Sacramento Waldorf School

What Sacramento Waldorf School does

Sacramento Waldorf School (SWS) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit K-12 institution offering Waldorf education from Parent-Child programs (ages 1-3) through Grade 12, located on a 22-acre campus at 3750 Bannister Road, Fair Oaks, California, along the American River. Founded in 1959, it is one of the oldest and largest Waldorf schools in North America and the only local high school accredited by the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), with additional WASC accreditation and a UC-approved college-preparatory curriculum. The product portfolio spans Early Childhood (Parent-Child, Rosebud Preschool, mixed-age Kindergarten), Lower School (Grades 1-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), High School (Grades 9-12) with Senior Projects and college counseling at a 25:1 student-counselor ratio, plus Athletics ("Waves"), Extended Day, a 3.5-acre biodynamic School Farm, a six-week Summer Program, and Art of Teaching/February Conference professional development for educators. Revenue derives principally from recurring subscription tuition (monthly, semi-annual, or annual billing; 15-25% sibling discounts; tuition assistance awards capped at 50%), supplemented by Extended Day, Summer Program, Parent-Child, and athletics/activity fees, plus Annual Giving donations, the Annual Gala & Auction, the Waldorf Cup Golf Tournament (supporting a $1 million Endowment Fund), and planned giving. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through Veracross-powered inquiry and admissions workflows, in-person and online information meetings, campus tours, shadow days, and family events, serving families from approximately 20 towns across four Sacramento-area counties; more than 95% of high school graduates go directly to college.

Name

Sacramento Waldorf School

Legal name

Sacramento Waldorf School Association

Website

https://sacwaldorf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sacramento Waldorf School is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit K-12 institution founded in 1959 in Fair Oaks, California, providing Waldorf education from Parent-Child through Grade 12 on a 22-acre campus with a biodynamic farm, serving Sacramento-area families via subscription tuition and ancillary programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Waldorf/Steiner K–12 Schools (EDAJABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Waldorf/Steiner Preschools (EDACABAE), Waldorf/Steiner Early Childhood Programs (EDACADAC), Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• Waldorf education
• Early childhood programs
• College preparatory school
• Biodynamic farm education

Headquarters

HQ city

Fair Oaks

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue stream from student tuition across Early Childhood (Preschool, Kindergarten), Lower School (Grades 1-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), and High School (Grades 9-12) programs. Payment plans include monthly (10 or 12 months), semi-annual, and annual options. Tuition Assistance awards range from 10% to maximum 50% of tuition.
2. Extended Day Program Fees: Fee-based after-school care and extended day services for Preschool through Grade 8, including Rest Care for Kindergarten and First Grade and After Care for all ages.
3. Summer Program Fees: Summer program revenue from 6-week summer program for students entering Kindergarten through Grade 6, offering activities including movement, gardening, drama, farming, and arts.
4. Parent-Child Program Fees: Fees for Parent-Child program sessions (Fall, Winter, Spring) for children ages 1-3, offering one-day and two-day program options.
5. Donations and Annual Giving: Annual Giving campaign supports unrestricted operating costs beyond tuition revenue. Tax-deductible donations as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with Tax ID #94-1477071. Campus Stewardship Fund and Planned Giving (stocks, bequests, retirement assets, real estate) also supported.
6. Endowment Fund: Endowment Fund has reached its initial goal of $1 million. Supported by the annual Waldorf Cup Golf Tournament. Interest and draws provide long-term sustainable resources for the school.
7. Athletics and Activity Fees: Sports fees charged per season for Sixth through Twelfth Grade students participating in team sports. Drama fees for High School extracurricular productions. Yearbook charges included in tuition contracts at $80.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Sacramento Waldorf School is an independent private K-12 institution delivering Waldorf education from birth through Grade 12, including Early Childhood (Parent-Child, Preschool, Kindergarten), Lower School (Grades 1-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), and a UC-approved college preparatory High School (Grades 9-12). Instruction is experiential, multisensory, and multidisciplinary, integrating arts, STEM, world languages, and outdoor learning on a 22-acre campus with a 3.5-acre biodynamic farm. The school also offers College and Career Counseling, Athletics (Waves), Extended Day care, a Summer Program, and professional development through Art of Teaching summer courses and the annual February Conference.

