Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

What Cristo Rey Jesuit High School does

Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston is a private Catholic Jesuit high school founded on August 10, 2009, by Fr. TJ Martinez, SJ, and sponsored by the Jesuits of the Central and Southern Province. It is the first Jesuit Cristo Rey school in the southern United States and operates as a nonprofit under the legal name "Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston." The school exclusively serves approximately 520 students from economically limited Houston-area households, with a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio across 91 faculty and staff.

The school's core product is a four-year college-preparatory program built on three pillars: a rigorous academic curriculum offering 12 AP and 4 Pre-AP courses, a three-year College Readiness sequence (counseling, financial literacy, SAT prep, college visits, alumni support through graduation), and the Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP), through which 100% of students work one day per week in job-sharing teams at 140+ Houston companies. CWSP operations are run through a wholly-owned staffing subsidiary, Cristo Rey Work Study Program, Inc., which handles all payroll, HR, workers' compensation, and FICA administration, while students collectively earn approximately 40–50% of the cost of their education and accumulate 750+ hours of professional work experience. Supporting products include a 1:1 laptop program, an Arts curriculum (Ableton Live, ethnomusicology, Art Portfolio), 13 TCSAAL athletics, Jesuit faith formation (Kairos retreats, monthly Masses), and Social & Emotional Support Services. Technology is standard off-the-shelf education software (Google Classroom, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Salesforce, PowerSchool, DonorPerfect) with no proprietary AI/ML layer.

Revenue is generated through three streams: a sliding-scale family contribution ($450–$8,000/year, average $783; 78% of families pay the $450 minimum), annual CWSP partnership fees (corporate partners pay per team of four students), and philanthropic fundraising including the Sponsor a Student Scholarship ($6,500/yr), the Fr. TJ Martinez Education Fund, the annual VIVA Gala and Golf Classic, and endowment/matching gifts. The true cost to educate each student is approximately $20,000/year, leaving a structural gap funded primarily by donations. The school reports 100% college acceptance across all 13 graduating classes since 2013, $146M+ in cumulative alumni scholarships, 77% first-generation college attendance, and a college graduation rate 4X faster than economic peers. Cristo Rey Jesuit is governed by a Board of Trustees with representation from Houston Methodist, Rice University, Hines, and senior leaders across Houston's corporate, legal, energy, and healthcare sectors, and is affiliated with the national Cristo Rey Network (41 schools, 12,350 students).

Name

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Legal name

Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston

Website

https://cristoreyjesuit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cristo Rey Jesuit is a Houston nonprofit Catholic Jesuit high school serving ~520 students from economically limited households, combining a college-prep curriculum with a four-year Corporate Work-Study Program that places every student at 140+ partner companies to fund roughly half of education costs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Catholic Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

Keywords

• College preparatory education
• Corporate work-study
• Catholic secondary education
• Jesuit high school
• Affordable private education

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition/Family Contribution: Families contribute tuition on a sliding scale based on annual household income, ranging from $450/year to $8,000/year. For 2025-2026, average family contribution is $783, with 78% of families contributing as little as $450 ($45/month). The actual cost to educate each student is approximately $20,000 per year.
2. Corporate Work-Study Program Fees: Corporate partners pay an annual fee for each team of 4 student workers. This fee covers the students' wages and is applied directly to the cost of their education. Partners receive a fee-for-service business expense deduction and avoid HR responsibilities as CWSP handles payroll, W-4, I-9, Workers' Compensation, FICA, and insurance.
3. Fundraising and Donations: The school relies on philanthropic support to bridge the funding gap. Programs include Sponsor a Student Scholarship ($6,500/year per student), the Fr. TJ Martinez Education Fund, endowment gifts, planned giving, and stock donations. Special events include the annual VIVA Gala and Golf Classic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cristo Rey Jesuit delivers a four-year Catholic, Jesuit college preparatory education to approximately 520 students from families with limited economic resources in the Houston area. The model integrates rigorous academics (12 AP and 4 Pre-AP courses) with a Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP) in which 100% of students are employed through the school's subsidiary and placed in job-sharing teams at 140+ Houston companies, earning roughly 40-50% of their education costs while gaining 750+ hours of professional work experience before graduation.

