Washington International School

What Washington International School does

Washington International School (WIS) is a not-for-profit, coeducational independent school serving more than 900 students from Preschool through Grade 12 across two Washington, D.C. campuses: the Primary School Campus in Georgetown (Preschool-Grade 5) and the Tregaron Campus (Grades 6-12). Founded in 1966 as a "pilot school for the planet," the school operates a unified international curriculum built on the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Diploma Programme (IBDP), integrated with pedagogical research from Harvard's Project Zero. Language immersion is the academic cornerstone, with French or Spanish immersion beginning in Preschool/Pre-K/Kindergarten, Mandarin introduced in Grade 6, and the majority of graduates biliterate and bilingual; the school documents an IB Bilingual Diploma rate described as superlative versus DC, U.S., and worldwide averages.

The school's core technology stack is pedagogical rather than software-native. It combines the IB framework and Project Zero-inspired inquiry-based teaching with modern educational platforms (Blackbaud, Magnus Health, Google Suite for Education, CampBrain, Seesaw) for administration and classroom communication. The recent $74 million capital transformation delivered Le Centre Brown, a 58,000 sq. ft. interdisciplinary science, design, and community facility opened at the Tregaron Campus in August 2025, housing chemistry, physics, biology, and design labs alongside community dining and flexible gathering spaces. Adjacent product lines include WISIT (a professional development institute with a network of 2,700+ educators), WISummer Camps (French and Spanish language camps plus travel programs), athletics across three seasons, arts programming, and the inaugural WISMUNC I Model UN conference scheduled for November 2026.

WIS's business model is a subscription-recurring tuition model supplemented by fundraising and endowment income. Tuition is the primary revenue stream; financial aid of $4.8 million annually supports 127-148 students at average awards of ~$34,300, reaching 14-15% of the student body. The school sustains capital and operating needs through an Annual Fund (historically $1-1.3 million), planned giving, bequests, and the Destination WIS comprehensive campaign (2021-2026, $30 million goal, with $22 million in donor capital reported alongside board reserves and debt financing for Le Centre Brown). The endowment stood at $12 million as of June 30, 2025, up from $30,000 in 2003. Customer acquisition is sales-led via the school's admissions portal, on-campus visits, and information sessions, with no public listing or external ownership; governance rests with a Board of Trustees.

Name

Washington International School

Legal name

Washington International School

Website

https://wis.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Washington International School is a not-for-profit independent school serving 900+ students from Preschool through Grade 12 across two Washington, D.C. campuses, delivering an International Baccalaureate curriculum with French, Spanish, and Mandarin immersion integrated with Harvard Project Zero pedagogy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 International Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL), International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK)

Keywords

• International baccalaureate education
• Private K-12 schooling
• Language immersion programs
• Multilingual education services
• Independent school tuition

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees for preschool through grade 12 education
2. Financial Aid: $4.8 million annual financial aid budget providing assistance to 127-148 students with average award of $34,300-$34,739
3. Summer Camps: WISummer Camps offering French and Spanish language camps for Pre-K through Grade 6, and travel experiences for Grades 5-10
4. Donations and Annual Fund: Annual giving campaign supporting programs, faculty development, and financial aid; historically raises $1-$1.3 million annually
5. Planned Giving and Endowments: Bequests, retirement plan gifts, stock donations, and endowment funds supporting long-term financial stability

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Washington International School provides Preschool through Grade 12 private education on two Washington, D.C. campuses, delivered through International Baccalaureate (IB) PYP and IBDP frameworks integrated with Harvard Project Zero pedagogy. The core academic program features mandatory French or Spanish immersion from the early years, Mandarin from Grade 6, with the majority of students achieving biliteracy by graduation. Supplementary offerings include WISummer Camps, WISIT educator professional development, athletics, arts, and Model UN programs.

Product overview

Washington International School (WIS) is a not-for-profit all-gender independent school serving 900+ students from Preschool through Grade 12 on two campuses in Washington, DC. The school operates a unified international education program built around the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Primary School and the IB Diploma Programme for Upper School, incorporating Harvard Project Zero's pedagogical research. Language immersion is a cornerstone of the curriculum: French or Spanish immersion begins in the early years (Preschool/Pre-K/Kindergarten) and Mandarin is introduced in Grade 6, with the majority of graduates biliterate and bilingual. WIS's product portfolio includes its core academic divisions (Primary School and Middle/Upper Schools), the IB curriculum frameworks, a multilingual language immersion program, Le Centre Brown (a 58,000 sq. ft. interdisciplinary science and design facility opened in 2025), WISummer Camps (French/Spanish language camps and travel programs), WISIT (professional development for educators), WISMUNC I (Model UN conference), and athletics and arts programs. The school also operates a significant financial aid program backed by a $12 million endowment and a Destination WIS capital campaign raising funds for facilities and financial aid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WISIT (Washington International School Institute for Teachers): Professional development institute for educators offering summer institutes, workshops, and programs grounded in Project Zero research on critical and creative thinking
• WISummer Camps
• WISMUNC
• Destination WIS