Product overview

Sacramento Waldorf School is an independent K-12 educational institution offering a comprehensive Waldorf education rooted in experiential, multisensory learning that integrates arts, STEM, and global perspectives. The school's portfolio includes Early Childhood programs (Parent-Child, Preschool, and Kindergarten), Lower School (Grades 1-5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), and High School (Grades 9-12) with UC-approved college preparatory curriculum. Supporting programs include College and Career Counseling, Athletics (Waves), Extended Day childcare, Summer Program, and a 3.5-acre biodynamic Farm that serves as an outdoor classroom. The school also offers professional development through Art of Teaching summer courses and the annual February Conference for educators. Established in 1959, it is one of the oldest and largest Waldorf schools in North America, serving families from approximately 20 towns across four Sacramento-area counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Program
• Lower School (Grades 1-5)
• Middle School (Grades 6-8)
• High School (Grades 9-12)
• College and Career Counseling
• Athletics Program (Waves)
• Extended Day Program
• Summer Program
• School Farm
• Art of Teaching Summer Courses
• February Conference 2026

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 95% of students go directly to college from high school
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rudolf Steiner CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Betty Staley was a founder of Rudolf Steiner College. Many SWS faculty have obtained Waldorf teaching certificates and Foundations in Anthroposophy and the Arts through Rudolf Steiner College. The college has provided teacher training and professional development for SWS educators for decades. SWS Art of Teaching summer courses are described as 'the next best thing to Rudolf Steiner College' by attendees.
• Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)coreOthersAWSNA is the accrediting body for Sacramento Waldorf School's high school program. SWS is the only local high school accredited by AWSNA. AWSNA accreditation validates the school's adherence to Waldorf educational standards.
• Cedar Springs Learning CenterminorOthersCaitlin Amajor, a faculty member teaching at Cedar Springs Learning Center in Placerville, CA, serves as a guest instructor for Art of Teaching summer courses at SWS.
• Enterprise Bank SBAminorOthersListed in Waves Business Directory as a SWS family-owned small business offering SBA loans for commercial real estate purchase, refinance, or construction.
• Waldorf School of the Roaring ForkminorOthersPatti Connolly, who serves as a guest faculty member for Art of Teaching Week 2 at SWS, is currently the third grade teacher at Waldorf School of the Roaring Fork in Colorado.
• Central Valley California LeagueminorOthersAthletic conference membership for middle and high school sports including volleyball, snow skiing, cross country, flag football, mountain biking, basketball, baseball, and soccer. SWS competes against other local K-8 Waldorf schools in weekly matches.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Marin Waldorf School: Waldorf school in San Rafael, CA serving early childhood through Grade 12 with a comparable biodynamic/gardening-integrated curriculum. Operates the same AWSNA-accredited high school model in a Northern California geography.
• East Bay Waldorf School: Waldorf school in El Sobrante, CA offering Parent-Child through Grade 8 programs. Comparable Waldorf pedagogy and Sierra/Central California region to SWS, though without a high school program.
• San Francisco Waldorf School: AWSNA-accredited Waldorf school serving early childhood through Grade 12 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Operates the same Waldorf pedagogy and AWSNA-accredited high school model as Sacramento Waldorf School, making it the most directly comparable California peer.
• Waldorf School of Orange County: AWSNA-member Waldorf school in Costa Mesa, CA serving Preschool through Grade 12. Closely comparable Waldorf pedagogy and California private K-12 operating model, though serving a different Southern California geography.
• Green Meadow Waldorf School: One of the oldest and largest Waldorf schools in North America, located in Chestnut Ridge, NY. AWSNA-accredited through Grade 12 with a comparable mix of early childhood, lower/middle/high school programs and a similarly long operating history.
• High Mowing School: AWSNA-accredited Waldorf boarding and day school serving Grades 9-12 (and Grade 8) in Wilton, NH. Comparable Waldorf high school pedagogy and residential/boarding model that intersects with SWS's high school program.
• Waldorf School of the Peninsula: Bay Area Waldorf school serving Preschool through Grade 12 in Los Altos, CA. Comparable Waldorf curriculum, AWSNA-aligned accreditation pathway, and similar private K-12 operational footprint to SWS.

Regional players

• Jesuit High School of Sacramento: Private Catholic college-preparatory high school for boys in Carmichael, CA (Sacramento area). Competes with SWS for high-achieving Sacramento-area families but is a single-sex faith-based institution rather than a Waldorf school.
• Sacramento Country Day School: Independent, non-sectarian private K-12 school located in Sacramento, CA. Competes with SWS for Sacramento-area private school families but uses a college-preparatory rather than Waldorf curriculum.

Others

• Rudolf Steiner College: Waldorf teacher training and anthroposophical studies institution in Fair Oaks, CA. Co-founded by SWS's late founder Betty Staley and serves as the primary source of Waldorf-certified faculty for SWS, making it a key ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sacwaldorf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 Sacramento Waldorf School