Wayland Union Schools

What Wayland Union Schools does

Wayland Union Schools is a Michigan public school district headquartered at 893 E. Superior Street in Wayland, operating six schools — four elementary buildings (Baker, Dorr, Pine Street, Steeby), one middle school, and one high school — plus the Wayland Academy for Virtual Education and the Career Connections Academy. The district employs approximately 375 staff and serves K-12 students residing within district boundaries, with supplementary offerings extending to early childhood (preschool, GSRP, Young Fives, kindergarten), community education (Little Wildcats Club childcare, Fitness Center & Pool, AquatiCATS swim club), and career and technical education, including the recently launched MEERA manufacturing and engineering program. As a government entity governed by an elected Board of Education under Michigan state law, it has no private ownership and does not publicly disclose revenue; its underlying business model is sustained by state per-pupil foundation allowance, local property taxes, and competitive state grants.

The district's technology stack is composed of standard commercial K-12 platforms rather than proprietary systems: Infinite Campus for student information, Follett Destiny for library management, NWEA MAP for assessment, PowerSchool Special Programs for special education tracking, Google Apps for Education for productivity, RevTrak for online payments, Red Rover for enrollment, SWIS for behavior tracking, and Clever for single sign-on. It does not expose an API or mobile app beyond the parent portal. Community engagement is driven through Facebook and Instagram, district newsletters, RSS feeds, community events, and an MI School Data public dashboard for budget transparency.

Revenue mechanics are anchored in Michigan state per-pupil funding supplemented by local property tax receipts and grant funding such as the $356,500 Section 61v CTE award from the Michigan Department of Education. Community education programs generate supplementary fee-based revenue, including $25/month resident and $40/month non-resident fitness center memberships, $15/month senior/military/first responder rates, and $5/day drop-in passes. Customer concentration is geographically bounded to the Wayland and Dorr area, with no individually named enterprise customers and no contract-based revenue model.

Name

Wayland Union Schools

Legal name

Wayland Union Schools

Website

https://waylandunion.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Wayland Union Schools is a Michigan public school district operating six schools and a virtual academy, serving approximately 2,000-3,000 K-12 students through state per-pupil funding, local property taxes, and community education programs including childcare, fitness, and CTE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Virtual & Blended Learning Programs (District-Run) (EDAJAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

District-Run Virtual Academies & Online Programs (EDAJADAB), Special Education Online / Virtual Schools & Remote Programs (EDAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Early childhood programs
• Career technical education
• Special education services
• Community education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wayland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Per-Pupil Funding: Primary revenue source from Michigan Department of Education based on student enrollment and attendance
2. Community Education Programs: Fee-based programs including Little Wildcats Club childcare, preschool, community education classes, and facility rentals
3. Fitness Center & Pool Memberships: Monthly memberships and daily passes for community fitness center located in high school, providing recreational services to district residents and staff
4. Grant Funding: Competitive grant funding from Michigan Department of Education including Section 61v CTE grants (MEERA program $356,500)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wayland Union Schools is a public K-12 school district operating four elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and a virtual education academy, delivering comprehensive preschool through 12th-grade education, special education services, career and technical education (including the new MEERA manufacturing/engineering program), and supplementary community services such as before- and after-school childcare (Little Wildcats Club), youth swimming (AquatiCATS), and a community Fitness Center & Pool housed inside the high school.

Product overview

Wayland Union Schools is a K-12 public school district offering a unified educational portfolio that combines core K-12 general education with specialized programs. The district operates four elementary schools (Baker, Dorr, Pine Street, Steeby), one middle school, and one high school. The product portfolio centers on the core K-12 General Education program supplemented by early childhood offerings (Little Wildcats Preschool, Little Wildcats Club Childcare), alternative education pathways (Wayland Academy for Virtual Education, Career Connections Academy), and career-focused technical education (MEERA Program). Additional services include community education programs such as the Fitness Center & Pool and AquatiCATS swim club, as well as district technology services providing digital access through parent/student portals and 1:1 device programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MEERA Program: Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimagined for All - a CTE program introducing middle school students to manufacturing and engineering disciplines
• AquatiCATS
• Little Wildcats Club
• Wildcats
• WAVE

