Education Management & Networks

What Education Management & Networks does

Education Management & Networks (EMAN) is a privately held, founder-led school management organization headquartered in Southfield, Michigan that partners with charter school boards to operate academies on a full-service basis. Founded in 2003 by Ahmed Saber, the company has grown into a network of five to six tuition-free charter academies serving more than 3,000 students across Michigan, with over 10,000 students served cumulatively and a stated 100% college acceptance rate and $50M+ in scholarships awarded. Its core product is end-to-end school management — covering curriculum and instruction, facilities/operations/technology, HR, financial management and grants, compliance and governance, and marketing/enrollment — packaged as a one-stop-shop with optional a la carte services for charter boards.

EMAN's revenue model is managed services: management fees are contracted with charter school boards and funded by public per-pupil allocations from state and federal sources. There is no tuition charged to families; all academies are publicly funded. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting charter boards in Michigan and the broader Midwest through long, consultative sales cycles focused on governance support, strategic planning, and ongoing operational collaboration. Technology is operational rather than differentiated: EMAN operates student information systems, classroom technology, network services, and broader IT infrastructure to support daily school operations across its academies.

The company is independent and self-funded, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investors, and no parent company. Leadership combines K-20 education expertise with operators from Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, and Fortune 500 backgrounds. Customer concentration is narrow — five to six charter boards, all in Michigan — creating meaningful single-counterparty exposure, though multiple academies fall under related governance structures. Recognition includes U.S. News & World Report 'Best Schools' honors across K-12, including Top-10 Detroit rankings, and the National Certificate for STEM Excellence held by New Dawn Academy.

Name

Education Management & Networks

Legal name

Education Management & Networks

Website

https://emaninc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Education Management & Networks is a private, founder-led charter school management organization headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. Founded in 2003, it provides full-service management across academics, operations, compliance, finance, and enrollment to five to six tuition-free charter academies serving 3,000+ students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter School Management Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Management Organizations (CMOs/EMOs) (EDAJACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

Keywords

• Charter school management
• School management services
• K-12 education operations
• Charter school administration
• Tuition-free academies

Headquarters

HQ city

Southfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. School Management Services: EMAN provides comprehensive management services to charter school boards including academics, operations, compliance, finance, and student services. Revenue comes from management fees contracted with charter boards, funded by public per-pupil allocations from state and federal sources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Education Management & Networks (EMAN) provides full-service school management to charter school boards across Michigan, covering academics, operations, compliance, finance, human resources, and student services. The organization operates a network of tuition-free charter academies — Oakland International Academy (Elementary, Middle, High School), Caniff Liberty Academy, and New Dawn STEM Academy — serving more than 3,000 students in underserved communities. Revenue comes from management fees funded by public per-pupil charter allocations.

Product overview

Education Management & Networks (EMAN) is an award-winning school management organization offering a unified full-service management platform for charter schools. The core offering is Full Service Management, a comprehensive one-stop-shop providing end-to-end expertise across six integrated service modules: Academic Excellence & Student Support (curriculum, instruction, student services), Facilities, Operations & Technology (campus logistics, IT infrastructure, transportation, food services), Human Resources & Personnel Management (talent acquisition, compensation, payroll), Financial Management & Grant Administration (budgeting, accounting, audits, grants), Compliance, Governance & Board Support (regulatory compliance, reporting), and Marketing, Enrollment & Community Outreach (enrollment growth, community engagement). EMAN operates a network of five award-winning tuition-free charter academies across Michigan: Oakland International Academy (Elementary, Middle, and High School), Caniff Liberty Academy, and New Dawn STEM Academy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oakland International Academy: A multi-campus, award-winning charter school (PreK-12) operated by EMAN in Hamtramck, MI, with U.S. News Top Ten rankings.
• Caniff Liberty Academy
• New Dawn (STEM) Academy

Products and services

• Full Service Management Comprehensive, one-stop-shop school management service for charter school boards, providing end-to-end expertise across academics, operations, compliance, finance, and student services. Contracted with charter boards and funded through public per-pupil allocations.
• Oakland International Academy - Elementary School Tuition-free charter elementary school (PreK-1st grade) in Hamtramck, MI offering early reading, math, language instruction, small class settings, personalized care, and English Language Learner support. Has earned U.S. News Top Ten elementary recognition and has been operating for 20+ years.
• Oakland International Academy - Middle School Tuition-free charter middle school (2nd-8th grade) offering instruction across English language arts, math, science, social studies, world languages, and the arts with small class settings, personalized support, and ELL services. Recognized by U.S. News as a Top Ten middle school.
• Oakland International Academy - High School Tuition-free charter high school (9th-12th grade) preparing students for college, careers, and life with an academic culture, strong teacher relationships, dedicated college guidance, strong graduation outcomes, and top Detroit SAT results.
• Caniff Liberty Academy Tuition-free charter school (PreK-8th grade) in a close-knit community with small class settings, caring teachers, ELL support, strong academics, culture, character, and community pride. Operating for 15 years with U.S. News-recognized results.
• New Dawn (STEM) Academy Tuition-free STEM-focused charter school (PreK-9th grade) in Sterling Heights, MI featuring curiosity, problem-solving, robotics, and strong academics. One of only two Michigan schools holding the National Certificate for STEM Excellence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5x School Index performance vs. other Detroit schools (62 average)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Charter School Boards (Michigan and Midwest)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003EMAN partners closely with charter school boards across Michigan and the Midwest since 2003. The company provides comprehensive management services acting as a one-stop-shop for boards to focus on governance while relying on EMAN's expertise for day-to-day operations including academics, operations, compliance, finance, and student services. The partnership model is flexible, offering full-service management or tailored a la carte services.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EdisonLearning: Established education management services provider offering CMO services, virtual schooling, and broader K-12 services to districts and charter schools. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering school management services alongside wider portfolio offerings.

Direct peers

• Imagine Schools: National charter management organization operating tuition-free public charter schools across many states with a partner-board model. Directly comparable as a CMO providing full-service academic, operational, and financial management to charter boards in underserved communities.
• KIPP Foundation: National nonprofit network of college-preparatory public charter schools serving underserved communities, partnering with regional KIPP regions for management and operations. Directly comparable as a CMO serving low-income and underrepresented student populations with a college-prep mission.
• Accel Schools: Cleveland-based charter management organization operating a network of online and brick-and-mortar charter schools across multiple U.S. states. Comparable as a full-service CMO with similar à la carte/full-service management offerings and a multi-state expansion strategy akin to what EMAN signals.
• Charter Schools USA: One of the largest U.S. charter school management organizations, managing public charter schools across multiple states. Comparable as a scaled CMO offering comprehensive academic, operational, and back-office services to charter boards—similar service profile to EMAN's six modules.
• National Heritage Academies: Grand Rapids, Michigan-headquartered charter school management organization operating a large multi-state network of tuition-free public charter schools. Directly comparable as a Midwest-based CMO providing full-service school management to charter boards, the same core service EMAN offers.
• The Leona Group: Michigan-based charter school management organization operating tuition-free public charter schools across multiple states. Closely comparable in business model (CMO partnering with charter boards, full-service management) and in regional footprint and target student population.
• Green Dot Public Schools: Nonprofit charter management organization operating public charter schools focused on college preparation for underserved students. Comparable as a mission-driven CMO targeting similar student populations with outcomes-driven positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EducationManagementandNetworks

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Education Management & Networks