Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences

What Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences does

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences (DAAS) is a tuition-free public charter school operating under a charter contract authorized by Oakland University in Michigan. Founded in 1997 by Rev. Jim Holley, Ph.D., the school serves Pre-K through 8th grade students across three adjacent campus buildings on East Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit: the South Building (Infant/Toddler, 3-year-old, Pre-K, and Kindergarten), the West Building (1st grade and 5th-8th grades), and the East Building (2nd-4th grades). Its mission is to deliver a holistic education anchored in arts and sciences, with performing arts programming (choir, band, dance, drama) that has produced national media appearances on platforms including Ellen DeGeneres, America's Got Talent, the Today Show, and Walt Disney World.

The core educational product is the Pre-K-8 day program, supplemented by free breakfast and lunch (National School Lunch Program administered by Variety), bus transportation for eligible students, school nurse services (Ascension school-based health center), before/after-school programs (managed via After School HQ), the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) preschool, the Detroit Summer Learning Institute (DSLI), DAAS Athletics, DAAS Arts, and the Student Ambassadors Newscast. The underlying technology stack is entirely third-party and consists of PowerSchool (SIS and parent portal), Edlio (website/CMS), i-Ready (diagnostic assessment three times per year), and curriculum platforms including HighScope (Pre-K), EL Education (K-8 ELA), Eureka Squared (K-5 math), Illustrative Mathematics (6-8 math), Amplify Science (K-8 science), and Wayne RESA MC3 (social studies). DAAS is managed operationally by Academy Management Company.

DAAS is publicly funded rather than commercially funded. Revenue is generated through Michigan state per-pupil school aid, federal Title I funding for economically disadvantaged students, federal meal reimbursement, tax-deductible donations, and philanthropic support from partners including Skillman Foundation and Detroit Children's Fund. There is no tuition, no admission test, and enrollment is first-come, first-served when seats are oversubscribed. The go-to-market is direct-to-family: enrollment fairs, a Google Forms enrollment application, social media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok), quarterly newsletters, and earned media coverage. The institution employs roughly 100+ staff across three buildings, led by CEO Lawrence Hood, CAO Dr. Monica G. McLeod, CFO Arthur Jackson, and three building principals, and is governed by a five-member Board of Directors.

Name

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences

Legal name

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences

Website

https://daasdistrict.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences is a tuition-free Michigan public charter school authorized by Oakland University, serving Pre-K through 8th grade students across three Detroit campus buildings with a curriculum anchored in arts and sciences, free meals and transportation, and a broad community-partner ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary and Secondary Education (K-8 Charter School)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Arts & Performing Arts Schools (EDAJACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing) (EDAJAFAK)

Keywords

• Public charter school
• K-8 education
• Charter school education
• Pre-kindergarten programs
• Arts and sciences education

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State School Aid: As a Public School Academy in Michigan, DAAS receives state school aid funding based on enrollment and student demographics.
2. Federal Title I Funding: Federal funding for supplemental instruction for students who qualify, based on number of students from economically disadvantaged homes.
3. National School Lunch Program: Federally assisted meal program providing nutritionally balanced free lunches. Food service provided by Variety with free breakfast and lunch for all students.
4. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations accepted to support Fine Arts Department, program development, performance uniforms, and musical instruments for the band.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences is a tuition-free public charter school district offering Pre-K to 8th grade education anchored in arts and sciences across three campus buildings in downtown Detroit. Core academic programs are complemented by specialized offerings including fine and performing arts (DAAS Arts), competitive athletics, the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for preschool, Detroit Summer Learning Institute for summer enrichment, and a Student Ambassadors newscast program. The school provides free breakfast and lunch, transportation for eligible students, and after-school programs, with no admission test required for Detroit resident students.

Product overview

Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences (DAAS) is a tuition-free public charter school district offering Pre-K to 8th grade education across three campus buildings in downtown Detroit. The core educational product is anchored in arts and sciences, complemented by specialized programs including DAAS Arts (fine and performing arts including art, band, choir, dance, drama, and music), DAAS Athletics (competitive and intramural sports), the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for preschool, Detroit Summer Learning Institute for summer enrichment, and DAAS Student Ambassadors newscast program. Additional services include food services through the National School Lunch Program, transportation for eligible students, school nurse services, and after-school programs managed via After School HQ. The district utilizes various curriculum platforms including High Scope, EL Education, Eureka Squared, Illustrative Mathematics, Amplify Science, and i-Ready for differentiated instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DAAS Pre-K to 8th Grade Education Tuition-free public charter school district serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students across three campus buildings (South, West, East Buildings) in downtown Detroit. Provides holistic education anchored in arts and sciences.
• Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) High-quality free preschool program using play-based HighScope curriculum, providing breakfast and lunch for pre-K students.
• DAAS Arts Fine and performing arts department offering courses in art, band, choir, dance, drama, and music for students in grades 3-8.
• DAAS Athletics Athletic department offering competitive and intramural sports including co-ed flag football (grades 3-4), basketball (grades 6-8), girls volleyball (grades 6-8), track and field (K-8), and soccer (grades 3-4).
• Detroit Summer Learning Institute (DSLI) Summer school program for K-8th grade students offering learning, enrichment activities, and field trips during summer months.
• DAAS Student Ambassadors Newscast Student-produced monthly newscast program where students are involved in planning, interviewing, filming, and editing. Supported by Mr. Cuffie.
• After School Programs After-school Pre-K-8th programs running from 3:45-5:45 PM, managed through After School HQ platform for registration.
• Food Services National School Lunch Program providing free breakfast and lunch to all students, administered by Variety.
• Transportation Services Bus transportation service for eligible K-8 students living in Detroit at least one mile from campus.
• School Nurse Services Health services including immunizations, health forms, and health policies managed by Nurse Lewis.

