Westlake Academy

What Westlake Academy does

Westlake Academy is a municipally-operated, open-enrollment public charter school serving approximately 885 students in grades K-12 from a single campus in Westlake, Texas. It is the only municipally owned and operated open-enrollment charter school in Texas, with the Town of Westlake serving as charter holder under a Generation 7 Charter from the Texas Education Agency (originally awarded 2001, renewed 2007 and 2016 for 10-year terms). The school delivers the full International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum on a single campus: the Primary Years Programme (K-5), Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10), and Diploma Programme (grades 11-12), making it one of only 13 IB Continuum Schools in Texas. All Grade 11-12 students are full diploma candidates, with 90%+ achieving the IB Diploma over the past four years versus an 80-85% global pass rate.

The school's core 'technology' is the IB curriculum framework, including criterion-related assessment in the MYP and the DP core of Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and Creativity, Activity, Service. Complementary programs include athletics for grades 6-12, college counseling with the Naviance platform, counseling services, and the Hope Squad peer-support program (grades 5-12). Campus facilities comprise 100,000+ square feet of educational space financed through approximately $24.3M of Town-issued debt across multiple construction phases (2003, 2010, 2013).

The revenue model is non-commercial: the academy charges no tuition and is funded primarily through Texas Education Agency per-student state allocations, supplemented by the Town of Westlake's municipal budget (debt service, shared services in HR/finance/facilities), and private donations via the Westlake Academy Foundation's annual Blacksmith Campaign. Admission is open-enrollment with priority for Town of Westlake residents and a February lottery for students from 32 approved DFW-area ISDs.

Name

Westlake Academy

Legal name

Westlake Academy

Website

https://westlakeacademy.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Westlake Academy is a municipally-operated, open-enrollment public charter school in Westlake, Texas, serving approximately 885 K-12 students through the full International Baccalaureate Continuum and funded by the Texas Education Agency, the Town of Westlake, and private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Charter School Education (IB Continuum)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• Public charter school
• IB continuum education
• K-12 college preparatory
• International Baccalaureate programs
• Open-enrollment education

Headquarters

HQ city

West Lake Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Texas Education Agency Funding: Primarily funded by the Texas Education Agency through state public education funds. As a charter school, receives per-student allocation for educational operations.
2. Municipal Budget Support: Town of Westlake provides significant financial resources through its municipal budget including debt service payments on bonds issued to build and expand the Academy, as well as financial administrative services, human resource services, and campus maintenance.
3. Private Donations - Blacksmith Campaign: Annual Blacksmith Campaign coordinated by the Westlake Academy Foundation raises private donations for school operations and enhancements beyond state funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Westlake Academy is a tuition-free, municipally-operated public charter school that delivers the complete International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum to students from kindergarten through grade 12 on a single Westlake, Texas campus. The school offers three IB programmes — the Primary Years Programme (K-5), the Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10), and the Diploma Programme (grades 11-12) — supplemented by athletics (grades 6-12), in-school counseling and Hope Squad peer support, and a college counseling program using the Naviance platform. All Grade 11-12 students are full IB diploma candidates, and the school has been recognized for 100% graduation rates and 90%+ IB diploma attainment.

Product overview

Westlake Academy is a municipally-operated, open-enrollment public charter school offering an International Baccalaureate (IB) education continuum from kindergarten through grade 12. The institution operates three interconnected IB programs: the Primary Years Programme (PYP, K-5), the Middle Years Programme (MYP, grades 6-10), and the Diploma Programme (DP, grades 11-12). All students in grades 11-12 are full diploma candidates, with over 90% achieving their IB diploma. The school complements its academic programs with athletics (grades 6-12), counseling services, college counseling with Naviance platform integration, and student support programs including Hope Squad. Founded in 2003 and operated by the Town of Westlake, it is the only municipally-owned charter school in Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Years Programme (PYP) The IB Primary Years Programme for Westlake Academy students in kindergarten through grade 5, focusing on inquiry-based learning, knowledge, skills, critical thinking, and the development of universal human values.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP) The IB Middle Years Programme for Westlake Academy students in grades 6 through 10, emphasizing intellectual challenge, practical connections between studies and the real world, and the development of active, internationally minded learners using criterion-related assessment.
• Diploma Programme (DP) The IB Diploma Programme for Westlake Academy students in grades 11-12 — a rigorous two-year pre-collegiate curriculum recognized by leading universities worldwide, requiring study of six academic subjects plus the IB Core of Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service). All Grade 11-12 students are full diploma candidates.
• Athletics Program Athletic programs for Westlake Academy students in grades 6 through 12, including seasonal sports such as football, basketball, tennis, baseball, soccer, track and field, golf, and swimming.
• College Counseling Program Customized college counseling at Westlake Academy that educates students and parents about preparing for college, the college search process, completing applications, financing education, and selecting a college fit, utilizing the Naviance web-based platform.
• Counseling Services (includes Hope Squad) Personal counseling, social and emotional support, classroom guidance, small groups, parent education, and referrals to off-campus professionals for Westlake Academy students. Includes the Hope Squad peer support program for suicide prevention implemented in grades 5-12 in partnership with the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation.

