What Jackson Public Schools does

Jackson Public Schools (JPS) is a Michigan K-12 public school district headquartered at 522 Wildwood Ave., Jackson, MI 49201, operating 11 instructional campuses across Jackson, Michigan: six elementary schools (Cascades, Dibble, Hunt, John R. Lewis, JPS Montessori, Northeast, Sharp Park Academy), one middle school (Middle School at Parkside), two high schools (Jackson High School and Jackson Pathways), and one virtual academy (South Central Michigan Virtual / SCMV Options). The district serves the Jackson, MI community with roots dating to approximately 1927 (Jackson High School's Centennial is scheduled for 2027), operating 18 facilities totaling 1,124,823 square feet across 204 acres and transporting more than 5,000 students daily through one of the largest K-12 transportation departments in the state of Michigan. JPS employs 1,001–5,000 staff across instructional, operational, and administrative functions, with 674+ listed in the public staff directory. The technology stack is composed of standard K-12 administrative platforms — PowerSchool (student information system), Illuminate (student portal via Jackson County ISD), Taher Food4Life (food service mobile app), TITAN Family Portal (Free & Reduced meal portal), FMX (facilities/maintenance requests), Munis (HR/payroll self-service), BoardDocs (board policy hosting), Finalsite (district website CMS), and RedRover (employment portal) — supplemented by a Year 1+ electric school bus fleet and a public-facing transparency portal for budgets, audits, ESSER III reporting, and personnel data. Specialized programs include the Sankofa Chronicles SEL curriculum (U.S. Department of Education funded, launched December 2025), JPS Montessori method instruction, free K-12 meals year-round (with USDA reimbursement), the Meet Up and Eat Up summer community feeding program (mobile van stops and partner sites), Title IX/FERPA/McKinney-Vento compliance programs, and the JPS Stormwater Management Plan.

JPS is a governmental entity under Michigan state education law, governed by an elected Board of Education (President Marilyn Acton) and led by Superintendent Jeremy Patterson. The district's revenue model is public-sector in nature: primary funding flows through the Michigan state foundation allowance, local property taxes, federal categorical and Title grants (including ESSER III), and voter-approved bond proceeds (2018 Bond for capital facilities, 2025 Bond in progress). There is no tuition revenue; K-12 instruction and meals are free for enrolled students. Auxiliary fee-based revenue streams include adult meals ($3.25 breakfast / $5.50 lunch), milk ($0.75), facility rentals (via FMX and published Building Usage Fees), and food service catering for school and community events (operated by Taher). Major contracted operational partners include Taher (food service), METS (transportation), EnviroClean (custodial), and EDUStaff (substitute teachers and athletic coaches). The district's go-to-market motion is direct-to-community: enrollment is driven by in-person Kindergarten & Young Fives Round-Up events at every elementary campus, Schools-of-Choice communications, the JPS Mobile App, district newsletter, social media presence (Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube), live-streamed Board meetings, alumni engagement (Class Reunions, Alumni & Friends Association), and community events (Kindergarten Round-Up, Summer Meet Up & Eat Up, A1CU Community Fair, Al Glick Youth Football/Baseball Camps). The 2018 Bond funded major capital projects including the Cascades Elementary demolition/rebuild, JHS Stadium upgrades, JHS Aquatic Center, and Northeast Elementary, with a 2025 Bond currently advancing additional facility investments.

