Emporia Public Schools

What Emporia Public Schools does

Emporia Public Schools (legally Unified School District 253) is a K-12 public school district and Kansas government entity headquartered in Emporia, Kansas, serving approximately 3,800 students across preschool through adult learners and employing roughly 950 staff. The district operates ten schools directly: one high school (Emporia High School, grades 9-12), one middle school (grades 6-8), six neighborhood elementary schools (K-5), one early childhood development center (Jones, birth through preschool), and one alternative learning center (Flint Hills Learning Center, for adult learners and credit recovery). It also sponsors the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative, which delivers special education services across seven member districts for children birth to age 21.

The district's operating stack combines commercial EdTech products with self-built administrative functions. PowerSchool (via the Parent Portal / MyPowerHub) handles enrollment, attendance, and grade management; ParentSquare drives family communication via text, email, and voice; RevTrak (Vanco) processes online fee payments; Google Workspace supports collaboration; Finalsite powers the district website; Applitrack manages employment applications; and BoardDocs (transitioning to Diligent Community) hosts board governance documents. Devices include 1:1 student Chromebooks and tablets across K-12.

Revenue is funded through a government model: per-pupil state aid under the Kansas school finance formula, local property tax at 57.120 mills, federal grants (Title I, IDEA special education), the National School Lunch Program, and modest facility rental and student fees. The 2024-25 operating budget totals $53.9 million, against a $72.8 million bonded indebtedness that includes a voter-approved $78 million 2019 bond for facility improvements. The district's go-to-market is community-led — enrollment is open to eligible residents within district boundaries, with marketing through social media, KVOE radio, Emporia Gazette, ParentSquare, and bilingual enrollment support, plus active recruitment of military-connected families.

Name

Emporia Public Schools

Legal name

Unified School District 253 (Emporia Public Schools)

Website

https://usd253.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Emporia Public Schools (USD 253) is a Kansas K-12 public school district serving approximately 3,800 students across ten schools and adult learners, funded by state aid, property tax, and federal grants on a $53.9 million operating budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI), GED/HiSET Preparation & Instruction (EDAAABAA)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• School district services
• Early childhood education
• Special education cooperative
• Student transportation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Emporia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Aid: Per-pupil state funding based on enrollment and weighted student count under the Kansas school finance formula
2. Local Property Tax Revenue: 57.120 mill tax rate generates local revenue for district operations
3. Federal Grants: Title I, IDEA special education, and other federal education grants
4. Food Service Program: National School Lunch Program revenue for providing meals to students
5. Facility Rental Fees: Revenue from community use of school facilities, charged on sliding scale based on user category (0-100% of base rates)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Emporia Public Schools (USD 253) is a public K-12 school district operating ten schools in Emporia, Kansas, providing educational services from early childhood through grade 12, including adult learner programs. The district delivers traditional classroom instruction, alternative and online learning through the Flint Hills Learning Center, special education via the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative, and supporting services such as transportation, food service, and health services.

