Voices Academies

What Voices Academies does

Voices Academies (legal name: Voices College-Bound Language Academies) is a nonprofit network of five TK-8 public charter schools operating in the San Francisco Bay Area across Santa Clara, Contra Costa, and San Joaquin counties. Founded in 2007 by Frances Teso, the organization serves roughly 4,890 students, with a demographic profile weighted toward underserved Latino families and English Learners (typically 45-60% of enrollment per campus, with 49-69% socioeconomically disadvantaged across the network). Its flagship product is a dual-language immersion curriculum in Spanish and English, starting at 80% Spanish instruction in TK/K and transitioning to a 50/50 model by third grade, intended to produce biliterate, bicultural, and bilingual graduates prepared for AP Spanish and college-readiness outcomes.

Voices' instructional model rests on three pillars: a culturally responsive dual-immersion curriculum, data-driven instruction across small/large groups, and differentiated one-on-one, small-group, and online personalized learning. The organization does not disclose a proprietary technology platform; it relies on off-the-shelf education tooling (SchoolMint for lottery-based enrollment, ParentSquare for family communication, MyMealTime for nutrition management). Management structure follows a typical nonprofit CMOs pattern, with a Board of Directors (chaired by Kim Wisckol, Director of Total Rewards at Gilead) overseeing an executive team led by CEO Aldo Ramirez, COO Jaime Mata, Chief Culture Officer Deanna Flores, and Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer Ellyn Magaña. Each of the five campuses has a dedicated principal.

The business model is nonprofit public charter school economics: state per-pupil funding tied to Average Daily Attendance (ADA) is the primary revenue stream, supplemented by philanthropic grants from foundations including the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Kern Family Foundation, and Dollar General Literacy Foundation. Enrollment is tuition-free and admission is lottery-based when applications exceed seat capacity, with sibling preference. GTM is community-led: parent testimonials, school tours, community events, and elected-official advocacy drive demand, while the organization is concentrated geographically in the Bay Area with no national footprint or for-profit charter-management structure.

Name

Voices Academies

Legal name

Voices College-Bound Language Academies

Website

https://voicesacademies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Voices Academies operates five TK-8 public charter schools in the San Francisco Bay Area serving roughly 4,890 underserved Latino and English Learner students through a Spanish-English dual-language immersion program, funded by state per-pupil ADA allocations and philanthropic grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Charter School Network

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Language Immersion & Bilingual Schools (EDAJACAI)

Keywords

• Public charter schools
• Dual language immersion
• K-8 education
• Bilingual education programs
• College preparatory schools

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Funding (ADA): As a public charter school network, Voices Academies receives state funding based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA) per student enrolled. This is the primary funding source for operational expenses.
2. Philanthropic Donations and Grants: The organization receives donations from foundations and individuals. Donations can be made online through their website or by mailing checks. The support page lists major supporters including Kern Family Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Voices Academies operates a tuition-free network of five TK-8 public charter schools in the California Bay Area that deliver a Spanish-English dual-language immersion program combined with college-preparatory academics and culturally responsive teaching. Enrollment is open to all eligible students via a lottery-based admissions process, with priority for siblings and residents of district boundaries, and the network receives per-pupil state funding supplemented by philanthropic grants.

