What The Parkside School does

The Parkside School is a private, non-profit (501(c)(3)) elementary school founded in 1986 by Albina Miller and Leslie Thorne, operating from a single brownstone at 48 West 74th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It serves approximately 80 students in grades K-5 who have language-based learning differences (including dyslexia and related reading, writing, and language-processing challenges), drawn from diverse ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds.

The school's core product is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary elementary education delivered in small classes of 8-9 students with a 4:1 teacher-to-student ratio and a 12-month academic calendar. Curriculum is built around specialized, research-based multi-sensory programs such as Lively Letters (multi-sensory reading), Zones of Regulation (emotional self-regulation), the Interoception Curriculum (internal-body awareness), Woodin Math (numeracy for language-based learners), and the Yogie Land yoga program. Therapeutic modules—speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling—run alongside academics, arts, and movement. A six-week Summer Program extends the calendar. The school holds three NYSAIS (New York State Association of Independent Schools) accreditations.

Revenue comes primarily from tuition set by the New York State Education Department, supplemented by an Annual Fund (with leadership giving tiers from $2,500 to $50,000+ and near-100% parent participation for nearly two decades), endowment income from the Fund for Teacher Excellence (over $3.5 million), and fundraising benefits (e.g., $95,000 from the 2025 Benefit of Laughter and over $530,000 from the April 2026 40th Anniversary Gala). The institution is governed by a Board of Directors (current board president Nischal Pai P'19) and conducts admissions through dedicated Open House events, parent referrals, and community outreach; it has no parent company, outside ownership, or external funding rounds.

Name

The Parkside School

Legal name

The Parkside School

Website

https://parksideschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Parkside School is a non-profit NYC elementary school serving approximately 80 K-5 students with language-based learning differences via small classes, a 4:1 teacher-student ratio, multi-sensory curricula, and integrated therapeutic services, funded by state-set tuition, an Annual Fund, and benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Elementary School Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAB)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Elementary school education
• Language learning support
• Speech language therapy
• Occupational therapy services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: The school charges tuition to families of enrolled students. Tuition rates are set by the State Education Department, with the annual fund bridging any gap between tuition revenue and actual program costs.
2. Annual Fund: Annual giving campaign where contributions are applied directly to the general operating budget. The school has achieved nearly 100% parent participation nearly every year for the past two decades.
3. Annual Benefits and Galas: Annual spring benefit event raising funds for Arts and Movement Programs. The 2025 Benefit of Laughter raised $95,000. The 40th Anniversary Gala in 2026 raised over $530,000.
4. Special Event Fundraising: Various fundraising events including auctions, book fairs, and other community gatherings. The 2014 benefit at Del Posto raised more than $3.1 million.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Parkside School is a private, non-profit elementary school (grades K-5) in New York City that serves approximately 80 children with language-based learning differences such as dyslexia and auditory processing disorders. Its core offering is a 12-month, interdisciplinary academic and therapeutic program delivered in classes of 8-9 students with a 4:1 teacher-to-student ratio, weaving together academics, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, arts, yoga and movement, and specialized reading instruction. The school charges tuition set by the State Education Department and supplements revenue through an Annual Fund, galas, and the Fund for Teacher Excellence.

Product overview

The Parkside School offers a unified elementary education program for children with language-based learning differences, combining small class sizes (8-9 students) with a high teacher-student ratio (4:1) and a 12-month academic calendar. The core educational program is supported by integrated therapeutic and enrichment modules including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, arts, yoga and movement, and specialized reading support. The school also operates auxiliary services including a summer program, school store, annual fund, and the Fund for Teacher Excellence for professional development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elementary Education Program Comprehensive interdisciplinary K-5 elementary school program for children with language-based learning differences, delivered in classes of 8-9 students with a 4:1 teacher-to-student ratio and a 12-month calendar that integrates academics with speech/language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, arts, and yoga.
• Summer Program Six-week summer program offered to children with language-based learning differences and disabilities, extending Parkside's specialized approach beyond the academic year.
• Parkside School Store (Lands' End)

Quantifiable outcome

• Students successfully transition to mainstream education settings after Parkside
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lands' EndminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParkside has partnered with Lands' End to provide customized spirit wear, alumni wear and accessories for adults and children through an online store platform. Customers can shop using the school's designated number (900181041).
• Han DynastyminorOthersRestaurant venue for The Benefit of Laughter fundraising event in March 2025.
• Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided improv comedy show entertainment for The Benefit of Laughter fundraising event.
• Tech Kids UnlimitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership that sparked early interest in computing for Parkside alumni, including software engineer Alexander Soiefer '13.
• Project DorotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing elderly individuals ('Pearls of Wisdom') into schools to share stories with children, fostering intergenerational connections.
• Heidi Green PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhotographer who has captured numerous school events including the 40th Anniversary Gala and alumni reunions, documenting the school's history.
• SLATEminorOthersEvent venue for the school's first-ever All Alumni Reunion in November 2025.
• Marjorie S. Deane Little TheaterminorOthersPerformance venue used for graduation ceremonies.
• CapitalecoreOthersHistoric ballroom venue for the 40th Anniversary Gala, hosting 360+ members of the Parkside community.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jemicy School: A private school in Owings Mills, MD serving grades 1-12 students with dyslexia and other language-related learning differences. Jemicy operates on a similar small-class, multisensory, integrated-therapy model and represents a regional LD-specialized peer.
• The Kildonan School: A co-ed boarding/day school in Amenia, NY dedicated to dyslexia and language-based learning differences for grades 2-12. Kildonan shares Parkside's focus on language-based LD and uses Orton-Gillingham-based multisensory instruction, making it a strong comparable for the same parent segment.
• The Westmark School: An independent K-12 school in Encino, CA serving students with language-based learning differences, dyslexia, and ADHD. Westmark parallels Parkside's individualized instructional model and integrated therapeutic services for a comparable student population.
• The Prentice School: A private school in North Tustin, CA serving grades K-12 students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Prentice's mission, small-class approach, and language-based LD specialization closely align with Parkside's, providing a West Coast comparable.
• The Lab School of Washington: A Washington, D.C. private school for grades 1-12 serving students with learning differences such as dyslexia and ADHD. Like Parkside, Lab integrates arts, sciences, and therapeutic support into the academic day and maintains an admissions-driven model for families seeking LD-specialized instruction.
• The Gow School: A boarding school in South Wales, NY serving grades 6-12 students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences. Gow overlaps with Parkside in mission and methodology (multisensory instruction, small classes) and represents the secondary-school continuation pathway for Parkside alumni.
• The Churchill School and Center: A private K-8 school on Manhattan's Upper East Side serving students with language-based learning disabilities including dyslexia. Churchill is the most direct geographic and programmatic peer to Parkside, with similar small class sizes, integrated speech-language and occupational therapy, and an admissions-driven GTM motion targeting NYC families.
• The Windward School: A Westchester County, NY independent school for students with language-based learning disabilities, including a Manhattan campus. Windward mirrors Parkside's research-based, multisensory instructional approach and small-class model for grades 1-9, making it a close regional peer.

Others

• New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS): The accreditation body through which Parkside holds three accreditations. NYSAIS is the ecosystem-anchor peer for the broader independent-school category Parkside operates within, governing accreditation standards and peer-evaluation frameworks relevant to its operating model.

Broad incumbents

• NYC Department of Education District 75: NYC DOE's District 75 provides citywide public special education services for students with significant needs including language-based learning disabilities. As the dominant public-sector provider in the same geography, District 75 represents the broad incumbent alternative that families weigh against Parkside's specialized private tuition model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheParksideSchool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The Parkside School