The Foundation Schools

Name

The Foundation Schools

Legal name

The Foundation Schools

Website

https://foundationschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Upper Marlboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. IEP-Based Funding from Local School Systems: The Foundation Schools is approved by Maryland State Department of Education and receives students through IEP placements funded by referring local school systems in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties. Students are placed through their Individualized Education Program.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, annual benefit events, and Spring Virtual Auctions. The 2026 Spring Auction raised $13,480 for the Foundation Learning Center High School program.
3. Grant Funding: Grants from foundations and organizations including Prince George's County Community Partnership Grant, Adventist Healthcare Community Partnership Fund, Pull Up Fund, Joey Pizzano Memorial Fund, and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Foundation Schools operates three non-public, Maryland State Department of Education-approved special education day schools in Largo, Gaithersburg, and Landover, serving more than 300 K-12 students with emotional disabilities and autism. Programs combine academic instruction aligned with Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards with Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions, individual and group counseling, speech/language, occupational therapy, and wrap-around supports including Foundation Links, Career Connections, and Food for Thought. Students are placed through Individualized Education Program (IEP) referrals from local school systems and funded by those school systems, supplemented by donations and grants.

Product overview

The Foundation Schools operates as a unified special education provider offering multiple interconnected programs across three Maryland campuses. The core educational offerings include Elementary/Middle School Programs (K-8) and High School Programs (grades 9-12), which serve students with emotional disabilities. A key specialized offering is The Foundation Learning Center (Autism Program), a 12-month year-round day school for students with autism. Supporting these educational programs are wraparound service modules including Foundation Links (since 1998) for attendance and family support, Career Connections for vocational training and job placement, Food for Thought for nutrition support, and integrated Therapeutic Services including counseling, psychiatric consultation, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). All programs are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education and follow Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Foundation Links: Wrap-around program since 1998 that addresses student disengagement, truancy, mental health, family issues, and basic needs through home-based and after-school outreach interventions
• Career Connections
• Food for Thought

Products and services

• Elementary/Middle School Program Day school program serving grades K-8 students with emotional disabilities, focused on improving academic achievement and reducing problem behaviors through basic skills and higher-order thinking aligned with Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards. Implemented at the Largo and Gaithersburg campuses.
• High School Program Day school program for grades 9-12 students with educational needs defined by their Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs), emphasizing post-secondary goals including career exploration, college readiness, and diploma achievement. Implemented at the Largo and Gaithersburg campuses.
• The Foundation Learning Center (Autism Program) Innovative 12-month day school program at the Landover campus for students with autism, developmental delays, and other learning challenges in grades K-12, featuring evidence-based programming, state-of-the-art technology integration, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions, life skills, and a certificate track specialization for grades 9-12.
• Foundation Links Program Wrap-around program addressing student disengagement, truancy, mental health, family issues, and basic needs through home-based and after-school outreach interventions that connect students and families to community resources.
• Career Connections (In-School Workroom Program) Vocational program providing career exploration, supervised simulated work experiences, resume crafting, job application training, interview preparation, and job placement support for students with post-secondary employment goals.
• Food for Thought Program Nutrition program ensuring all students receive proper breakfast and lunch, plus nutrition education, addressing food insecurity for the majority of students living below the poverty line.
• Therapeutic Services Clinical supports including individual and group counseling, drug/alcohol education, violence prevention, trauma-informed cognitive behavior therapy, anger management, grief counseling, crisis intervention, and psychiatric consultation.
• Speech/Language Services Speech and language therapy services supporting students' communication development as part of the integrated educational and therapeutic program.
• Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy services supporting students' sensory, motor, and daily living skill development as part of the integrated educational and therapeutic program.
• Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) School-wide behavior management system incorporating points and levels, incentives, social skills instruction, continuous performance feedback, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions across all Foundation Schools campuses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ years of serving students with emotional disabilities and autism
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Prince George's County Community Partnership Grant (CPG)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Prince George's County Government provides Community Partnership Grant funding to support The Foundation Schools' programs and services for students with special needs in the county.
• Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland SecuritycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMontgomery County OEMHS partners with The Foundation Schools to support programs serving students in the county.
• Adventist HealthCarecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdventist HealthCare provides Community Partnership Fund Grant to support the Foundation Links wrap-around program, expanding efforts to reach at-risk students.
• Johns Hopkins Health PlanssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership supporting The Foundation Schools' health and wellness initiatives.
• Tickets for Kids CharitiessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing tickets and experiences for field trips, enabling students to visit museums and sporting events. Students with disabilities who live in low-income households have fewer opportunities for such experiences.
• Gaithersburg Rotary (QQWFO)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Rotary club partnership supporting The Foundation School of Montgomery County.
• JLWDC (Jewish Learning, Welfare, and DC)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerJewish organization supporting The Foundation Schools through charitable programs.
• International Spy MuseumsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerField trip destination for students, providing immersive educational experiences aligned with curriculum goals for strategic thinking and problem-solving.
• Maryland Association of Nonpublic Special Education Facilities (MANSEF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEO Gina James serves as Board President of MANSEF. Organization represents nonpublic special education schools in Maryland.
• National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organization for private special education centers. The Foundation Schools displays NAPSEC logo, indicating membership and alignment with national standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/185643878137663

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 The Foundation Schools