Cristo Rey Kansas City

What Cristo Rey Kansas City does

Cristo Rey Kansas City is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Catholic college-preparatory high school operating on the campus of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Midtown Kansas City. It serves culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged students from the Kansas City metropolitan area through an integrated model that combines a rigorous Catholic college-prep curriculum with the signature Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP). Under CWSP, teams of four students rotate through one-day-per-week professional placements at 95+ corporate partners spanning banking (Commerce Bank, Lead Bank), healthcare (Children's Mercy Hospital, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City), law (Husch Blackwell, Polsinelli, Lathrop GPM), professional services (KPMG, CBIZ), construction (JE Dunn, Turner Construction), media (Fox 4 WDAF-TV), and professional sports (Kansas City Royals), with student earnings covering roughly 30% of the cost of education.

The school's revenue model is a four-stream hybrid: CWSP fee-for-service contract revenue from employer partners, a sliding-scale family tuition ($50-$250/month, averaging ~$300/year per family), individual and foundation donations, and event-driven fundraising led by the "Dancing with the Kansas City Stars" gala, which raised approximately $1.7 million in 2026. Supporting programs include STEM Pathways (bio-medical sciences, engineering with FIRST Robotics, and mathematics), a 1:1 laptop initiative for every student, the Finalsite learning management system, comprehensive College Counseling, Campus Ministry with an 80-hour community service requirement, and interscholastic athletics under MSHSAA. Cristo Rey Kansas City is one of 40 schools in the national Cristo Rey Network, founded in Chicago in 1996, and operates as a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, who missioned seven sisters to open the Kansas City campus in 2006. President and CEO Claudia Meyer leads the school with a 51-100 person staff.

Go-to-market is admissions-led: prospective families apply through the centralized SchoolAppKC platform, attend campus tours and shadow days, complete a mandatory two-week Summer Bridge Program before enrollment, and progress through a four-year CWSP and service requirement. The strategic dependency on a broad and stable employer-partner base, combined with recurring donor cultivation, defines the operating model and its principal scaling constraint.

Name

Cristo Rey Kansas City

Legal name

Cristo Rey Kansas City

Website

https://cristoreykc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cristo Rey Kansas City is a nonprofit Catholic college-preparatory high school in Midtown Kansas City that serves economically disadvantaged students by integrating a corporate work-study program across 95+ employer partners. Student earnings, sliding-scale family tuition, and donor support combine to fund tuition otherwise inaccessible to the target population.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• Catholic secondary education
• College preparatory programs
• Corporate work study
• Nonprofit high school
• STEM education pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Corporate Work Study Program Earnings: Students work one day per week in corporate positions, and their earnings contribute directly to tuition costs. Approximately 30% of cost to educate is covered by work study earnings. Students work in teams of four, rotating through job placements at partner companies.
2. Family Tuition Contributions: Families pay based on a sliding scale ranging from $50 to $250 per month, determined by financial need. The average annual family contribution is approximately $300 per year.
3. Donor Contributions and Scholarships: Revenue from fundraising events (Dancing with the Kansas City Stars raised $1.7 million in 2026), individual donations, foundation grants, and scholarship sponsorships cover the remaining cost gap. Cristo Rey Champion sponsors contribute $5,000-$7,500 per year.
4. Corporate Partner Fees: Job partners pay a fee-for-service contract for student workers. The Corporate Work Study Program handles all employment taxes, payroll, and legal paperwork for business partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cristo Rey Kansas City is a nonprofit Catholic, college-preparatory high school serving culturally diverse, economically disadvantaged students in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Its core offering integrates rigorous college-prep academics with the signature Corporate Work Study Program, in which student teams of four work one day per week at corporate partner sites to help fund their tuition while gaining professional experience. Supporting offerings include STEM education pathways (bio-medical, engineering, mathematics), college counseling, campus ministry, athletics, and a mandatory Summer Bridge pre-enrollment program.

