CS Partners
CS Partners is a Brighton, Michigan-based charter school management organization that delivers HR, financial, school performance, and operations services to 50+ Michigan charter schools via multi-year managed-services contracts, acting as employer of record through its Partner Solutions affiliate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CS Partners does
CS Partners is a Brighton, Michigan-based charter school management organization (CSMO) founded in 2004 that delivers integrated administrative and operational services to Michigan charter schools. Its offering is organized into four core service modules — School Performance (curriculum, instruction, assessment, MTSS, and special education coordination), Human Resources (recruitment, payroll, benefits, FMLA, and workers' compensation, with the firm acting as employer of record through its affiliate Partner Solutions), Financial Services (AP/AR, budgeting, cash flow, audits, and debt advisory), and School Operations (compliance, facilities, FOIA, discipline, and crisis response). Client engagements are structured as multi-year customized contracts and delivered through a five-step consultative process (Engage, Evaluate, Educate, Execute, Evolve).
CS Partners does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its service delivery runs on a stack of third-party SaaS systems — PrismHR for HR and payroll, ReQlogic for purchasing and procurement, Microsoft SharePoint for financial statements, and S2Sync as a partner-school access portal. Value-added software surfaces include a School Leader Hub (integrated with the MAPSA Mastermind Hub), a podcast ("The Fishbowl: Eyes on Education"), a content blog, and an annual conference franchise (866 registered attendees in 2025; the 2026 event is scheduled for Novi, Michigan, November 23–24).
The go-to-market model is direct enterprise field sales targeted at charter school boards and leaders in Michigan. Sales originate from discovery calls and operational checkups that convert into customized service packages; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base spans 50+ named Michigan charter schools across Montessori, high-tech, project-based, special education, traditional, alternative, K-8, K-12, and stand-alone high school models. Leadership is founder/operator-led: CEO Chris Matheson (since founding), CHRO Carlie Lockwood, SVP of School Financial Operations Laura Carpenter, SVP of School Performance and Operations Dr. Ticheal Jones, and Chief Compliance Officer Dawn Marshall. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or parent entity.
CS Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CS Partners
- Legal name
- CS Partners
- Website
- https://charterschoolpartners.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CS Partners is a Brighton, Michigan-based charter school management organization that delivers HR, financial, school performance, and operations services to 50+ Michigan charter schools via multi-year managed-services contracts, acting as employer of record through its Partner Solutions affiliate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CS Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charter School Management Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Education (EDADALAD)
Keywords
Where CS Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CS Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Charter School Management Services: CS Partners generates revenue by providing comprehensive administrative and operational management services to charter schools. Services span Human Resources, Financial Services, School Operations, and School Performance. The company acts as the employer of record for school staff through their affiliate Partner Solutions, charging fees for personnel management and employee administration services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Customized service packages based on school needs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
CS Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CS Partners is a charter school management organization providing comprehensive administrative and operational services to Michigan charter schools through four service modules: School Performance (curriculum, instruction, assessment, special education), Human Resources (employer-of-record, payroll, benefits, compliance), Financial Services (accounting, budgeting, audits), and School Operations (compliance, facilities, crisis support). They act as employer of record for partner school staff through affiliate Partner Solutions and deliver services via a 5-step Engage/Evaluate/Educate/Execute/Evolve methodology.
Product overview
CS Partners is a charter school management organization offering a unified platform of operational and administrative services for Michigan charter schools. The core offering consists of four integrated service modules: School Performance (academic and instructional support), Human Resources (employer of record services including payroll and benefits), Financial Services (accounting, budgeting, and auditing), and School Operations (compliance, facilities, and crisis management). These services are delivered through a 5-step partnership process (Engage, Evaluate, Educate, Execute, Evolve) and supported by supplementary resources including the School Leader Hub portal, The Fishbowl podcast, and an annual conference. The company has served Michigan charter schools since 2004 with a team of over 60 HR, payroll, and business professionals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- School Performance Services Comprehensive academic and instructional support for charter schools covering mission development, vision and strategic planning, leadership coaching, curriculum selection and implementation, assessment data analysis, MTSS program support, special education coordination, and student recruitment and retention strategies. Intended for Michigan charter school leaders seeking academic accountability and instructional leadership support.
- Human Resources Services Full-service HR solutions for charter schools including recruitment support, applicant tracking, onboarding, payroll services, benefits administration (medical, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement), FMLA coordination, workers' compensation, unemployment claims management, and HR consultation. CS Partners acts as the employer of record for partner school staff through affiliate Partner Solutions.
- Financial Services Financial management and accounting services for charter schools covering accounts payable/receivable, bank reconciliation, cash flow planning, budget monitoring, financial statement preparation, financial reporting and audits, capital asset management, and long-term/short-term debt consultation.
- School Operations Services Operational support for charter schools including procedure and handbook updates, forms and FOIA responses, foodservice support, facilities assistance, website transparency guidance, grant submissions, student discipline guidance, and crisis situation support.