Named customers3 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

Integration14 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Oakland UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter authorizer for Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences. DAAS operates under a charter contract authorized by Oakland University. Copy of charter contract available at academy office.
• Academy Management CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManagement company that manages Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences operations.
• Teach for America - DetroitmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational teacher recruitment organization placing outstanding teachers in underserved communities. Partners with DAAS to staff high-quality educators.
• The Skillman FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDetroit-based foundation working to improve outcomes for children in the city. Strategic partner supporting DAAS scholars, staff, and community.
• Achievement Network (ANet)majorTechnology or IntegrationProvides assessment tools and support to help schools improve teaching and learning. CEO Lawrence Hood previously served as Vice President at Achievement Network.
• TNTP (formerly The New Teacher Project)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational nonprofit working to ensure every child has access to an excellent teacher. Partners with DAAS on teacher recruitment and development.
• Wayne RESAmajorTechnology or IntegrationRegional Educational Service Agency providing curriculum resources (MC3 Social Studies). Supports district with curriculum materials and educational resources.
• Michigan Association of Public School AcademiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvocacy organization for charter schools in Michigan. Provides representation and resources for public school academies.
• Michigan Education CorpsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing reading and math interventions to help students succeed. Partners with DAAS to provide student support services.
• Ascension HealthcareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system providing school-based health services. Students enrolled at DAAS can access medical services through Ascension School Based Health Center.
• Degree ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting post-graduation opportunities and career pathway development for students.
• Variety (Food Service)minorOthersFood service provider for DAAS. Provides breakfast and lunch meals to all students through the National School Lunch Program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cornerstone Schools: Long-standing Detroit K-12 charter network with strong academic and character-education focus. Directly competes with DAAS for Detroit enrollment, talent, and foundation/funder support.
• Academy of the Americas: Detroit-area public charter school serving K-8 with bilingual/dual-language focus. Comparable size and charter-funded economics to DAAS, competing for the same Detroit-resident enrollment pool.
• University Prep Schools: Detroit-based charter school network serving K-12 with multiple campuses. Competes directly with DAAS for the same Detroit resident families and per-pupil funding, operating a similar tuition-free, public-authorized charter model.
• Jalen Rose Leadership Academy: Detroit-based public charter high school. Competes for the same Detroit families at the secondary level that DAAS feeds into at 8th grade, making it both a peer and a downstream articulation partner.

Emerging players

• Detroit Waldorf School: Independent Pre-K-8 school in Detroit with a performing-arts-rich Waldorf curriculum. Comparable arts-integrated, holistic Pre-K-8 model though tuition-based rather than charter-funded, making it an aspirational alternative for arts-focused families.
• Detroit Achievement Academy: Small, mission-driven Detroit charter school focused on progressive education and inclusion. Operates as a younger, smaller peer to DAAS in the same enrollment catchment and funding model.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Detroit Public Schools: Michigan arm of the national KIPP charter network operating Detroit campuses. Competes for Detroit families and talent under the same public charter authorization framework with greater brand and operational scale.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District: Detroit's traditional public school district. While not a charter, it is the dominant direct competitor for Detroit-resident K-8 students and competes for the same state and federal funding pools.
• National Heritage Academies: Large national charter management organization operating multiple Michigan campuses including Detroit-area schools. Comparable operating model (tuition-free public charter, similar per-pupil economics) at significantly greater scale.

Regional players

• Detroit Country Day School: Independent PreK-12 private school in metro Detroit. Competes for arts-and-academics-focused Detroit families willing and able to pay tuition; useful peer for assessing premium positioning and academic reputation benchmarks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/daasdistrict
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DAASDetroit
• Facebookfacebook.com/daasdetroit
• Instagraminstagram.com/daasdistrict
• TikToktiktok.com/@daasdistrict

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences