Presidio Hill School

What Presidio Hill School does

Presidio Hill School is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent progressive school in San Francisco serving approximately 218 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade, supported by 45 staff members at a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Founded in 1918 as the Presidio Open Air School and recognized as the oldest continuously operating progressive school in California, the institution delivers a project-based curriculum built on TERC Investigations (lower school), CMP3 (middle school), balanced-literacy reading instruction, and a writing-process approach, with authentic (portfolio and narrative-based) assessment instead of standardized testing for young learners. Its campus at 3839 Washington Street sits adjacent to the Presidio National Park, enabling roughly 3.4 hours of weekly outdoor learning and a long-running partnership with the Presidio Trust for environmental education.

The school generates revenue primarily through annual tuition of $43,470 (TK–Grade 2) and $44,625 (Grades 3–8), supplemented by a one-time $2,000 new-student enrollment fee, after-school care at $17/hour, athletic fees for grades 5–8, and a shared bus partnership with Katherine Delmar Burke School. Distribution is fully direct-to-consumer through the Ravenna Hub admissions platform, in-person classroom tours, open houses, and word-of-mouth referrals. Flexible tuition, administered via Clarity and totaling more than $1.8 million annually, supports 37% of students with an average grant of $34,962, while 55% of students identify as students of color and 32% of families speak a non-English language at home.

Presidio Hill also hosts the Center for Progressive Education (est. 2015), a regional affiliate of the Progressive Education Network that runs teacher apprenticeships and an annual One-Day Institute for Educators, extending the school's influence beyond enrolled families. Operational technology is limited to Finalsite (website), Ravenna Hub (admissions), and Clarity (financial aid); no AI/ML capabilities are evident. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees and in 2025 transitioned from a membership to non-membership corporation in line with NAIS/CAIS best practice. A planned leadership succession will bring Jon Fulk in as Head of School on July 1, 2026, succeeding Lisa Jeli after her 35-plus-year tenure.

Name

Presidio Hill School

Legal name

Presidio Hill School

Website

https://presidiohill.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Presidio Hill School is a nonprofit, independent progressive school in San Francisco serving approximately 218 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade at a single campus adjacent to the Presidio National Park, with a 9:1 student-teacher ratio and a century-long legacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

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 stream. Full tuition is $43,470 for TK-2nd Grades and $44,625 for 3rd-8th Grades. Families pay 10% deposit to hold their child's place. Remaining tuition can be paid in one, two, or ten installments. Two-pay plan requires 60% by May 15 and 40% by December 31. Ten-installment plan charges 1.5% fee.
2. New Student Enrollment Fee: One-time $2,000 enrollment fee for all new families, prorated based on flexible tuition level.
3. After-School Care: After-school programming with hourly drop-in rate of $17/hour. Packages based on unlimited or limited use. Families with flexible tuition receive prorated rates.
4. Athletic Fees: Fees for sports teams participation (cross-country, volleyball, basketball, futsal) for grades 5-8.
5. Transportation Services: Shared bus program with Katherine Delmar Burke School (KDBS) with fees based on routes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Presidio Hill School is an independent, progressive school serving approximately 218 students enrolled in Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade at its San Francisco campus. It delivers a challenging, project-based curriculum that attends to intellectual and social-emotional development, with a 9:1 student-teacher ratio, authentic assessment approach, and integration of arts, athletics, environmental education, and service learning. Tuition ($43,470-$44,625 annually) is the core paid offering, supplemented by after-school enrichment, summer camp, and flexible tuition grants supported by donations.

Product overview

Presidio Hill School offers a comprehensive TK-8 progressive education program as its core product, with one section per grade in lower school (TK-5) and two sections per grade in middle school (6-8). The school provides an integrated suite of supporting programs including an Arts Program, Athletics, After School Enrichment, Summer Camp, Student Support Services (counseling and learning services), Environmental Education leveraging the adjacent Presidio, and the Center for Progressive Education for educator training. A Flexible Tuition Program supported by the Clarity platform enables financial accessibility. The 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio and authentic assessment approach distinguish the educational experience from traditional schooling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Progressive Education: The Center for Progressive Education at Presidio Hill School, which opened in fall 2015, builds on the school's century-long legacy of progressive education to strengthen and expand the community dedicated to its philosophy and practices.

Products and services

• TK-8 Educational Program Comprehensive Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade progressive education program with a challenging, project-based curriculum attending to intellectual and social-emotional needs, designed for families in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• After School Enrichment Extended care from 2:45pm-6:00pm and enrichment specialty classes available to students for an additional fee ($17/hour drop-in rate), prorated for flexible tuition families.
• Spectacular Summer at Presidio Hill Summer camp program offering engaging activities for children during summer months, leveraging the school's Presidio campus location.
• Center for Progressive Education (CPE) Hub for progressive education philosophy and practice serving Bay Area and West Coast educational institutions, hosting workshops, conferences, and teacher apprenticeship programs.