Product overview

Emporia Public Schools (USD 253) is a K-12 public school district operating as a unified platform of educational products and services. The district encompasses Emporia High School (grades 9-12), Emporia Middle School (grades 6-8), Flint Hills Learning Center (alternative/online learning), Jones Early Childhood Development Center (birth-preschool), and six neighborhood elementary schools (K-5). The district supports its educational mission through integrated technology products including the Finalsite-powered website portal, PowerSchool Parent Portal for enrollment, ParentSquare for communications, and RevTrak for online payments. Additional services include transportation, food service, health services, technology support (including 1:1 Chromebooks), and special education through the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emporia High School Traditional high school serving grades 9-12 with comprehensive academic programs, athletics, fine arts, career and technical education pathways, and extracurricular activities. For students residing within USD 253 district boundaries.
• Emporia Middle School Middle school serving grades 6-8 with academic programs, athletics, clubs, and leadership opportunities designed for early adolescent development. For students residing within USD 253 district boundaries.
• Elementary Schools (Six K-5 Schools) Six neighborhood elementary schools (Logan Avenue, Riverside, Timmerman, Village, Walnut, William Allen White) serving kindergarten through grade 5 with comprehensive academic programs. For students residing within USD 253 district boundaries.
• Flint Hills Learning Center Alternative learning education center offering online and blended learning approaches for high school credit recovery, adult learners seeking diplomas, and English language acquisition programs, located at the Flinthills Mall.
• Jones Early Childhood Development Center Early childhood center providing Infant Toddler Program (birth to 3 years) and preschool program (3-4 year olds) with play-based learning approaches in an inclusive environment. For families residing within USD 253 district boundaries.
• Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative District-sponsored cooperative providing special education services across seven school districts for children birth to age 21. For member school districts in the Flint Hills region.
• Transportation Services Student transportation services including bus routes, special needs transportation, and preschool transportation information managed by the Director of Transportation. For enrolled students and families.
• Food Service District food service program providing breakfast and lunch programs under the National School Lunch Program, with menus and nutritional information available for families.
• Health Services Student health services providing medical support, health screenings, and coordination with families for student wellness needs.
• Technology Services District technology support including the 1:1 Chromebook and tablet program for K-12 students, technical support, and digital resource management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Accredited by Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• First United Methodist Church of EmporiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2019Church provides school supplies for all PreK-12 students for the 2026-27 school year. Students only need to bring a backpack and box of Kleenex; all other supplies are provided through this partnership.
• Emporia Recreation Commission (ERC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supports financial and educational interests of school population. ERC handles enrollment and fee collection for activities; facilities shared through Terms of Understanding including gymnasium usage with ERC facility supervisor present.
• McCownGordon ConstructioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConstruction management firm managing the $78 million bond construction projects across all district facilities. Conducted outreach to local trade partners for bidding opportunities.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system used for enrollment, attendance tracking, and grade management through PowerSchool Parent Portal.
• ParentSquarecoreTechnology or IntegrationDistrict communication platform used for sending texts, emails, and phone notifications to families regarding school events, closures, and emergencies.
• Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative member districtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSD 253 serves as sponsoring district for cooperative providing special education services to children birth to age 21 across seven school districts in the region.
• E.L. & Z. Irene Hopkins FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation provides Hopkins Awards to classroom teachers, including $1500 personal awards plus $500 classroom funds for winners, distributed annually for over 20 years.
• KVOE RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station partners with district for Emporia Showcase segment featuring Superintendent updates and school news.
• Emporia GazetteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal newspaper features stories and photos of school district activities and events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Independence USD 446: Mid-size Kansas public school district operating under the same state aid formula with similar per-pupil funding dynamics and comparable administrative overhead structure to Emporia Public Schools.
• Salina Public Schools USD 305: Mid-size Kansas unified school district operating multiple elementary, middle, and high schools under the same state finance formula. Comparable in scale, governance, and funding mix to Emporia Public Schools.
• Garden City USD 457: Mid-size Kansas unified school district. Operates a comparable PreK-12 footprint with state formula funding, similar special education cooperative structures, and analogous ESOL/bilingual program needs.
• Arkansas City USD 470: Kansas unified school district with similar enrollment scale and the same Kansas Department of Education accountability and KESA accreditation framework as USD 253.
• Manhattan-Ogden Unified School District 383: Kansas public K-12 school district of comparable size serving Manhattan and surrounding communities. Operates the same PreK-12 public school district model with state aid, federal grants, and local property tax revenue, making it the most structurally analogous peer to USD 253.
• Pittsburg Community Schools USD 250: Kansas public K-12 district of similar scale operating multiple elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school under the same state aid and property tax funding model as USD 253.
• Chanute USD 413: Kansas unified school district of comparable scale serving a similar southeast-Kansas community. Operates the same PreK-12 funding and governance model.
• Great Bend USD 428: Kansas public K-12 school district of comparable size and rural-Kansas demographic profile. Uses the same state per-pupil funding, Title I, and IDEA funding architecture as Emporia Public Schools.
• Hays USD 489: Kansas public school district serving Hays and surrounding Ellis County. Comparable mid-size unified district with similar rural-Kansas demographics, per-pupil funding dynamics, and capital planning profile.

Broad incumbents

• Lawrence USD 497: Larger Kansas public school district serving Lawrence and Douglas County. Operates the same K-12 public education model under Kansas state aid, but at materially larger scale than USD 253, providing a benchmark for what scaled-up district operations look like in the same state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Emporia253
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpNIYzSHtymzl73Qe1CIeUg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Emporia253
• Instagraminstagram.com/emporiapublicschools253

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Emporia Public Schools