Alternative Schools Network
Alternative Schools Network is a Chicago-based not-for-profit founded in 1973 that serves as a membership federation of 43 alternative schools delivering free education, employment, and wraparound support services to more than 3,500 at-risk youth ages 16–24 annually through grant-funded programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Alternative Schools Network does
Alternative Schools Network (ASN) is a Chicago-based not-for-profit founded in 1973 that operates as a membership federation of 43 not-for-profit, independent, and self-governing alternative schools and youth/adult education organizations. ASN functions as a back-office coordinator and advocacy body for its member network, providing resource development, technical assistance, training, and policy advocacy, while member schools deliver last-mile services to youth in Chicago's underserved communities. The organization serves more than 3,500 at-risk youth ages 16–24 annually, with a student population that is 66% African-American, 31% Latino, 8% previously incarcerated, 7% with disabilities, and 89.3% from low-to-moderate income households; ASN has graduated over 9,000 youth over its 40+ year history.
ASN delivers a portfolio of interconnected programs including ASN Preparatory Institute (free year-round GED instruction), Added Chance Career Education (employment services for DCFS youth ages 16–20), Compass Counseling (Title XX social adjustment services), Community Youth Employment Program (CYEP) career pathways with YCCS, Fostering Learning Program (virtual education for DCFS youth-in-care via Odysseyware and Purpose Prep curricula), Critical Health Network (COVID-19 community health response), YS3, YES, RSP, PraXis, SPCI, and One Summer Chicago. The technology stack is primarily composed of third-party licensed platforms—Odysseyware for state-aligned academic courses (grades 6–12) and Purpose Prep for social-emotional learning—rather than proprietary technology.
Revenue is generated entirely through grants and government contracts, with major funders including Illinois Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, and state/federal youth employment programs. All programs are free to eligible participants. GTM is community-led: ASN reaches youth through member schools, DCFS referrals, community organization partnerships (After School Matters, Youth Health Service Corps, Healthy Hood, YCCS), and direct enrollment at ASN Prep Institute locations across three Chicago offices (Sunnyside Ave. headquarters, Oakwood Blvd. GED center, Milwaukee Ave. Added Chance office).
Alternative Schools Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alternative Schools Network
- Legal name
- Alternative Schools Network
- Website
- https://asnchicago.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Alternative Schools Network is a Chicago-based not-for-profit founded in 1973 that serves as a membership federation of 43 alternative schools delivering free education, employment, and wraparound support services to more than 3,500 at-risk youth ages 16–24 annually through grant-funded programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alternative Schools Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alternative Education and Youth Workforce Development Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- GED/HiSET Preparation & Instruction (EDAAABAA), Credit Recovery & Alternative Adult High School (EDAAABAC), Special Populations ASE (Reentry/Corrections, Homeless, Refugee/Immigrant, Foster/Justice-Involved) (EDAAABAI), Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE)
Keywords
Where Alternative Schools Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Alternative Schools Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Grant Funding & Government Contracts: ASN operates as a not-for-profit organization funded through grants, government contracts, and public/private funding. Major funding sources include Illinois Department of Child & Family Services (DCFS), Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (for Compass Counseling), and state/federal youth employment programs. Revenue supports direct services to youth and member school operations.
- Annual Funding for Community-Based Programs: ASN leverages and directs annual funding for community-based programs to meet the needs of high-risk youth in Chicago. Member schools receive funding through ASN's coordination and advocacy efforts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free GED Program for out-of-school youth ages 17-24 |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free employment services for DCFS youth ages 16-20 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Alternative Schools Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alternative Schools Network (ASN) operates as a membership-based organization of 43 not-for-profit alternative schools and community-based programs delivering education, employment preparation, counseling, and wraparound support services to underserved Chicago youth ages 14-24. Core offerings include a free year-round GED program (ASN Preparatory Institute), employment training and placement (Added Chance, CYEP), social adjustment counseling (Compass Counseling), and virtual learning for DCFS youth-in-care (Fostering Learning Program).
Product overview
Alternative Schools Network (ASN) operates as a membership-based organization composed of 43 not-for-profit alternative schools and education organizations serving Chicago's underserved youth. Rather than a single product, ASN offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including the ASN Preparatory Institute (GED), Youth Scholars Skills Services (YS3), Youth Experiencing Success (YES), Re-Enrolled Student Project (RSP), Added Chance Career Education, Compass Counseling, Community Youth Employment Program (CYEP), Critical Health Network (CHN), Fostering Learning Program (FLP), PraXis, and Streets to Pathways Career Initiative (SPCI). These programs provide education (GED and alternative high schools), employment preparation, counseling services, health support, and wraparound services designed to re-engage over 3,500 youth annually in successful education, employment, and support services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ASN Preparatory Institute (GED Program)
Quantifiable outcome
- 42% reduction in violent crime arrests among youth who participated in summer jobs programs
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Alternative Schools Network
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Alternative Schools Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Alternative Schools Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UIC Great Cities InstitutecoreThe UIC Great Cities Institute conducts research on youth employment and disconnection commissioned by ASN. They have published multiple reports documenting youth joblessness in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and the U.S., including 'A Normalized Crisis: Youth and Young Adult Joblessness and Disconnection in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois and the U.S., 2019–2024'.