Name

Jackson Public Schools

Legal name

Jackson Public Schools

Website

https://jpsk12.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Jackson Public Schools is a Michigan K-12 public school district headquartered in Jackson, MI, operating 11 instructional campuses (elementary, middle, high, virtual academy) and transporting more than 5,000 students daily through one of Michigan's largest K-12 transportation fleets. It serves Jackson, MI families with tuition-free instruction, free K-12 meals, and SEL/career-pathway programs, funded by state foundation allowance, local property taxes, federal grants, and voter-approved bonds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• School transportation services
• School nutrition programs
• Special education services
• Student information systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding (State & Federal): Jackson Public Schools is a public K-12 district funded primarily through state foundation allowance, local property taxes, federal grants, and categorical aid. The district publishes Audited Financial Statements (e.g., 2024-25), adopted budgets (2025-26 Adopted Budget), and ESSER III transparency reporting.
2. Food Service Sales (Adult Meals & Catering): Student meals K-12 are FREE. Adult meals are sold at $3.25 breakfast and $5.50 lunch; milk is $0.75. Catering services for school and community events are available on and off-site. Food service is operated by Taher Food Service.
3. Facility Rentals: Buildings and facilities are available for educational events and community use through a Facilities Use Request via FMX; Building Usage Fees are published.
4. Bond Proceeds (Capital): 2018 Bond proceeds funded district-wide capital improvements including Cascades Elementary demolition/rebuild, JHS Stadium upgrades, JHS Aquatic Center, and Northeast Elementary, with ongoing bond cost summaries. A 2025 Bond is referenced.
5. Federal Grants (e.g., ESSER III, Title IX-related): Federal program funds including ESSER III COVID relief and curriculum/federal program funding under the Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum & Federal Programs; non-recurring grants tied to specific initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Jackson Public Schools is a Michigan K-12 public school district that delivers comprehensive pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade education across 11+ campuses (elementary, middle, high, Montessori, and virtual academy) in Jackson, Michigan. The district supplements classroom instruction with transportation (5,000+ students daily), school nutrition (free K-12 meals plus summer Meet Up and Eat Up), special education services via JCISD, athletic programs, and facility rentals.

Product overview

Jackson Public Schools (JPS) is a Michigan K-12 public school district whose "product" is end-to-end preK-12 education plus a portfolio of supporting services, organized as a unified district platform with multiple school campuses and program modules. The core instructional offering spans eleven campuses: elementary schools (Cascades, Dibble, Hunt, John R. Lewis, JPS Montessori, Northeast, Sharp Park Academy), middle (Middle School at Parkside), high schools (Jackson High School, Jackson Pathways High School), and a virtual school (South Central Michigan Virtual / SCMV Options). Layered on top are cross-district service modules including the JPS Mobile App, PowerSchool student information system, JPS Food Services (Taher Food4Life), the Meet Up and Eat Up summer meal program, JPS Transportation Services (one of the largest in Michigan, moving 5,000+ students daily), the JPS 2018 Bond / JPS 2025 Bond capital programs, the JPS Stormwater Management Program, the Emergency Drills safety program, the Alumni & Friends Association, and the Annual Education Reports. These modules sit alongside compliance functions such as Title IX, FERPA, Special Education (via JCISD), and Title IX Training, and are accessed through district portals powered by PowerSchool, Illuminate, FMX, Finalsite (district website CMS), Taher Food4Life (food service), BoardDocs (board policies), RedRover (employment), and Munis (HR/payroll).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JPS Vikings: Athletic and school mascot brand for Jackson Public Schools, used for school spirit and athletics branding.