Products and services

• Primary School (Preschool-Grade 5) Early childhood and elementary program on the Primary School Campus (1690 36th Street NW, Georgetown, Washington, DC) covering Preschool through Grade 5, featuring French or Spanish language immersion, the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), and STEAM/design instruction. Targeted at families with children ages 3-11.
• Middle and Upper Schools (Grades 6-12) Secondary program on the Tregaron Campus (3100 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC) covering Grades 6-12, offering the IB Diploma Programme and IB Bilingual Diploma, alongside a school-designed curriculum for Grades 9-10 focused on building critical thinking skills. Targeted at families with adolescents ages 11-18.
• Language Immersion Program French or Spanish language immersion beginning in Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten, with Mandarin instruction starting in Grade 6. The majority of WIS students are biliterate and bilingual by graduation.
• IB Diploma Programme University-preparatory IB Diploma Programme and IB Bilingual Diploma for Grades 11-12, with an IB Bilingual Diploma rate superlative compared to DC, USA, and worldwide averages.
• Le Centre Brown 58,000 sq. ft. interdisciplinary science- and design-focused building on Tregaron Campus housing state-of-the-art chemistry, physics, biology, and general science labs; design labs and studios; community dining facilities; and flexible spaces for instruction, gatherings, and performances.
• WISummer Camps Language-based summer camps in French and Spanish for children Pre-K through Grade 6, plus travel experiences (around Washington, DC and internationally) for Grades 5-10, run through wiscamps.org.
• WISIT (Washington International School Institute for Teachers) Professional development institute for educators offering the weeklong WISIT Summer Institute grounded in Project Zero research, free community workshops, programs, and school consulting services. Targets educators and school systems, including a nine-year partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools.
• WISMUNC I (Model United Nations Conference) Middle School Model UN conference for Grades 5-8 hosted by WIS Upper School students, including delegate development workshops, General Assemblies, and Crisis Committees. Inaugural edition November 14, 2026.
• Athletics Program Competitive athletics across three seasons (Fall: soccer, cross-country, girls tennis, girls volleyball; Winter: basketball, swimming, indoor track; Spring: boys volleyball, boys tennis, flag football, track and field). Teams compete in PVAC and DCSAA leagues.
• Arts Program Visual arts, music, theater, and drama programs available across Primary and Middle/Upper Schools, with performances, exhibitions, and student productions.
• Need-based Financial Aid Need-based financial aid for tuition support, with a $4.8M annual budget serving 127-148 students at an average award of $34,300-$34,739. Approximately 14-15% of current students receive financial aid.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

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 minor, flagship and core.

• TopBaller x Bundesliga x Red BullminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2025WIS hosted the TopBaller x Bundesliga x Red Bull 1v1 soccer competition on April 18, where scouts from RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich evaluated local youth players.
• French Ministry for La FrancophonieflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2025France's Minister Delegate for La Francophonie Éléonore Caroit visited WIS on April 15 as part of an official U.S. visit, meeting with students and faculty involved in French language programs. The school holds the FranceÉducation label recognizing quality francophone education.
• Exchange Program Partners (Madrid, Paris, Shanghai)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIS has international exchange programs with partner schools in Madrid, Spain; Paris, France; and Shanghai, China, supporting student exchanges and global learning opportunities.
• International Baccalaureate Organization (IB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIS is an authorized IB World School offering the PYP (Primary Years Programme) and IBDP (Diploma Programme), incorporating IB pedagogy throughout its curriculum.
• Harvard University Project ZerocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIS's academic program incorporates pedagogy developed by Project Zero, a research group based in the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.
• WISIT Educator NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWISIT (Washington International School Institute for Teachers) has grown from DC Project Zero into a network of 2,700+ local educators offering professional development and workshops.
• Fairfax County Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCPS has engaged in deep professional learning through the DCPZ network over nine years as part of the educator development program.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WashIntlSchool
• Facebookfacebook.com/WashingtonInternationalSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/washington-international-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/wisreddevils
• Xx.com/wisreddevils

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Washington International School