Product overview

Cristo Rey Kansas City is a Catholic high school offering a unified college-preparatory education program. The school operates with a distinctive integrated model combining academic instruction with its signature Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), where students work in professional settings one day per week to earn a portion of their tuition. Supporting the core academic curriculum are specialized programs including STEM Education (with bio-medical, engineering, and mathematics pathways), College Counseling (with Junior and Senior Seminar classes), Campus Ministry (with Christian Leadership Program), and Athletics. Financial support is provided through the Scholarship Investment Program, and accepted students complete a mandatory Summer Bridge Program before enrollment. The school also offers various clubs and activities including Esports, Choir, Robotics, Student Ambassadors, and Student Council.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Catholic College-Preparatory Education A four-year Catholic, college and career preparatory high school education enhanced by an innovative Corporate Work Study Program, serving culturally diverse, ambitious students with economic need in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
• Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) A fee-for-service workforce program where teams of four students each work one day per week in professional settings at partner companies, earning money that contributes to their educational costs while gaining real-world work experience across banking, healthcare, law, technology, and other industries.
• College Counseling Program Comprehensive college preparation including Junior and Senior Seminar classes, college application support, financial aid assistance, and ongoing alumni support through college and career transitions.
• STEM Education STEM curriculum with three dedicated pathways: bio-medical sciences (Human Body Systems, Anatomy and Physiology), engineering (Introduction to Engineering, FIRST Robotics), and mathematics (Pre-AP, AP, ACCP), with four years of math for all students and a 1:1 laptop program.
• Campus Ministry Faith formation program including daily prayer, monthly Catholic liturgies, community service requirements (80 hours over four years), and the Christian Leadership Program for juniors and seniors.
• Athletics Program Interscholastic sports program including boys and girls soccer, volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading, governed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).
• Scholarship Investment Program Sponsored scholarship program where donors fund a student's four-year education at suggested annual levels ranging from $250 (Scholar Fund Sustaining Donor) to $7,500 (Cristo Rey Champion), bridging the funding gap and providing student progress updates and reception invitations.
• Summer Bridge Program Mandatory two-week pre-enrollment program for accepted students providing training on workplace skills, professional conduct, and preparation for participation in the Corporate Work Study Program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80 hours of community service completed by graduation per student
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Commerce BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner providing corporate work study job placements for student teams. Commerce Bank is one of the founding corporate work study partners of Cristo Rey Kansas City.
• JE DunncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company partner providing work study opportunities. JE Dunn is a founding corporate work study partner.
• Lead BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional banking partner offering corporate work study positions for Cristo Rey students.
• GarmincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology and consumer electronics company providing manufacturing and distribution work study placements.
• Children's Mercy HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare provider offering work study positions in clinical and administrative settings.
• Husch Blackwell LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm partner providing legal industry work study opportunities for students.
• PolsinellicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational law firm providing corporate work study placements in legal profession.
• Lathrop GPMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm partner offering student work study positions in legal services.
• KPMGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional services firm providing accounting and consulting work study opportunities.
• CBIZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional advisory services firm offering work study positions in accounting and business services.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor insurance provider offering corporate work study positions in healthcare insurance sector.
• Turner ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company partner providing work study job placements in the building industry.
• Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding sponsor of Cristo Rey Kansas City. Seven sisters were missioned to open the school in 2006. Sisters continue to serve as staff, board members, and volunteers. The school is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth.
• Purpose Technology GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner and host of alumni summer events. Board Chair Stacy Rose is from Purpose Technology Group.
• Country Club BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner and founding corporate work study partner for Cristo Rey Kansas City.
• Security BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner and founding corporate work study partner providing student work placements.
• CommunityAmerica Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredit union partner offering banking sector work study opportunities.
• Kansas City RoyalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional sports team partner providing sports/entertainment industry work study placements.
• MindDrivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM education partner providing experiential electric car building program. Students participate on MINDDRIVE team with professional mentors.
• KC STEM AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional STEM education coalition partner supporting Cristo Rey's STEM pathways and teacher training programs.
• Project Lead the WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational STEM education organization providing curriculum and pathways for engineering and biomedical programs.
• Carnegie Science CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner through STEM Excellence Pathway program providing teacher training and STEM curriculum development support.
• Shook Hardy BaconcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm partner providing legal industry corporate work study positions.
• Fox 4 WDAF-TVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelevision media partner providing broadcast industry work study opportunities.
• Crisp Museum at PrairiefirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner providing STEM and museum-based learning opportunities for students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• De La Salle High School (Kansas City): A Catholic college-preparatory high school in Kansas City serving a similar demographic of urban students. Comparable regional Catholic college-prep mission but operates on a traditional tuition model rather than the Cristo Rey work-study funding model.

Broad incumbents

• Uncommon Schools: A nonprofit charter management organization operating K-12 college-prep schools in underserved communities across multiple states. Comparable student demographic and college-prep mission to Cristo Rey Kansas City, but operates a charter/public school model rather than a private Catholic work-study-funded model.
• Seton Education Partners: Operates Catholic-affiliated schools (Seton Academy, Brilla Schools) and supports the launch and renewal of Catholic K-8 schools. Comparable mission of Catholic education for underserved communities, though Seton's model centers on charter and network school operations rather than work-study-funded private schools.
• Noble Network of Charter Schools: Chicago-based charter network operating 18 high schools serving low-income students with a college-prep focus and selective enrollment. Comparable student demographic and college-readiness mission, though operates through the public charter model rather than private Catholic work-study funding.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): The largest U.S. charter school network, focused on college-prep education for students in underserved communities. Operates a broader portfolio (K-12) than Cristo Rey Kansas City and does not include the corporate work-study funding model, but competes for the same economically disadvantaged, college-bound student demographic.

Emerging players

• BASIS Charter Schools: A charter school network focused on rigorous college-prep academics with strong STEM emphasis and AP coursework. Comparable college-prep academic focus to Cristo Rey Kansas City's STEM pathways, though serves a different student demographic and lacks the work-study funding model.

Direct peers

• NativityMiguel Network of Schools: A network of 60+ Catholic middle schools serving low-income students with extended day/year programming and graduate support through college. Highly comparable mission and student demographic to Cristo Rey Kansas City, though focused on middle school rather than high school.
• Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Chicago: The founding Cristo Rey school (1996) and originator of the Corporate Work Study Program model. Operates the same sliding-scale tuition, work-study-funded Catholic college-prep model for economically disadvantaged students, and serves as the network's flagship for the Corporate Work Study Program that Cristo Rey Kansas City replicates.
• Cristo Rey High School (Network): The 40-school Cristo Rey Network collectively operates the same Catholic college-prep + Corporate Work Study Program model across the U.S. Each network school is structurally and operationally comparable to Cristo Rey Kansas City, sharing curriculum, employer placement infrastructure, and the special DOL provision for student workers.
• Holy Family Cristo Rey High School: A sister Cristo Rey Network school in Birmingham, AL, operating the identical Corporate Work Study Program + Catholic college-prep model. Structurally and operationally interchangeable with Cristo Rey Kansas City in terms of student demographics, funding model, and partner employer structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cristoreykc1908/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/CristoReyKC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cristo-rey-kansas-city
• Instagraminstagram.com/cristoreykc
• Xx.com/CristoReyKC

Compliance1 record

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 Cristo Rey Kansas City