Products and services

• Cascades Elementary School JPS elementary campus providing K-5 instruction; serves as a bus-route hub and summer Meet Up and Eat Up meal site.
• Dibble Elementary School JPS elementary campus providing K-5 instruction and serving as a bus interchange point for district routes.
• Hunt Elementary School JPS elementary campus providing K-5 instruction and acting as a bus interchange for multiple district routes.
• John R. Lewis Elementary School JPS elementary campus providing K-5 instruction serving the east-side attendance area.
• Northeast Elementary School JPS elementary campus providing K-5 instruction.
• JPS Montessori Center JPS Montessori school providing Montessori-method K-8 education with dedicated bus routes.
• Sharp Park Academy JPS elementary campus providing K-8 instruction.
• Middle School at Parkside JPS middle school serving grades 6-8, acting as a major bus interchange for district elementary routes.
• Jackson High School JPS comprehensive high school serving as the Board of Education meeting location and preparing for its 100th Anniversary Centennial in 2027.
• Jackson Pathways High School Alternative high school program offering non-traditional pathways to graduation, co-located with Jackson High School.
• South Central Michigan Virtual (SCMV) Virtual K-12 program providing online learning and SCMV Options K-8 track for students across the region.
• JPS Transportation Services One of the largest K-12 transportation departments in Michigan, safely transporting over 5,000 students per day across a large geographic area; provides bus routes, eligibility rules, and bus conduct policies; operated via METS contractor with electric bus fleet in operation.
• JPS Food Services (Taher Food4Life) District-wide school nutrition program managed by Taher Food Service, providing free breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students, plus after-school snacks, dinner, adult meals, and catering services. Includes the Taher Food4Life mobile/web app for menus, nutrition, and allergy info.
• Meet Up and Eat Up Free summer meal program for children 18 and under; runs June through August across school sites, mobile van stops, and partner sites around Jackson.
• JPS Bond 2018 (Capital Program) 2018 voter-approved capital bond program funding major facility projects including Cascades Elementary demolition/rebuild, JHS Stadium upgrades, JHS Aquatic Center, and Northeast building/site renderings.
• Sankofa Chronicles SEL Curriculum Multimedia social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum with culturally responsive content designed to enhance student well-being, self-awareness, and academic engagement; delivered district-wide in JPS via the Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resources Collaborative.
• Emergency Drills Program Documented fire, tornado, security, and AED drills across all JPS buildings per Michigan legislation MCL 29.19, with drill logs published by school and year.

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic curriculum partner, strategic core operational vendor, core operational partner, core operational vendor, core operational staffing vendor, strategic regional partner, health services partner, technology infrastructure vendor, core student information system, student portal partner, community outreach partner, community athletics sponsor and district-affiliated program.

• Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resources Collaborativestrategic curriculum partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2025The Martin Luther King, Sr. Community Resources Collaborative launched The Sankofa Chronicles in Jackson Public Schools — a multimedia social-emotional learning curriculum funded by the U.S. Department of Education. JPS will participate in nationwide implementation and provide feedback to improve the curriculum, aiming to enhance student well-being, self-awareness, and academic engagement through culturally responsive content.
• Taher Food Servicestrategic core operational vendorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTaher Food Service operates the JPS Food Service Department under Brant Russell (Director, joined JPS July 1998). Provides breakfast and lunch at all JPS facilities, snacks for after-school programs, dinner at after-school programs, and catering services on/off-site. The Taher Food4Life mobile app is the official JPS food service app for menus, nutrition, and allergy info. Taher is the contract operator; JPS remains the district of record.
• METS Transportationcore operational partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMETS is the contracted bus operator for Jackson Public Schools. Operates one of the largest transportation departments in Michigan (5,000+ students/day). METS recruits and pays school bus drivers — $750 signing bonus, $19.00/hr training, $22.00/hr starting wage. JPS publishes per-school bus routes and eligibility rules. Aldair Castro is JPS Director of METS Transportation.
• EnviroClean Custodial Servicescore operational vendorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEnviroClean provides janitorial services for JPS facilities under Angela Mault (Director). Hiring handled via joblinkapply.com; benefits include PTO, paid holidays, insurance, 401K.
• EDUStaffcore operational staffing vendorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEDUStaff is the contracted vendor for substitute teachers and athletic coaches across JPS. All athletic coaches are contracted employees through EDUStaff; prospective coaches also submit letter of interest and resume to Athletic Director Chris Hoover. Open positions posted at jobs.redroverk12.com/org/1093.
• Jackson County Intermediate School District (JCISD)strategic regional partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerJackson County ISD provides Special Education Services, Illuminate Student Login (jcisd.illuminatehc.com), and hosts BoardDocs for JPS board policies. Many JPS staff are ISD personnel (e.g., Jo Babcock, ISD Teacher Consultant; Frances Adams, ISD Social Worker; Meredith Archer, ISD Teacher Assistant). JCISD also hosts work sessions (December 3, 2025 Special Work Session at JCISD Room 220, 6700 Browns Lake Road).
• Center for Family Healthhealth services partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCenter for Family Health operates School Health Centers accessed via the JPS Families resources page (centerforfamilyhealth.org).
• BoardDocs (MASB / BoardDocs)technology infrastructure vendorTechnology or IntegrationJPS Board Policies are hosted on BoardDocs (go.boarddocs.com/mi/jacks/Board.nsf) and the JPS Public Participation policy references BoardDocs integration. BoardDocs is the policy hosting and board management platform used by JPS.
• PowerSchoolcore student information systemTechnology or IntegrationPowerSchool is the JPS Student Information System used for enrollment, records, grades, and the parent/student portal; JPS 2025-26 PowerSchool information and FAQ pages are published on jpsk12.org.
• Illuminate Education (jacksonps.familyportal.cloud)student portal partnerTechnology or IntegrationIlluminate hosts the JPS Free & Reduced web portal at jacksonps.familyportal.cloud, enabling parents to make online deposits to meal accounts and submit Education Benefits Forms.
• A1CU (American 1 Credit Union)community outreach partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerA1CU partnered with JPS to host the A1CU Community Fair — a free Financial Wellness Reality Fair at the American 1 Event Center at Keeley Park on June 25, 2026, with 20+ local family resources, free dinner, Kona Ice, bounce houses, and giveaways.
• Al Glick / Alro Corporationcommunity athletics sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerAl Glick sponsors the 7th Annual Al Glick Youth Football Camp at Dungy Field at Withington Stadium (June 27, 2026) for Jackson County students entering 4th-9th grade ($15/camper), and the Al Glick Baseball Camp at Al Glick Community Baseball Field at Jackson High School ($20 JPS/$25 non-JPS). Contact: Rebecca Armstrong (Alro).
• South Central Michigan Virtual (SCMV)district-affiliated programStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCMV is a JPS-operated virtual academy and SCMV Options (K-8) program led by Principal Fred Parker Jr. at 1060 Jackson Crossing, 517-841-2820; SCMV students participate in the JPS Meet Up & Eat Up summer feeding program.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Flint Community Schools: Michigan urban K-12 district operating under similar state foundation allowance structure, with documented ESSER III reliance and aging-facility bond cycles — directly comparable to JPS in funding model and capital planning pressures.
• Kalamazoo Public Schools: Michigan public K-12 district of similar enrollment scale with multi-school campuses, federal program funding (Title I), and active bond programs — directly comparable to JPS operations and funding structure.
• Grand Rapids Public Schools: Larger Michigan urban public K-12 district with comparable transportation network scale, magnet/Montessori programs, and SEL/community school initiatives — a relevant scaled peer for JPS operational benchmarks.
• Lansing School District: Michigan urban public K-12 district of comparable scale operating multiple school buildings with bond-funded capital programs and state foundation allowance funding model — directly comparable to JPS as a same-state public district.
• Dearborn Public Schools: Large Michigan urban/suburban K-12 district with substantial transportation fleet, multi-school feeding programs, and Title IX/FERPA compliance operations comparable to JPS scale.
• Battle Creek Public Schools: Michigan mid-sized urban K-12 district with similar student transportation scale, free-meal programs, and bond-driven facility capital cycles — a close operational peer in size and demographic profile to Jackson Public Schools.
• Ann Arbor Public Schools: Michigan K-12 district operating Montessori centers, virtual/online academies, and electric bus pilots under the same state foundation allowance — a comparable peer with similar program diversification to JPS.

Regional players

• Saginaw Township Community Schools: Mid-Michigan K-12 district in a neighboring region to Jackson, MI, with similar facility footprint and student services profile — a relevant geographic-adjacent peer for JPS.

Others

• Taher Food Service: Contracted food service operator that runs JPS Food Services district-wide including the Food4Life app and Meet Up and Eat Up summer program — a key operational vendor partner.
• PowerSchool Group: Vendor that provides JPS's core Student Information System; relevant as the technology infrastructure peer that JPS depends on for student records, grades, and parent portals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/JPSVIKINGS
• LinkedInjobs.redroverk12.com/org/1093
• Xx.com/jpsvikings

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries11 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 Jackson Public Schools