Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Name

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Legal name

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

Website

https://jrladetroit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter School Education (K-12)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK), Student Government & Leadership Programs (EDAJAJAH)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• College preparatory
• Leadership development
• Career technical education
• Secondary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. State Funding: Public charter school receives state funding, though described as limited. School supplements with philanthropy to cover gaps.
2. Philanthropy and Donations: Major donor program including corporate sponsors (Tom & Holly Gores/Platinum Equity, Henry Ford Health, The Ballmer Group, Stephen Ross, Davis Elkins Foundation) and individual donors. $25M capital campaign underway for facility expansion.
3. Annual Celebrity Golf Classic: Signature annual fundraising event generating proceeds to support year-round programs, resources, and experiences for scholars.
4. Grants: Foundation and corporate grants including MI Kids Back on Track Grant and Learning Loss Plan funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy is a tuition-free, open-enrollment public charter high school in Detroit serving grades 9-12 with a college-preparatory academic model, leadership development program, and postsecondary success support. The school supplements core academics with a Health Sciences Career & Technical Education (CTE) program, athletics, and enrichment activities, aiming to prepare scholars for college, careers, and life.

Product overview

Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) is a single unified educational institution — a tuition-free public charter high school in Detroit founded in 2011. The school's core offering is its college-preparatory academic program for grades 9-12, supplemented by a Health Sciences CTE program, athletics (including basketball), enrichment programs (DECA, Student Government), and postsecondary success support. JRLA operates one high school campus (preparing to transition to middle school use) and is expanding via a $25 million 'Where Leaders Rise' capital campaign to add a new 85,000-square-foot high school campus and launch a middle school pipeline (grades 6-8). The institution's major programs and events — including the annual Celebrity Golf Classic, driver education classes, and alumni resources — function as integrated components of the school's holistic educational model rather than standalone products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) College-Preparatory High School Program Tuition-free, open-enrollment public charter high school serving grades 9-12 in Detroit. Provides a college-preparatory academic program with Advanced Placement, dual enrollment, leadership development, athletics, enrichment activities, and postsecondary success support. Designed for Detroit youth regardless of zip code, background, or circumstances.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% high school graduation rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Henry Ford Health SystemflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Transformative partnership with Henry Ford Health System. Organization donated former Kingswood Hospital facility (nearly 85,000 square feet on 8 acres) to JRLA for new campus. Partnership includes full implementation of Health Sciences CTE program with industry-aligned technology, and plans for a community health clinic to expand access to care while strengthening workforce pathways.
• Road Ready Driving SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Segment 1 Driver Education Classes at the Northwest Activity Center for JRLA students during summer months, supporting student skill development.
• MGM Grand DetroitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost hotel partner for the 16th Annual JRLA Celebrity Golf Classic event weekend.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heritage Academies: National Heritage Academies is a larger charter management organization operating schools across multiple states, including Michigan. It shares JRLA's tuition-free charter school and college-prep model but at much broader scale.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District: Detroit Public Schools Community District is the traditional public school district serving Detroit. While not a charter, it competes for the same student population and represents the alternative against which JRLA benchmarks its outcomes.

Emerging players

• Concept Schools: Concept Schools is a nonprofit charter management organization operating STEM-focused public charter schools with a college-prep mission, conceptually similar to JRLA's STEM and CTE emphasis.

Others

• Khan Academy: Khan Academy is a free online educational platform that JRLA scholars may use for supplemental learning. While not a direct competitor, it functions as an enabling educational resource that complements charter school curricula.

Regional players

• Cranbrook Schools: Cranbrook Schools is a private college-prep institution in Bloomfield Hills near Detroit. While tuition-based and private, it is a regional benchmark for college-preparatory outcomes that JRLA seeks to match on a tuition-free basis.
• Brother Rice High School: Brother Rice is a Catholic college-preparatory high school in the Detroit metro area. While faith-based and tuition-charging, it competes for college-bound Detroit students and shares the leadership-development and college-prep emphasis.
• Excel Charter Academy: Excel Charter Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Grand Rapids, Michigan operated by National Heritage Academies. It serves a similar college-prep mission for Michigan families but in a different geographic market.

Direct peers

• KIPP Detroit Public Schools: KIPP Detroit operates a network of tuition-free public charter schools in Detroit serving grades K-12 with a college-preparatory mission, directly comparable to JRLA's model and target demographic.
• University Prep Schools: University Prep Schools is a Detroit-based public charter network focused on college preparation for urban students, directly competing for the same Detroit families and student demographic.
• Henry Ford Academy: Henry Ford Academy is a public charter high school in Dearborn, Michigan created in partnership with Henry Ford Health. JRLA's new partnership with Henry Ford Health mirrors this model and creates a comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@JRLADetroit
• Facebookfacebook.com/jrladetroit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/jalen-rose-leadership-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/jrladetroit
• TikToktiktok.com/@jrladetroit
• Xx.com/JRLADetroit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Jalen Rose Leadership Academy