Chandler School

What Chandler School does

Chandler School is a private, nonprofit, coeducational K-8 day school founded in 1950 and located on a single campus in Pasadena, California, adjacent to the Rose Bowl. It enrolls approximately 450 students split between Lower School (grades K-5, ~260 students) and Middle School (grades 6-8, ~190 students), drawing families from 46 zip codes across the greater Los Angeles area. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees, led by Head of School Emily Brown, and operates without any parent company, private equity, or venture capital ownership.

The educational product is structured around a hands-on, inquiry-based K-8 curriculum spanning academics, technology (Apple 1:1 laptops in Middle School, shared iPads in K-2), Spanish language instruction, visual and performing arts, music, and competitive athletics in the Middle School Independent School League. Distinctive technical components include an Advanced Microbiology Lab elective for 8th graders with college-level PCR and gel electrophoresis equipment, a Center for Innovation/Maker Space with 3D printers and robotics, a competitive MSPDP debate program, and adoption of Illustrative Mathematics and Singapore Math (Math in Focus). The faculty is more than 57% BIPOC and 69% women, and the institution maintains a Character Counts! Six Pillars of Character framework.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition of $32,700 (K-5) and $33,700 (grades 6-8) for 2026-2027, plus a $2,000 one-time new student fee and ancillary streams from Extended Care, Summer@Chandler, hot lunch, and required outdoor education co-pays. Tuition is processed through FACTS with multiple payment-plan options (1, 2, 4, or 10 payments). Need-based financial aid is administered via Clarity and totals nearly $2 million annually for roughly 19% of students, with average awards of $19,516. The student body reflects a deliberate diversity strategy with 8 home languages and a 3,000+ global alumni network; notable placement outcomes include alumni admitted to Harvard-Westlake, Loyola, Polytechnic, Georgetown, and MIT.

Name

Chandler School

Legal name

Chandler School

Website

https://chandlerschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Chandler School is a private, nonprofit K-8 day school in Pasadena, California, founded in 1950, enrolling approximately 450 students across Lower School (K-5) and Middle School (6-8) and drawing families from 46 zip codes in greater Los Angeles. It generates revenue primarily from tuition of $32,700–$33,700 plus ancillary extended-care and summer programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Independent school
• Elementary education
• Middle school education
• STEAM education

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition payments. K-5 tuition is $32,700 and 6-8 tuition is $33,700 for 2026-2027 school year. Multiple payment plan options available including one-time, two-payment, four-payment, and ten-payment plans.
2. New Student Fee: One-time new student fee of $2,000 for new enrollees.
3. Extended Care & Summer Programs: Optional fees for Chandler Extended Care, hot lunch program, Summer@Chandler, and winter/spring camps generate additional revenue.
4. Outdoor Education: Required participation in outdoor education experiences for grades 4-8, with families paying a portion of trip costs beyond what the school covers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Chandler School provides tuition-based K-8 private day school education for approximately 450 students in Pasadena, California, delivered across Lower School (K-5) and Middle School (6-8) divisions. The core curriculum spans literacy, mathematics (Illustrative Mathematics and Singapore Math), sciences (including a unique college-level Advanced Microbiology Elective with PCR and gel electrophoresis), humanities, Spanish, arts, performing arts, music, physical education, competitive athletics, debate, and character education built on the Six Pillars of Character framework.

Product overview

Chandler School is a K-8 independent private school in Pasadena, California, founded in 1950. The institution offers a comprehensive educational program consisting of Lower School (K-5) and Middle School (6-8) as its core divisions, supplemented by specialized programs including a Technology Program (with 1:1 laptop program in Middle School), Center for Innovation/Maker Space, Advanced Microbiology Elective, STEAM curriculum, Debate Program, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Music, and Athletics. Extended programs include Chandler Extended Care (before/after school) and Summer@Chandler. The school uses Illustrative Mathematics curriculum for math, Math in Focus (Singapore math) for K-5, and emphasizes hands-on, inquiry-based learning across all disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower School (K-5) Foundational K-5 educational program for enrolled families, building literacy, mathematics (Math in Focus / Singapore math), science, social studies, Spanish, arts, physical education, and social-emotional learning through hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum.
• Middle School (6-8) Comprehensive middle school program preparing 190 students for selective high schools through rigorous academics, advanced science including the microbiology elective, STEAM, debate, performing arts, music, and competitive athletics through the Middle School Independent School League.
• Advanced Microbiology Elective Unique college-level genetics and biotechnology elective for 8th graders featuring DNA extraction, PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis, and bacterial culture analysis using professional lab equipment typically found at university-level labs.
• STEAM / Center for Innovation Hands-on innovation program offering robotics, 3D design and printing, woodworking, ceramics, and maker space activities integrated throughout the K-8 curriculum.
• Debate Program Middle school debate program competing in the national Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP), the largest debate program aimed at middle school students in the country, with novice through advanced competition.
• Visual Arts Program K-8 visual arts curriculum covering drawing, painting, digital arts, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and photography, taught by full-time art faculty in equipped studios.
• Performing Arts Program Comprehensive performing arts program with required middle school coursework, two annual professional-quality musical productions (7th-8th grade), tech and stage crew opportunities, and music & performance essentials classes.
• Music Program Lower and middle school music education including general music, vocal performance, instrumental lessons (mariachi, piano, guitar, flute), and twice-yearly concerts.
• Athletics & Team Sports Competitive middle school athletics including flag football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, track and field, tennis, swimming, and golf through the Middle School Independent School League.
• Chandler Extended Care (CEC) Before and after-school care program for enrolled students, including instrumental music lessons and enrichment activities offered on a fee basis.
• Summer@Chandler

