Emerson School
Emerson School is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) independent school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving approximately 300 gifted and academically talented students from Young Fives through 8th grade across three divisions, with a Flexible Tuition program and supplementary summer and after-school programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Emerson School does
Emerson School is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) independent school founded in 1973 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving approximately 300 academically gifted and talented students from Young Fives through 8th grade. Instruction is organized into three divisions — Foundation (Y5-3), Bridge (4-6), and Capstone (7-8) — with a small-class, whole-child pedagogy and an average teacher tenure exceeding 10 years. The school is accredited by ISACS and holds memberships in NAIS and AIMS.
The core product is the Y5-8 academic program, priced for 2026-2027 at $21,778 (Young Fives) to $30,745 (grades 6-8), with tuition payment plans managed through FACTS SIS and a need-based Flexible Tuition program (administered via Clarity) that allocates nearly $1M annually to roughly 20% of families. The school supplements tuition revenue with an Annual Fund and development program, Summer at Emerson camps, an After School Program with private music lessons and enrichment, competitive athletics, and a TruFood hot lunch partnership operated through SchoolBitez. Enrollment is acquired through a sales-led, personalized admissions funnel (campus tours, virtual info sessions, SchoolAdmin inquiry portal, parent-ambassador referrals) targeting families across southeast Michigan including Ann Arbor, Saline, Chelsea, Dexter, Ypsilanti, South Lyon, and Pinckney, with a free AAPS bus service extending the catchment.
Operationally, Emerson runs on a conventional K-12 technology stack — SchoolAdmin for admissions, FACTS SIS for the family portal, Magnus Health for health records, SchoolBitez for lunch, Clarity for financial aid, and Double the Donation and Benevity for corporate giving — with no proprietary AI, ML, or platform technology. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by Head of School David H. Feldman, with a full administrative team covering academics, admissions, development, finance, marketing, technology, and operations. Growth is driven by tuition rate increases, auxiliary program utilization, and the recent AAPS transportation partnership rather than campus expansion or new geographies.
Emerson School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Emerson School
- Legal name
- Emerson School
- Website
- https://emerson-school.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Emerson School is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) independent school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, serving approximately 300 gifted and academically talented students from Young Fives through 8th grade across three divisions, with a Flexible Tuition program and supplementary summer and after-school programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Emerson School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent K-8 Education for Gifted Students
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inquiry/Project-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAF)
Keywords
Where Emerson School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Emerson School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for students in Young Fives through 8th grade. Multiple payment plan options available including full payment, 2-month, and 10-month installment plans through FACTS.
- Donations and Annual Fund: Annual fund donations, matching gifts, recurring gifts, securities/stock donations, planned gifts and bequests, and IRA charitable distributions support the school. Approximately $1 million allocated annually to financial aid.
- Auxiliary Programs: Summer programs, after school programs, and private music lessons generate additional revenue. Summer programs run 7 weeks plus additional sessions.
- Corporate Partnerships: Revenue through corporate matching gift programs, volunteer grants, and community rewards programs (Kroger, Busch's, Arbor Farms).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Young Fives: $21,778 annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Kindergarten: $24,255 annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Grades 1-5: $28,445 annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Grades 6-8: $30,745 annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Financial Aid / Flexible Tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Tuition Refund Insurance (1.89% of tuition) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Emerson School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Emerson School is a Young Fives through 8th grade independent school providing whole-child, individualized education for gifted and academically talented students. The school delivers three structured academic divisions (Foundation, Bridge, Capstone) supplemented by an after school enrichment program, Summer at Emerson camps, competitive athletics, hot lunch, transportation, and a flexible tuition/financial aid program supported by faculty and staff averaging more than ten years of tenure.
Product overview
Emerson School is a private K-8 institution (Young Fives through 8th grade) offering a unified educational experience structured across three divisions: Foundation, Bridge, and Capstone. The core academic program is complemented by auxiliary services including After School Program with private music lessons and enrichment classes, Summer at Emerson camps, competitive athletics, hot lunch (via TruFood), and transportation. Financial support is available through a Flexible Tuition Program using Clarity for evaluations. The school also publishes The Emerson Echo alumni magazine and maintains alumni connections through Facebook and events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- K-8 Academic Programs (Young Fives through 8th Grade)
- After School Program
- Summer at Emerson
- Athletic Program
- Hot Lunch Program (TruFood)
- Transportation Services
- Flexible Tuition Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Average teacher tenure exceeds 10 years, indicating strong retention and institutional knowledge
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Emerson School
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Emerson School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Emerson School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TruFoodcoreTruFood is Emerson's hot lunch partner, serving fresh, made-from-scratch meals daily. They provide healthy, balanced meals with flexible ordering through SchoolBitez, dietary accommodations (vegetarian, gluten-free, allergy-friendly), and no long-term commitments. TruFood also serves Daycroft and St. Francis independent schools in the Ann Arbor area.
- SchoolBitezcoreOnline ordering platform used by TruFood for hot lunch ordering at Emerson. Enables flexible ordering 48 hours to two months in advance, digital calendar integration, and weekly reminders. Families use code TRU-EMERSON to access the platform.
- FACTS SIScoreFamily information system used for enrollment management, tuition payment plans (including Plan A full payment, Plan B 2-month installments, and Plan C 10-month installments), and financial aid processing.
- Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS)coreAAPS provides bus service to all families living within the Ann Arbor Public Schools district at no cost to families (funded through taxes). Emerson coordinates with AAPS for transportation of students.
- KrogerminorEmerson participates in Kroger's Community Rewards Program. Families can link their Kroger Plus account using Org number KE606 to support the school, with a percentage of purchases donated to the Annual Fund.
- Busch'sminorEmerson participates in Busch's Cash for Education program. Families enroll through Buschs.com/MyWay to select Emerson as their quarterly beneficiary, earning a percentage of purchases.
- Clarity Financial AidcoreThird-party service used to evaluate family income and expenses for flexible tuition determinations. Approximately 20% of families receive adjusted tuition through this process.
- NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)coreMember organization providing resources, best practices, and advocacy for independent schools. Emerson follows NAIS principles of good practice for trusteeship and board responsibilities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves16 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Emerson School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Emerson School social profiles
Digital presenceEmerson School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Emerson School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Emerson School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Emerson School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Emerson School 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 Emerson School
What does Emerson School do?
Emerson School is a Young Fives through 8th grade independent school providing whole-child, individualized education for gifted and academically talented students. The school delivers three structured academic divisions (Foundation, Bridge, Capstone) supplemented by an after school enrichment program, Summer at Emerson camps, competitive athletics, hot lunch, transportation, and a flexible tuition/financial aid program supported by faculty and staff averaging more than ten years of tenure.
Is Emerson School a public or private company?
Emerson School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Emerson School founded?
Emerson School was founded in 1973. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Emerson School based?
Emerson School is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Emerson School make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition is the primary driver. The others are donations and Annual Fund, auxiliary Programs and corporate Partnerships.
Does Emerson School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Emerson School.
What industry is Emerson School in?
Emerson School's product category is Independent K-8 Education for Gifted Students. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACADAF, Inquiry/Project-Based Early Learning Academies. Its NAICS code is 611110 and its SIC code is 8200.