Named customers3 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

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Center for Progressive EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015PHS is the site of the Center for Progressive Education, which opened in fall 2015. The center builds on the school's century-long legacy to strengthen and expand the community dedicated to progressive education philosophy. It serves as hub for information sharing among Bay Area and West Coast educational institutions and develops teacher apprentice programs.
• Learning for JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing resources for social justice education. PHS uses their curriculum frameworks and participates in their network for DEIJB programming.
• VISIONS, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsultancy providing training and resources for multicultural, multiracial organizations. Supports PHS's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives.
• Responsive ClassroomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing professional development for elementary school educators focusing on social-emotional learning and classroom management approaches.
• Developmental DesignsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram providing training and curriculum for creating safe, joyful, and challenging classroom communities, particularly for middle school.
• People of Color in Independent Schools (POCIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization supporting professionals of color in independent schools. PHS is a member and participates in NorCal Annual Regional Conference.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization representing independent schools. PHS is a member and uses their job board for recruitment.
• California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState organization providing accreditation and advocacy for independent schools. PHS is accredited by CAIS and uses their job board.
• Progressive Education Network (PEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of progressive educators. PHS's Center for Progressive Education is a regional affiliate of PEN.
• ChoiceLunchminorOthersOptional meal delivery service partnership five days a week for student lunches. Families opt into this service.
• Katherine Delmar Burke School (KDBS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for shared bus service with multiple routes serving different areas of San Francisco. PHS drop-off is one block from campus.
• Bay Area Teacher Training Institute (BATTI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher education program through which PHS hosts apprentices, interns, student-teachers, and early-career teachers completing credential and Master's level work. Educators spend 1-2 years in PHS classrooms with mentor teachers.
• RG175minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational executive search firm providing search consultants Coreen Hester and Steve Morris for Head of School search process.
• Presidio TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 1999 with Presidio Park Biologists studying Mountain Lake. 2012 partnership for 5th graders to rehabilitate native plant communities at El Polin Spring.
• American Friends Service CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership during WWII to help Japanese residents being sent to internment camps, packing belongings and providing food for bus journeys.
• Hidden VillaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1950s, students go to camp at Hidden Villa Ranch in Los Altos, founded by Josephine Duveneck (former Head of School). First residential multicultural and racially integrated summer camps in the country.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• French American International School: Independent K-8 (and beyond) school in San Francisco with progressive pedagogy and language-immersion curriculum. Competes for the same affluent, values-driven SF families seeking private K-8 education.
• The Nueva School: Independent progressive school serving early years through 12th grade in the Bay Area, sharing PHS's project-based and inquiry-driven pedagogy. Strong functional overlap in curriculum philosophy and target families.
• Synergy School: Small independent K-8 progressive school in San Francisco emphasizing project-based learning and social-emotional development. Directly comparable in size, philosophy, and Bay Area family demographic.
• Live Oak School: Independent K-8 progressive school in San Francisco with a comparable mission-driven, project-based curriculum and similar applicant families. Operates in the same SF progressive K-8 niche as PHS.
• Town School for Boys: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco with progressive elements, comparable tuition, and strong college-preparatory outcomes. Competes directly for SF families seeking independent K-8 education.
• Children's Day School: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco with a progressive, social-justice-oriented mission and a similar diversity profile. Competes for the same Bay Area families seeking values-driven K-8 education.
• San Francisco Day School: Independent K-8 progressive school in San Francisco with project-based curriculum, similar tuition, and overlapping Bay Area applicant pool. Closest direct peer to Presidio Hill School by philosophy, geography, and family demographic.
• The Hamlin School: Independent K-8 school in San Francisco with a mission-driven, progressive-leaning approach. Comparable independent K-8 model in the SF market, though Hamlin is girls-only.
• Katherine Delmar Burke School (KDBS): Independent K-8 school in San Francisco and existing PHS partner on a shared bus program serving multiple SF routes. Comparable independent K-8 model and overlapping admission market, though KDBS is girls-only in upper grades.

Regional players

• Marin Primary & Middle School: Independent K-8 progressive school in Marin County offering a comparable project-based curriculum. Operates in the broader Bay Area market but does not directly compete within San Francisco city limits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user116677887
• Facebookfacebook.com/presidiohillschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/presidio-hill-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/presidiohillschool

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Presidio Hill School