Products and services

• K-12 General Education Comprehensive K-12 public school education serving students from preschool through high school graduation across Baker Elementary, Dorr Elementary, Pine Street Elementary, Steeby Elementary, Wayland Union Middle School, and Wayland Union High School.
• Little Wildcats Preschool Early childhood education program including GSRP (Great Start Readiness Program) and tuition-based preschool options for preschool-aged children.
• Little Wildcats Club Childcare Before- and after-school childcare program for elementary students, supporting working families within the district.
• Wayland Academy for Virtual Education (WAVE) Virtual education program offering online learning opportunities for K-12 students, including the Career Connections Academy career-focused pathway.
• Career Connections Academy Career and technical education pathway program preparing students for workforce and post-secondary opportunities, offered as a component of the Wayland Academy for Virtual Education.
• MEERA Program (Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimagined for All) Middle-school CTE program introducing students to manufacturing and engineering disciplines through hands-on experiences with industry-relevant tools and technologies, supported by a Michigan Department of Education Section 61v grant.
• Community Education Programs Community education programs offering enrichment classes, facility rentals, and recreational opportunities for district residents and the broader community.
• Fitness Center & Pool Community fitness facility and pool located inside Wayland Union High School, offering monthly memberships (resident, senior/military, non-resident tiers), free access for staff/students, and $5 daily passes.
• AquatiCATS Swim Club Competitive swimming program for youth ages 6-18 offering winter and summer seasons with practices and meets (currently paused due to construction).

Quantifiable outcome

• All four elementary schools achieved Capturing Kids' Hearts National Showcase School designation for second consecutive year, demonstrating measurable growth in discipline, attendance, enrollment, and staff retention
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stryke ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026FIRST Robotics competition alliance partner in State Championship; Team #6090 formed winning alliance with Stryke Force and Calumet CopperBots to win Consumers Energy Foundation Field Champions title
• Calumet CopperBotscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026FIRST Robotics competition alliance partner in State Championship; formed winning alliance with Stryke Force and WUHS Team #6090
• Saginaw Valley State University (Ryder Center)minorOthers · 20 April 2026Host venue for State Championship competition where WUHS robotics team competed
• Allegan Area ESA Tech CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical education partner providing CTE pathway opportunities for students beyond high school as they prepare for life after graduation
• EDUStaffcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party staffing service for substitute teachers, food service staff, and aides; handles substitute recruitment and placement for district
• Career Connections AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComponent of Wayland Academy for Virtual Education providing career-focused educational pathways for students
• Grand Rapids Building Services (GRBS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContracted custodial services provider for district facilities maintenance

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hudsonville Public Schools: West Michigan public K-12 district with similar enrollment scale, athletics footprint, and career-readiness programming; direct competitor for talent and open-enrollment families.
• Caledonia Community Schools: Adjacent West Michigan public K-12 district of comparable size and rural-to-suburban character; competes with Wayland for open-enrollment students and operates similar early-childhood, athletics, and CTE programs.
• Byron Center Public Schools: West Michigan public K-12 district in the Grand Rapids metro area with similar demographic profile and program breadth, including community education, athletics, and CTE pathways.
• Thornapple Kellogg School District: Neighboring Barry County public K-12 district explicitly referenced in Wayland's leadership background; comparable school count, similar community-education offerings, and direct enrollment competitor.
• Zeeland Public Schools: Comparable-sized Michigan public K-12 district with strong STEM/CTE programs and community fitness offerings; competes for open-enrollment transfers in the same West Michigan corridor.
• Mattawan Consolidated School District: Southwest Michigan K-12 district of comparable size with established CTE/STEM offerings and similar community-engagement programs; mirrors Wayland's K-12 + community-services model.

Broad incumbents

• Forest Hills Public Schools: Larger Grand Rapids-metro public K-12 district operating a broader portfolio of schools and programs; competes for open-enrollment families and represents the larger end of the regional incumbent set.

Emerging players

• Michigan Virtual Charter Schools (e.g., Michigan Great Lakes Virtual Academy): Statewide virtual charter school operator competing for online K-12 students in Michigan; directly comparable to Wayland's WAVE virtual academy product line.

Regional players

• Grand Haven Area Public Schools: Comparable-size Michigan public K-12 district on the lakeshore with similar CTE, athletics, and community-education offerings; serves a separate geography but matches Wayland's service model.

Others

• Allegan Area Educational Service Agency (Allegan Area ESA): Regional intermediate service agency explicitly partnered with Wayland for CTE/tech-center pathways; comparable as an enabling institution supporting district programming rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WaylandUnionSchools
• Instagraminstagram.com/waylandunionschools
• Xx.com/waylandunion

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Wayland Union Schools