of the PCSAA Conference and often compete against other conferences. IDEA complies with DC State Athletic Association (DCSAA) eligibility regulations for academics, participation, and attendance.
• DC Public Charter School Board (DC PCSB)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDEA is chartered by the DC Public Charter School Board. The DC PCSB Public Information Policy (effective July 1, 2025) requires IDEA to publish key documents and policies. IDEA's profile with financial and operational documents is published on the DC PCSB website.
• CTE Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDEA's CTE programs use real-world scenarios from industry partners across the five academies (Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Childhood Development Services, IT and Computer Science, Construction Technology, Cosmetology). Industry partners provide work-based learning opportunities and are aligned with OSSE's state CTE plan.
• American UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program allowing IDEA scholars to enroll in approved college courses and earn college/high school credit. Che Rose (IDEA Computer Science Teacher) is also an adjunct professor at American University.
• Bard CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• Bay Atlantic UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• Catholic University of America - Metropolitan School of Professional StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• Marymount UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• Montgomery CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• Northern Virginia Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• Trinity Washington UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in OSSE Dual Enrollment Consortium Program.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDEA participates in the federal School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, providing free meals to all scholars. Compliance with USDA civil rights regulations and nondiscrimination requirements.
• EdliocoreTechnology or IntegrationEdlio is the website CMS and content platform powering IDEA's website, including calendars, news, video gallery, and staff directory.
• Chick-fil-AminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChick-fil-A provided lunch as an incentive for Read Across America program participation. Free Chick-fil-A lunch offered alongside $100 + 2,500 Kazoo points (first 2 weeks) or $50 + 2 points (next 2 weeks).
• George Washington University International Affairs SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGWU's International Affairs Society organized the Washington Area Model United Nations Conference held at the Grand Hyatt Washington March 21-24, 2019. IDEA's English teacher Alexandrea Rich sponsored the school's first Model UN team. Board member Lakeisha Highsmith sponsored the scholars' accommodations.
• Marriott InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakeshia Highsmith serves as IDEA Board of Trustees Vice Chair while also serving as Vice President, HR Compliance and FLEX at Marriott International.
• PwCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKelly Nakamoto, Tax Partner at PwC, serves on the IDEA Board of Trustees.
• Howard University School of ArchitectureminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdward Dunson, Chairman of Howard University School of Architecture, serves on the IDEA Board of Trustees. Dr. Terry Williams (IDEA Math Teacher) has been an adjunct professor at Howard University since 2002.
• DC Department of TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGizachew Andargeh, Special Projects Manager at the DC Department of Transportation, serves on the IDEA Board of Trustees. The DC DOT also provides Kids Ride Free cards for students.
• Various Vendors (RFP)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIDEA works with qualified vendors to provide a variety of services for the school and students. Proposals are accepted annually and submitted via email. Multiple Request For Proposals issued February 2023.
• Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIDEA is a registered recipient in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) workplace giving program. Donors can designate IDEA by writing #26032 on their CFC pledge card.
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeanwood Metro station on the Orange Line is located two blocks from the school. U4 bus route drops students off half a block from the school. Free Kids Ride Free cards provided to scholars through WMATA.
• Cookout GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCookout Games is the video game studio founded by IDEA Computer Science Teacher Che Rose, who has hired IDEA scholars to work on projects. Rose is creative director and lead programmer at Cookout Games, bringing real-world industry experience to his IDEA classes.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Maya Angelou Public Charter School: DC public charter network serving grades 6-12 with a focus on alternative education pathways and reengagement. Comparable as a DC high school charter serving similar student populations through DC PCSB authorization.
• Capital City Public Charter School: DC public charter school serving grades PK-12 with an inquiry-based college-prep curriculum. Comparable as a DC charter authorized by DC PCSB with similar wraparound programming.
• Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter School: DC public charter high school with a legal-themed college-prep curriculum serving grades 9-12. Comparable as a DC charter high school with a mission-specific academic focus and similar enrollment base.
• Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools: DC public charter network operating multiple campuses serving grades PK-12. Comparable as a DC charter focused on college readiness for under-resourced DC students.
• DC Prep: DC public charter school network serving grades PK3-8 with a college-prep mission. Comparable as a DC charter serving similar urban communities through DC PCSB authorization.
• Friendship Public Charter School: DC-based charter school network operating multiple campuses across the city. Comparable as a DC public charter serving under-resourced DC families with college-prep academics and wraparound supports.
• KIPP DC: Largest charter school network in Washington, DC, operating multiple schools serving grades K-12 with a college-prep mission. Directly comparable as a DC public charter school serving similar urban families through a lottery-based enrollment model.

Emerging players

• BASIS Charter Schools: National charter school network known for rigorous college-prep academics and strong STEM outcomes. Comparable in mission orientation (high academic outcomes, college focus) but operates primarily outside DC.

Broad incumbents

• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large NYC-based charter school network with strong college-prep outcomes. Comparable as a high-performing charter network but operates in a different geography and serves a different state regulatory environment.
• KIPP Foundation (National Network): National charter school network supporting 270+ schools. KIPP DC is a regional affiliate; comparable as a larger charter umbrella with proven college-prep outcomes but operating at broader scale across multiple states.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IDEA_PCS
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100086313379865
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/idea-pcs-78b107259
• Instagraminstagram.com/idea_pcs

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 IDEA Public Charter School