Quantifiable outcome

• Alumni successfully placed at top secondary schools including Harvard-Westlake, Flintridge Prep, Polytechnic, Loyola High School, and accepted to MIT, Georgetown, and other prestigious universities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Character Counts!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian coalition of schools working to advance character education. Chandler integrates Six Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, Citizenship) into their character education programs and encourages students and families to live according to core ethical values.
• Partnership for Success (PFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative effort with Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) enabling over 400 students from various PUSD schools to experience nine consecutive summers of free enrichment. PFS helps incoming 5th and 6th graders become future civic leaders committed to giving back to their communities. Chandler faculty teach for PFS during summer months.
• Private School Village (PSV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization supporting diverse communities in independent schools. Part of Chandler's DEI network and community partnerships.
• Independent School Alliance (ISA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrganization helping independent schools with admissions and outreach to diverse communities. Listed as accreditation/partner organization.
• Pollyanna, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on promoting belonging and inclusion in schools. Part of Chandler's DEI partnership network supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
• SoCal POCISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern California People of Color in Independent Schools network. Part of Chandler's DEI partnership ecosystem supporting professional development and community building.
• SomosPSVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatino/a/x affinity group within Private School Village focused on supporting Latinx students and families in independent schools.
• Friends in DeedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPasadena nonprofit organization. Third grade students studied food insecurity and culminated with an action project partnering with Friends in Deed to address community needs.
• Middle School Public Debate Program (MSPDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest debate program aimed at middle school students in the country. Chandler fields multiple debate teams competing regionally and nationally through MSPDP tournaments throughout the Los Angeles area.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party financial aid application platform used by Chandler School. Families complete financial aid applications through Clarity, which uses IRS data and household income/expense calculations to determine eligibility and need.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Buckley School: Independent K-12 day school in Sherman Oaks serving a similar affluent LA demographic. Competes for the same tuition-paying families seeking premium K-8 education in the greater LA region with comparable pricing and similar programmatic breadth.
• Campbell Hall: Independent K-12 day school in North Hollywood serving similar LA demographics with comparable tuition and emphasis on academic excellence, arts, and athletics. Direct competitor for K-8 families seeking private alternatives within the LA basin.
• Polytechnic School: Independent K-6 day school located in Pasadena, less than two miles from Chandler. Serves a similar affluent Pasadena/LA demographic with comparable tuition and a parallel academic-plus-character ethos, making it the closest direct peer in the same K-8 niche.
• Brentwood School: Independent K-12 day school on three campuses in west Los Angeles. Overlaps with Chandler in target demographic, tuition band, academic rigor, and STEAM/arts emphasis, and competes for the same pool of LA private-school families.
• Flintridge Prep: Independent 7-12 school in La Cañada Flintridge in the greater Pasadena corridor. Competes directly with Chandler's middle-school families for the same feeder pipeline into elite secondary education and draws from a similar affluent LA demographic.
• Crossroads School: Independent K-12 day school in Santa Monica with a similar progressive-but-rigorous academic profile and comparable LA-area pricing. Competes directly with Chandler for affluent Westside families willing to commute for premium K-8 education.
• Windward School: Independent 7-12 school in west Los Angeles that competes for Chandler's graduating 8th-grade families as a top-tier secondary option. Operates at similar price point and shares the rigorous college-preparatory ethos.
• Harvard-Westlake School: Large independent K-12 day school with two campuses in the LA area. Receives a documented share of Chandler alumni and competes for the same upper-middle-class LA families seeking private K-8 placement; the natural next step for many Chandler graduates.

Regional players

• Harker School: Independent K-12 day school in San Jose, California, with comparable programmatic depth (biotech, STEAM, debate, character education) and similar tuition band. Comparable as a peer on institutional profile and curriculum design, though operating in a different regional market.
• Castilleja School: Independent 6-12 girls' school in Palo Alto with comparable tuition and a similarly rigorous, character-driven program. Comparable in scale and academic ethos, though geographically separate from the LA market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFuylqmuVgKKuU9uHjK6ZTw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChandlerSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/Chandler_School
• Xx.com/ChandlerSchool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Chandler School