Hillbrook School

What Hillbrook School does

Hillbrook School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit independent school operating a JK-12 program across two campuses in Silicon Valley: a 14-acre main campus in Los Gatos serving Junior Kindergarten through 8th grade and a downtown San Jose Upper School campus (grades 9-12) housed in historic buildings at 227 N. 1st St and 240 N. 2nd St. Founded in 1935 by Mary Orem as The Children's Country School, the school has served Silicon Valley families for 90 years, was designated an Apple Distinguished School beginning in 2012-13, and expanded to JK-12 with the Upper School launch in Fall 2023 - culminating in the first graduating senior class in Spring 2027.

Hillbrook's product is its educational program, organized into Lower School (JK-4), Middle School (5-8), and Upper School (9-12) with signature offerings including the 3,000+ square foot Hub makerspace (3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking, digital fabrication), the Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship (one of only a handful of JK-12 centers dedicated to social impact education worldwide), the Center for Teaching Excellence (est. 2012), and a Resident Teacher Program modeled after medical residencies. The school runs a 1:1 iPad program, small class sizes (18-student average in Middle School with a 1:7 teacher-to-student ratio), and supplemental programs in performing arts, design & innovation labs, athletics, and summer camp (Summer@Hillbrook).

The business model is tuition-led subscription revenue ($47,500 Lower, $51,100 Middle, $63,300 Upper for 2026-27) supplemented by philanthropic revenue streams: an Annual Fund providing approximately 10% of operating costs, an annual Hillbrook Benefit that raised nearly $300,000 in 2025, endowments, and Flexible Tuition (need-based financial aid covering 30%+ of students with a $2.9M budget). The sales-led go-to-market runs through the Ravenna admissions platform with campus tours, open houses, and community events as primary touchpoints. Distribution is delivered via two physical campuses plus complimentary bus transportation across Los Gatos, San Jose, and Los Altos.

Name

Hillbrook School

Legal name

Hillbrook School

Website

https://hillbrook.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Hillbrook School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit JK-12 independent school in Silicon Valley operating two campuses in Los Gatos and downtown San Jose, serving local families through tuition-based enrollment, need-based Flexible Tuition, and signature programs including the Hub makerspace and the Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Gatos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Lower School: Annual tuition for Junior Kindergarten through 4th grade. Includes bus transportation, shuttle services, textbooks, laptops/iPads, yearbooks, local field trips, athletic uniforms. Does not include lunch, uniforms, or extended care.
2. Tuition - Middle School: Annual tuition for grades 5-8. Includes bus transportation, textbooks, materials, laptops/iPads, yearbooks, local field trips, overnight trips, athletic uniforms.
3. Tuition - Upper School: Annual tuition for grades 9-12 at the downtown San Jose campus. The highest tuition tier reflecting the expanded program offerings.
4. Annual Fund: Annual giving program that provides approximately 10% of school operating costs. Donors at various levels ($30,000 Leadership to $1-999 Contributor) support the gap between tuition and actual cost of education (over $47,000 per student).
5. The Hillbrook Benefit: Annual all-school community celebration and fundraising event benefiting Flexible Tuition. Raised nearly $300,000 in 2025. Includes silent auction, benefit parties, sponsorships.
6. Flexible Tuition: Need-based financial assistance program ranging from partial to nearly full coverage. 30%+ of students benefit. Also includes Read Beyond Scholars Program for historically underserved communities.
7. Summer Camp Programs: Summer@Hillbrook camps running July-August for JK-12th grade. Programs include Cub Voyagers (JK-4), Kodiaks (5-8), and Bears (9-12) with activities in arts, science, engineering, and sports.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hillbrook School operates a JK-12 independent school on two Silicon Valley campuses (Los Gatos for JK-8 and downtown San Jose for 9-12), delivering tuition-based whole-child education that blends rigorous academics with social-emotional learning, design/engineering in The Hub makerspace, social entrepreneurship through the Scott Center, and a 1:1 iPad program. Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition across three divisions, supplemented by an Annual Fund, The Hillbrook Benefit, and Flexible Tuition donations.

Product overview

Hillbrook School is a JK-12 independent school in Silicon Valley with two campuses (Los Gatos JK-8 and San José Upper School 9-12). The school offers a unified educational program built around core values (Be Kind, Be Curious, Take Risks, Be Your Best) and signature programs including The Hub makerspace, Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Center for Teaching Excellence, and Resident Teacher Program. Programs span Lower School (JK-4), Middle School (5-8), and Upper School (9-12), with additional offerings including Summer@Hillbrook Camp, comprehensive arts and athletics programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Average class size of 18 in Middle School with 1:7 teacher-to-student ratio
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Carney Sandoe & AssociatescoreOthers · 1 April 2026National executive search firm specializing in K-12 education retained by the Board of Trustees to conduct the search for Hillbrook's next Head of School following Mark Silver's announced retirement in June 2027.
• Safe Routes To SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLos Gatos chapter of national Safe Routes To School organization that encourages safe walking, biking, and rolling to school. Hillbrook Head of School Mark Silver serves on the Safe Routes To School Board.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial technology platform used by Hillbrook to process and manage Flexible Tuition applications. Families use Clarity to submit financial information for need-based tuition assistance.
• RavennacoreTechnology or IntegrationAdmissions management platform used by Hillbrook for the application process. Families create accounts, register for tours and events, upload materials, and track application status through Ravenna.
• Visual PhilosophyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetal and woodworking team that partnered with 9th graders in Spring 2024 to design works including redwood Adirondack chairs for the Upper School campus.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Stratford School: Private K-12 school with multiple Bay Area campuses offering a college-prep curriculum; competes with Hillbrook in the Silicon Valley market on academic rigor and enrichment programming.
• Harker School: Large Silicon Valley independent JK-12 school based in San Jose, directly competing with Hillbrook for the same Bay Area families across the full K-12 span and operating a parallel enrichment and innovation-oriented program.
• Challenger School: Bay Area private K-8 school network with multiple Silicon Valley campuses, competing with Hillbrook's Lower and Middle School for academically oriented families.
• Bellarmine College Preparatory: Largest private Catholic boys' high school in Silicon Valley, competing for the same San Jose / Bay Area families at the Upper School level and offering a parallel college-prep and athletics program.
• Pinewood School: Independent K-12 school in Los Altos Hills with small class sizes and a strong college-prep reputation; overlaps with Hillbrook on geography, family demographics, and progressive independent education model.
• The Nueva School: Independent K-12 school in Hillsborough with a nationally recognized focus on gifted learning, design thinking, and social-emotional development — closely matching Hillbrook's innovation-driven positioning in the same Bay Area market.
• Castilleja School: Independent girls' school in Palo Alto serving grades 6-12; competes with Hillbrook for Silicon Valley families seeking progressive, college-prep independent education at the upper grades.
• Woodside Priory School: Independent Catholic K-12 school in Portola Valley with a Benedictine tradition, comparable size, and overlapping Silicon Valley parent market; competes with Hillbrook for families seeking small, values-driven college prep.
• Sacred Heart Schools Atherton: Independent Catholic PK-12 school on the Peninsula with a strong innovation and social-justice curriculum, comparable in size, mission emphasis, and Silicon Valley family base to Hillbrook.

Emerging players

• Khan Lab School: Bay Area-based independent school founded by Sal Khan, focused on mastery-based, project-driven, and technology-enabled learning — an emerging competitor pursuing a similar innovation narrative to Hillbrook.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hillbrookschool
• YouTubeyoutube.com/hillbrookschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/hillbrook
• Instagraminstagram.com/hillbrookschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hillbrook-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hillbrook School