Product overview

Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory School of Houston is a Catholic, Jesuit college-preparatory high school offering a unified educational platform centered on rigorous academics combined with an innovative Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP). The school serves nearly 520 students from economically limited backgrounds through a holistic model that integrates academic curriculum, four-year work experience, college readiness programming, arts, athletics, and faith formation. The core product portfolio includes the Academic Curriculum (with 12 AP courses and STEM focus), the Corporate Work-Study Program (placing 100% of students in job-sharing roles at 140+ companies), the three-year College Readiness Program, a 1:1 Laptop Program, Arts Program, Lion Athletics (13 sports), Jesuit Faith Formation with retreats and Campus Ministry, and Social & Emotional Support Services. Additional offerings include clubs, summer training programs, and scholarship sponsorship opportunities. The school achieves 100% college acceptance rates and has graduated 1,372 alumni who earned over $146 million in scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP) Four-year work-study program that employs 100% of students through the school's subsidiary and places them in job-sharing teams of four at 140+ Houston companies, allowing students to earn approximately 40-50% of the cost of their education while gaining 750+ hours of professional work experience by graduation.
• College Preparatory Academic Curriculum Rigorous college preparatory curriculum centered on core subjects (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Theology) with advanced courses and electives in STEM, Music, Visual Arts, and Social Sciences, including 12 AP and 4 Pre-AP classes for grades 9-12.
• College Readiness Program Three-year comprehensive college readiness curriculum providing college counseling, financial literacy assistance, SAT prep, college visits, summer internships, and ongoing alumni support through college graduation, supporting a 100% college acceptance rate.
• 1:1 Laptop Program Technology program providing each student with a personal laptop for all four years of high school that they can take to college, integrated with Google Classroom and supporting digital skill development.
• Arts Program
• Lion Athletics
• Jesuit Faith Formation
• Building the Pride Summer Training
• Clubs & Organizations
• Social & Emotional Support Services
• Academic Support Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% college acceptance rate for all graduating classes since 2013
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Houston Methodist HospitalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Founding corporate partner since the school's inception in 2008. Students work at seven hospitals and the research institute in administrative and data entry positions. Executive Vice President Mick Cantu serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees.
• Aquinas Companies, LLCflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year partner and construction industry leader. CEO Leo Linbeck III is a strong advocate for the work-study model and serves on the school's leadership.
• Chamberlain HrdlickacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver a decade of hiring Cristo Rey interns in legal administrative positions. COO John Meredith reports the program is a win-win for the firm and the students.
• Baylor College of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term education partner providing student work placements at the medical research institution.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional services firm providing work experience opportunities in accounting and consulting functions.
• Greater Houston PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Houston business organization and nonprofit partner providing student work experience and community connections.
• Hilcorp Energy CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor energy company and 15+ year partner through its Harvest Midstream subsidiary and general operations.
• Kinder MorgancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term midstream energy partner providing student work placements in administrative roles.
• Latham & Watkins LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal law firm with long-standing partnership. Retired partner Michael Dillard served as Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
• Memorial Hermann HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Houston healthcare system providing student work opportunities in the Texas Medical Center.
• Rice UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite Houston university providing work placements and Dr. Jose Aranda Jr. serves on the Board of Trustees.
• Texas Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor pediatric hospital and healthcare partner providing student work experience.
• Williams EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term midstream energy partner in the Corporate Work-Study Program.
• Vinson & Elkins LLPflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year legal partner with deep ties to the school and community.
• HinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReal estate investment firm and corporate partner, with Senior Managing Director John Mooz on the Board of Trustees.
• CenterPoint EnergyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year utility partner providing student work placements and community support.
• Enbridge Employee ServicesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year midstream energy partner with long-term commitment to the program.
• United Way of Greater HoustonflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year nonprofit partner providing community service connections and student work opportunities.
• Catholic CharitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year nonprofit partner providing social services work experience for students.
• Macquarie GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year financial services partner providing student work placements.
• University of St. ThomascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year education partner providing student work experience at the university.
• Cristo Rey NetworkflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of 41 schools providing the Cristo Rey educational model, 12,350 students, and shared resources. Received Department of Labor exemption for employing 14+ year old students.
• Jesuits of the Central and Southern ProvinceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal sponsor of the school; Fr. TJ Martinez, SJ founded the school in 2009. The Jesuits provide spiritual guidance and institutional support.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Strake Jesuit College Preparatory: Houston-area Jesuit college-preparatory high school with rigorous academics, 1:1 device programs, and AP offerings. Operates as a broader-incumbent Jesuit college-prep peer but serves a higher-income tuition-paying demographic and does not run a comparable CWSP work-study funding model.
• KIPP Foundation: National K-12 charter network serving low-income communities with a college-prep mission. Broadly comparable as a scaled mission-aligned operator; competes for the same philanthropic and policy attention nationally and shares the same college-completion agenda for underserved students.
• St. Thomas High School: Houston private Catholic college-preparatory high school serving a similar grade range with strong college outcomes. Broadly comparable as a Houston private Catholic high school but serves a higher-income demographic with full tuition and lacks the CWSP work-study funding model.

Direct peers

• Harmony Public Schools: Houston-area public charter school network with STEM emphasis serving similar economically disadvantaged demographics. Competes for the same student pipeline and benefits from comparable state-level education funding dynamics including TEFA eligibility.
• KIPP Houston Public Schools: Houston-based charter K-12 network serving low-income students with a college-prep focus and demonstrated strong college persistence outcomes. Operates in the same Houston metro and competes for overlapping student, family, and corporate-partner mindshare.
• Cristo Rey Boston High School: Sister Cristo Rey Network school operating the same CWSP model in Boston. Comparable mission, governance under Jesuit sponsorship, and funding architecture, providing a useful external benchmark on outcomes and operational metrics.
• Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School: Sister school in the national Cristo Rey Network operating the identical Corporate Work-Study Program (CWSP) model in Atlanta. Serves the same demographic (economically limited students seeking college-prep education), uses the same funding architecture (corporate partner fees + sliding-scale tuition + donations), and shares the same 100% college acceptance mission.
• YES Prep Public Schools: Houston-area charter K-12 network serving economically disadvantaged students with a rigorous college-preparatory mission. Competes directly with Cristo Rey Jesuit for the same Houston student demographic and donor base, and competes for the same corporate partner talent pipeline.
• Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep: Sister Cristo Rey Network school in Dallas, TX, operating the same CWSP model in a neighboring Texas metro. Directly comparable in mission, Jesuit affiliation, work-study architecture, and target demographic, with regional overlap in Texas-based corporate partner recruitment.

Emerging players

• Uncommon Schools: Charter K-12 network serving low-income communities in the Northeast with a strong college-prep focus and top-quartile college persistence outcomes. Thematically aligned as a mission-driven college-prep operator for underserved students, though geographically distant from Houston and structurally different (charter, not private Catholic).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cristoreyjesuit
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cristoreyjesuit
• Facebookfacebook.com/cristoreyjesuit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cristo-rey-jesuit-college-preparatory-of-houston

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 Cristo Rey Jesuit High School