Product overview

Voices College-Bound Language Academies is a network of five TK-8 public charter schools in California offering a dual-language immersion program (Spanish and English). The network provides an academically rigorous college-prep curriculum that combines culturally responsive practices, data-driven instruction, differentiation, and professional learning communities. All five school campuses (Voices Flagship, Voices Morgan Hill, Voices Mount Pleasant, Voices West Contra Costa, and Voices Stockton) operate under the same mission to prepare underserved Latino students for college while honoring their cultural heritage. The schools serve TK through grade 8, with school hours from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and after-school programs from 4 PM to 6 PM.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Voices Flagship Original TK-8 dual-language public charter school located in San Jose, CA, founded in 2007, serving approximately 364 students with the network's bilingual English-Spanish dual immersion program.
• Voices Morgan Hill TK-8 dual-language public charter school located in Morgan Hill, CA, founded in 2015, serving approximately 344 students with bilingual English-Spanish dual immersion education.
• Voices Mount Pleasant TK-8 dual-language public charter school located in San Jose, CA (Mount Pleasant area), founded in 2015, serving approximately 286 students with bilingual English-Spanish dual immersion education.
• Voices West Contra Costa TK-8 dual-language public charter school located in Richmond, CA, founded in 2018, serving approximately 343 students with bilingual English-Spanish dual immersion education.
• Voices Stockton TK-5 dual-language public charter school located in Stockton, CA, founded in 2020, serving approximately 134 students with bilingual English-Spanish dual immersion education as the network's newest campus.
• After-School Program After-school program offered to all grades from 4 PM to 6 PM across the Voices network campuses, though spots are limited and not guaranteed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Voices Morgan Hill named top Bay Area public elementary school for low-income Latino students for Math Proficiency in 2019
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.

• San Joaquin County Public Health ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2021Partnered with Voices Stockton to host a free COVID-19 vaccination event for the Voices and greater Stockton community on June 13, 2021
• El ConciliominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2021Community organization partner in the COVID-19 vaccination event along with five other Stockton charter school organizations
• Aspire Public Schools (Langston Hughes Academy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2021Hosted the COVID-19 vaccination event at their Langston Hughes Academy location in Stockton, demonstrating cross-charter collaboration
• California Charter Schools AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CCSA provides advocacy, technical assistance, and professional development for Voices as a member charter school network. Awards the Hart Vision Awards to recognize outstanding charter school leaders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Envision Schools: Bay Area charter network with a small number of schools serving underserved students; comparable scale and demographics, though focused on high school rather than TK-8.
• Aspire Public Schools: Large California-based nonprofit charter school network serving TK-12, with prior leadership from Ellyn Magaña (Voices' CISO) who supported multilingual programming there. Operates a similar multi-site charter model across Northern California.
• KIPP Northern California Public Schools: Northern California arm of the national KIPP charter network serving underserved students, with multiple board connections to Voices (e.g., Judy Nguyen was Deputy Chief of Schools at KIPP NorCal). Comparable college-prep charter model.
• Rocketship Public Schools: Bay Area-headquartered nonprofit charter network serving TK-5 in underserved communities across California. Comparable multi-site charter structure and demographic focus; differs by using a blended-learning model rather than dual-language immersion.
• Alpha Public Schools: Bay Area charter network focused on serving underserved students in San Jose; Ellyn Magaña previously founded its English Language Development program. Closely comparable to Voices on geography, mission, and demographic focus.
• Lighthouse Community Public Schools: Bay Area charter network serving TK-12 with a focus on equity and underserved students. Comparable multi-site charter structure and Oakland-area footprint adjacent to Voices' Contra Costa presence.

Others

• California Charter Schools Association (CCSA): Statewide charter sector membership and advocacy organization that provides professional development, policy advocacy, and awards (including the Hart Vision Award received by Voices' founder). Not a direct operator but a key ecosystem partner.
• Innovate Public Schools: Bay Area nonprofit that recognizes top-performing schools serving underserved students, including Voices Morgan Hill and Voices Mount Pleasant. Ecosystem player rather than operator, but functions as a brand validator for Voices.

Broad incumbents

• Green Dot Public Schools: Larger, established California charter network operating multiple schools across the state with a broader portfolio of school types. Shares the underserved-student mission but spans more grade levels and geographies than Voices.
• Summit Public Schools: California-based charter network operating schools across multiple counties with a broader portfolio; comparable college-prep focus and Bay Area presence, but with a different instructional model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/voicesacademies
• Facebookfacebook.com/voicesacademies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voices-college-bound-language-academies
• Instagraminstagram.com/voicesacademies/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Voices Academies