What Imagine Schools does

Imagine Schools is a non-profit network of tuition-free public charter schools headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, founded in 2004 by Dennis and Eileen Bakke. The network operates 47-49 campuses across seven states — Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas — plus an online charter school in Arizona, serving over 27,000 students in grades Pre-K through 12. The organization is structured as two 501(c)(3) public charities (Imagine Schools Non-Profit, Inc. and Imagine Schools, Inc.), led by Co-CEOs Jason Bryant and Barry Sharp, with six regional offices providing decentralized operational management.

The network is unified by a proprietary Academic Excellence Framework that sets instructional standards, measurable outcomes, and assessment tools across all campuses, supplemented by a Shared Values program centered on Justice, Integrity, and Fun. Specialized offerings include the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (at Imagine Lone Star International Academy), Cambridge International Education (at Imagine Weston), STEAM curricula with FIRST LEGO League robotics participation, and a partnership with The Positivity Project for character strengths integration. Supporting infrastructure includes Imagine University (a national professional development LMS), an internal SharePoint-based Knowledge Hub, and annual programs such as the National Character Essay Contest and National Teacher of the Year. Multiple campuses hold State and National Schools of Character designations from Character.org, and the network received the 2020 National District of Character recognition.

The revenue model is publicly funded per-pupil charter school financing: Imagine Schools receives taxpayer dollars based on student enrollment and operates tuition-free, with no fees charged to families. The go-to-market is community-led, driven by parental school choice and word-of-mouth rather than traditional marketing. There are no software products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities in the portfolio — all educational services are delivered through physical campuses augmented by conventional internal operational platforms. The organization has no parent company, no private equity backing, and no disclosed funding rounds, consistent with its non-profit charter school structure.

Name

Imagine Schools

Legal name

Imagine Schools Non-Profit, Inc.

Website

https://imagineschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Imagine Schools is a non-profit network of 47-49 tuition-free public charter schools across 7 U.S. states, serving over 27,000 Pre-K-12 students via a proprietary Academic Excellence Framework and character-development curriculum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual/Online Charter Schools (EDAJACAD)

Keywords

• Public charter schools
• K-12 education
• Tuition-free education
• Character development programs
• Charter school network

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: Charter schools are funded by taxpayer dollars as part of the public education system, accountable to state and federal education standards. Schools are tuition-free and open to all local students, operating with public funding while maintaining autonomy over curriculum, staffing, and culture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Imagine Schools operates a national network of tuition-free public charter schools delivering Pre-K through 12th grade education at 47+ campuses across 7 U.S. states, unified by a proprietary Academic Excellence Framework and a character development program built on shared values of Justice, Integrity, and Fun. The network serves over 27,000 students through classroom instruction and supplemental programs (STEAM, Cambridge International, IB, robotics), funded by public taxpayer dollars with no tuition charged to families.