Named customers1 record

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Jordan Elizabeth Harris FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnered with foundation to implement Hope Squad peer support program on campus for grades 5-12. The foundation provides training resources and support for suicide prevention through student peer support network. Grant funding from Westlake Academy Foundation supported implementation.
• Town of WestlakecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Parent municipality that owns and operates Westlake Academy as its only municipally-owned charter school. Provides shared services including human resources, finance, administration, facilities management, and communications. Town issues bonds for campus construction and owns all facilities. Unique governance structure where Town Council serves as Board of Trustees.
• Westlake Academy FoundationcoreOthersNon-profit foundation that coordinates annual Blacksmith Campaign to raise private donations for school operations and enhancements. Provides grants to teachers and staff. The foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) entity that supports the school's financial sustainability beyond state funding.
• Westlake Academy House of Commons (WAHOC)minorOthersSupport organization providing close-knit community support efforts and grants to teachers and staff alongside the Westlake Academy Foundation.
• Westlake Academy Booster ClubminorOthersAthletic and activities booster club supporting student sports programs and extracurricular activities through fundraising and volunteer efforts.
• Texas Education AgencycoreOthersState agency that awarded Generation 7 Charter to Town of Westlake in 2001, renewed in 2016 for another 10 years. Primary funding source through per-student state education allocation. Provides academic accountability oversight through state assessments.
• International Baccalaureate (IB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIB World School authorized to offer all three IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP). Part of global network of nearly 3,500 IB World Schools in 143 countries. IB curriculum provides internationally-recognized college preparatory education.
• Coca-Cola Scholars FoundationminorOthersNational scholarship foundation that named a Westlake Academy senior as a semifinalist in October 2024, recognizing academic achievement.
• National Merit Scholarship CorporationminorOthersNational organization that recognized a Westlake Academy senior as a National Merit Semi-Finalist in September 2024.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts: A Fort Worth open-enrollment charter school offering specialized K-12 education; a local competitor for charter-seeking families in the same metro area.
• Uplift Education: A DFW-based open-enrollment charter network that operates IB programmes across multiple campuses, directly comparable in curriculum focus and Texas charter model but at multi-campus scale.
• Harmony Public Schools: A large Texas open-enrollment charter network serving K-12 students; comparable charter funding model and college-prep focus, though STEM-oriented rather than IB.
• IDEA Public Schools: A Texas college-preparatory charter network with 100% college-acceptance goals; comparable in charter model and college-prep mission across similar geographies.
• Founders Classical Academy: A DFW-area charter school chain offering rigorous college-prep K-12 education, competing for similar families in the same North Texas territory.
• BASIS Texas: An open-enrollment charter network offering an accelerated, internationally benchmarked K-12 curriculum, comparable in rigorous college-prep and public charter model.
• Great Hearts Texas: A Texas classical-education open-enrollment charter network; comparable tuition-free public charter K-12 model with a distinctive academic philosophy.
• International Leadership of Texas (ILTexas): A DFW-area open-enrollment charter network emphasizing internationally minded, trilingual college-prep education, overlapping with Westlake's global-curriculum positioning.

Others

• Carroll ISD (Southlake): A high-performing traditional public district adjacent to Westlake and a named secondary-boundary feeder area; an alternative K-12 option competing for the same local families.

Direct peers

• Meridian World School: A Texas open-enrollment charter school delivering the full IB continuum, closely mirroring Westlake Academy's IB-focused, tuition-free public charter model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/wablacksmiths
• Facebookfacebook.com/westlakeacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/wablacksmiths
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westlake-academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Westlake Academy