- Youth Health Service CorpsminorCollaborates with ASN on the Critical Health Network (CHN) to combat COVID-19 infection and mortality rates in South and West Side Chicago communities through coordinated testing, health care support, and community resources.
- Healthy HoodminorCollaborates with ASN on the Critical Health Network (CHN) to provide grassroots COVID-19 response in Chicago's marginalized communities including contactless delivery of grocery and PPE kits.
- Youth Connection Charter Schools (YCCS)coreASN partnered with YCCS to provide the Community Youth Employment Program (CYEP), a school-based career pathways program offering advanced career pathway training, certification, job readiness skill development, subsidized on-the-job experience, and job placement for up to 160 youth participants.
- Illinois Department of Child & Family Services (DCFS)coreDCFS provides funding and referrals for youth in care to participate in ASN programs including Added Chance (employment services) and Fostering Learning Program (virtual education). DCFS youth ages 16-20 are eligible for services.
- After School MattersminorASN Engage program operates in partnership with After School Matters to provide after-school programming including arts education, video production, athletics, and youth leadership development.
- Chicago Department of Family and Support ServicescoreProvides funding for Compass Counseling Program which delivers social adjustment and rehabilitation services to Title XX-eligible youth through ASN. Program serves adolescents ages 14-24 without successful public school histories.
- University of Chicago (Research Partner)minorUniversity of Chicago research cited by ASN showing 42% reduction in violent crime arrests among youth who participated in summer jobs programs, supporting the case for youth employment investment.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Alternative Schools Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Year Up: National workforce-development nonprofit serving opportunity youth (ages 18–24) with skills training, internships, and wraparound support. Operates a Chicago site and competes for the same DCFS/Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act funding pool as ASN.
- i.c.stars: Chicago-based workforce program that trains opportunity youth in technology and leadership. Targets the same at-risk 18–24 population as ASN's Added Chance and CYEP programs with employer-driven placement outcomes.
- Communities In Schools of Chicago: Affiliate of the national Communities In Schools network, providing dropout-prevention and student-support services inside Chicago Public Schools. Targets overlapping at-risk youth with case-management and wraparound models similar to ASN's RSP and Compass Counseling.
- Skills for Chicagoland's Future: Chicago nonprofit connecting unemployed and underemployed residents—including opportunity youth—to employer-driven training and job placement. Operates as a direct competitor for the same employer partnerships and city-funded workforce contracts.
- After School Matters: Chicago nonprofit providing after-school and out-of-school-time programming for teens. ASN's PraXis Project runs as an After School Matters partner, and both organizations serve similar Chicago youth with arts, athletics, and workforce-readiness offerings.
- Noble Network of Charter Schools: Large Chicago charter network serving predominantly low-income students of color with strong college-prep outcomes. Competes for the same Chicago high-school alternative and re-enrollment students that ASN's member schools serve.
- Perspectives Charter Schools: Chicago charter network serving low-income students with a focus on college and career readiness. Operates alternative pathways and AVID-style wraparound supports that overlap with ASN's secondary-completion and career-readiness programs.
- Youth Connection Charter Schools (YCCS): Chicago-based charter network serving out-of-school and at-risk youth ages 16–21. YCCS is an active ASN partner on the Community Youth Employment Program and operates overlapping alternative-education and dropout-recovery models.
Regional players
- Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership: Regional workforce-development intermediary administering Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding across Chicago and Cook County. ASN competes for and partners with this entity on youth-employment funding flows.
Others
- Big Shoulders Fund: Chicago-based education nonprofit providing funding and operational support to inner-city Catholic schools. Functions as a potential funder/peer for ASN's member-school network rather than a direct service competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alternative Schools Network social profiles
Digital presenceAlternative Schools Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alternative Schools Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Alternative Schools Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alternative Schools Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alternative Schools Network
What does Alternative Schools Network do?
Alternative Schools Network (ASN) operates as a membership-based organization of 43 not-for-profit alternative schools and community-based programs delivering education, employment preparation, counseling, and wraparound support services to underserved Chicago youth ages 14-24. Core offerings include a free year-round GED program (ASN Preparatory Institute), employment training and placement (Added Chance, CYEP), social adjustment counseling (Compass Counseling), and virtual learning for DCFS youth-in-care (Fostering Learning Program).
Is Alternative Schools Network a public or private company?
Alternative Schools Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Alternative Schools Network founded?
Alternative Schools Network was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alternative Schools Network based?
Alternative Schools Network is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Alternative Schools Network make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Grant Funding & Government Contracts are the primary driver. The others are annual Funding for Community-Based Programs.
Who are Alternative Schools Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Year Up, i.c.stars, Communities In Schools of Chicago, Skills for Chicagoland's Future, After School Matters, Noble Network of Charter Schools, Perspectives Charter Schools and Youth Connection Charter Schools (YCCS). Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership is listed as a regional player. Big Shoulders Fund is listed as an others.
Does Alternative Schools Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alternative Schools Network.
What industry is Alternative Schools Network in?
Alternative Schools Network's product category is Alternative Education and Youth Workforce Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAEAC, Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings), with a secondary code of EDAAABAA, GED/HiSET Preparation & Instruction. Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.