Product overview

Imagine Schools is a unified network of tuition-free public charter schools operating over 47 campuses across 7 states (Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Ohio, Texas), serving over 27,000 students in grades Pre-K through 12. The network is unified by a proprietary Academic Excellence Framework and a Shared Values program centered on Justice, Integrity, and Fun. The portfolio includes core educational services at each campus supplemented by specialized programs such as Cambridge International Education, IB Primary Years Programme, and STEAM/robotics initiatives. Supporting infrastructure includes Imagine University (professional development), the Knowledge Hub (internal collaboration platform), the National Character Essay Contest (annual writing competition), and the Teacher of the Year recognition program. The organization does not offer separate software products—the educational services are delivered through physical campuses augmented by internal operational platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Imagine Schools Network (Public Charter School Campuses) A national network of tuition-free public charter schools operating across 7 U.S. states, delivering Pre-K through 12th grade education to over 27,000 students at 47+ campuses, open to all local students regardless of income.
• Academic Excellence Framework Imagine Schools' proprietary educational roadmap providing clear expectations, measurable outcomes, and effective assessment tools to guide every level of the organization.
• Shared Values Program Character development program anchored in three core values (Justice, Integrity, Fun) integrated into every classroom every day as the foundation of Imagine Schools' educational mission.
• Cambridge International Education Program Internationally recognized curriculum implemented at select Imagine Schools campuses (such as Imagine Weston), emphasizing critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, and academic rigor to prepare students for global challenges.
• International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) IB World School authorization offering inquiry-based learning that fosters critical thinking, language acquisition, and intercultural competence, delivered at Imagine Lone Star International Academy (Texas).
• STEAM Programs Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics programs offered across Imagine Schools campuses, with robotics teams competing in FIRST LEGO League and other STEM competitions.
• Bakke Family Legacy Library Philanthropy-funded classroom library initiative in which ten Imagine Schools receive curated sets of 3,676 books each to strengthen reading growth across the network, funded by a $1 million five-year commitment from founders Dennis and Eileen Bakke.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 of 16 Florida campuses earned 'A' ratings from Florida Department of Education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• The Positivity ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026National nonprofit organization partnering with Imagine Schools to empower students to build strong relationships through understanding and practice of 24 universal character strengths. Two Florida campuses (Imagine Broward and Imagine North Port) earned Green Shield recognition through this partnership.
• Ronald McDonald House CharitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Service project partner for Imagine Schools Leadership Summit. Summit participants assembled pop-tab collection boxes, shelving units, prepared gift bags for children and families, and wrote notes of encouragement. Students from Imagine Kissimmee and Imagine South Lake delivered donated items to Ronald McDonald House in Lake Nona, Florida.
• Cambridge International EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Imagine Charter School at Weston adopted the Cambridge International Education program developed by the University of Cambridge. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, inquiry-based learning, and academic rigor to prepare students for global challenges.
• International Baccalaureate (IB) OrganizationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2023Imagine Lone Star International Academy became an authorized IB World School implementing the Primary Years Programme (PYP). This is the second Imagine School to hold IB authorization. IB PYP emphasizes inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, language acquisition, and intercultural competence.
• Hauff CompanyminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 15 May 2023Custom home builder partnered with Imagine South Lake Charter School to retrofit two old school buses into mobile libraries. The company removed seats, installed bookshelves, added comfortable benches and reading areas, and painted colorful student handprints on the exteriors.
• Character.orgmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocate and leader for character development recognizing Imagine Schools as a 2020 National District of Character and multiple campuses as State and National Schools of Character. Awarded Promising Practices recognition to 25+ campuses.
• FIRST LEGO LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRobotics competition program. The Electro-Lions team from Imagine School at Town Center competed at Florida State Championship and advanced to the World Championship in Houston, Texas.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• EdisonLearning: Education management organization providing charter and alternative school services, comparable as an adjacent operator in the K-12 public school management space with overlap in service offerings.

Direct peers

• Uncommon Schools: Nonprofit charter management organization operating college-preparatory public charter schools across the Northeast, comparable as a values-driven, outcomes-focused CMO with a similar tuition-free public charter model.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): Largest U.S. charter management organization operating a national network of college-preparatory public charter schools, directly comparable to Imagine as a multi-state CMO serving K-12 students with a character/values-driven mission.
• BASIS Charter Schools: Network of public charter schools known for rigorous STEM-focused curriculum, comparable as a multi-state CMO pursuing academic excellence and consistent brand across campuses.
• IDEA Public Schools: Large nonprofit charter network operating public charter schools across multiple states with a college-prep focus, directly comparable in scale, mission, and public-funding model to Imagine Schools.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: High-performing New York-based charter school network, comparable as a multi-site public charter operator competing for school-of-choice families on academic outcomes.
• National Heritage Academies: For-profit charter management organization operating public charter schools across multiple U.S. states, directly comparable in multi-state CMO structure and K-12 public charter funding model.
• Charter Schools USA: Large charter management organization providing services and operating charter schools across multiple states, with direct overlap in geographies like Florida and similar K-12 public charter mission.
• Green Dot Public Schools: Nonprofit charter management organization operating public charter schools primarily in California and Tennessee, comparable as a multi-state CMO serving similar demographics and school-of-choice families.

Regional players

• Academica: Florida-focused charter school management organization with strong overlap in the Florida market where Imagine operates 17 of its ~49 campuses, making it a regionally relevant direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Imagine Schools