- School Leader Hub Online portal providing school leaders with access to HR portal (PrismHR), purchasing systems (ReQlogic), financial statements (SharePoint), and educational resources including access to the MAPSA Mastermind Hub. A bundled client access point for partner schools.
Quantifiable outcome
- 133% improvement in academic accountability at Huron Academy from 2010/11 to 2015/16
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CS Partners
Customer profileNamed customers50 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CS Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CS Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SLAMgmtminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- CTLonlineminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- StemleticsminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- BookNookminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- BrainPOPminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- Passionately Living LLCminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- Qore InsightsminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- NWEAminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference (assessment and educational resources provider).
- HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)minorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference (educational publishing).
- Bridge TherapyminorConference sponsor for the 2025 CS Partners Annual Conference.
- PrismHRcoreCS Partners uses PrismHR for HR and payroll management, providing the HR portal used by partner schools for employment information access.
- ReQlogiccoreCS Partners uses ReQlogic for school purchasing and procurement management across their network of partner schools.
- Microsoft SharePointcoreCS Partners uses SharePoint for financial statement access and management for partner schools.
- MAPSA (Michigan Association of Public School Academies)coreCS Partners partners with MAPSA, providing access to the MAPSA Mastermind Hub for professional networking and resources for Michigan charter school leaders.
- Partner SolutionscorePartner Solutions is a CS Partners affiliate that handles personnel management and employee administration services. School staff are hired through Partner Solutions as an independent contractor.
- Vibe Credit Union ShowplaceminorVenue host for the 2026 CS Partners Annual Conference in Novi, Michigan.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
CS Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stride (formerly K12 Inc.): Stride is a large, publicly-traded education company offering online learning and charter school management services. While it operates at much greater scale and includes online curriculum delivery, it competes in the same EMO/charter management space as CS Partners.
Direct peers
- Mosaica Education: Mosaica Education is an EMO that provides comprehensive educational and management services to charter schools. Its charter management and support services are closely aligned with CS Partners' integrated offering.
- Charter Schools USA: Charter Schools USA is one of the largest EMOs in the country, operating and managing charter schools. It provides similar comprehensive administrative, operational, and academic support services as CS Partners, serving as a direct peer in the charter management space.
- EdisonLearning: EdisonLearning is an EMO that partners with school districts and charter schools to provide educational services, operations, and management. Its focus on partnering with schools for comprehensive support makes it a direct peer to CS Partners.
- Accel Schools: Accel Schools is a PE-backed EMO that operates charter schools and provides educational and operational services. Its business model of managing charter schools with full back-office support closely mirrors CS Partners' service offering.
- Leona Group: Leona Group is a private EMO that operates charter schools across multiple states, providing similar management and operational support services. It serves a comparable customer segment and operates a similar business model.
- National Heritage Academies: National Heritage Academies is a for-profit education management organization (EMO) that operates charter schools across multiple states. Like CS Partners, NHA provides back-office services and academic support to partner schools, making it a direct comparable in the EMO space.
Emerging players
- Catapult Learning: Catapult Learning provides educational services including intervention, special education, and tutoring to schools and districts. While not a direct charter manager, it offers overlapping educational support services to a similar K-12 customer base.
Others
- School Specialty: School Specialty is an education supplies and services provider serving K-12 schools. While it operates in a different segment, both companies serve the same charter school customer base in Michigan and could compete for school operational budgets.
- MAPSA (Michigan Association of Public School Academies): MAPSA is the state charter school association that represents Michigan charter schools. CS Partners has a mutual strategic partnership with MAPSA. While not a commercial peer, MAPSA is the primary industry organization governing CS Partners' target market and customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CS Partners social profiles
Digital presenceCS Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CS Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
CS Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CS Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CS Partners
What does CS Partners do?
CS Partners is a charter school management organization providing comprehensive administrative and operational services to Michigan charter schools through four service modules: School Performance (curriculum, instruction, assessment, special education), Human Resources (employer-of-record, payroll, benefits, compliance), Financial Services (accounting, budgeting, audits), and School Operations (compliance, facilities, crisis support). They act as employer of record for partner school staff through affiliate Partner Solutions and deliver services via a 5-step Engage/Evaluate/Educate/Execute/Evolve methodology.
Is CS Partners a public or private company?
CS Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CS Partners founded?
CS Partners was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CS Partners based?
CS Partners is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CS Partners make money?
One revenue line is on record: charter School Management Services.
Who are CS Partners's main competitors?
Stride (formerly K12 Inc.) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Mosaica Education, Charter Schools USA, EdisonLearning, Accel Schools, Leona Group and National Heritage Academies. Catapult Learning is listed as an emerging player. Others are School Specialty and MAPSA (Michigan Association of Public School Academies).
Does CS Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for CS Partners.
What industry is CS Partners in?
CS Partners's product category is Charter School Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADALAD, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Education. Its NAICS code is 6117 and its SIC code is 8200.