Francis Parker School
Francis Parker School is a 112-year-old nonprofit independent JK-12 school in San Diego serving 1,322 students across two campuses with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio, progressive curriculum, and tuition ranging from $30,300 to $49,100 annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1912
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Francis Parker School does
Francis Parker School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit independent co-educational day school in San Diego, California, founded in 1912 by Clara Sturges Johnson and William Templeton Johnson and operating continuously for 112 years as San Diego's oldest independent co-ed school. The institution serves approximately 1,322 students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 across two campuses: a 5-acre Mission Hills campus (Lower School, JK-Grade 5) and a 22-acre Linda Vista campus (Middle School Grades 6-8 and Upper School Grades 9-12), with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio and average class size of 16.
The core product is a four-division progressive education program aligned to Colonel Francis W. Parker's philosophy of educating the whole child, offering 60+ AP and Honors courses, structured social-emotional learning, and a curriculum differentiated by international travel (Discovery Week for Middle School, multi-country programs for Upper School), award-winning K-12 robotics, Motion Media filmmaking, and a comprehensive Student Success & Wellness program including four licensed counselors. Supplementary fee-based services include Summer at Parker camps (Camp Parker, Lancer Life), Extended Day programs, and Lancer Day Camp during school breaks. Technology infrastructure consists of third-party platforms — Finalsite Enrollment, Finalsite mobile apps, Lancer Landing portal, and Yondr Pouches for phone-free Middle School classrooms — with no proprietary AI/ML systems.
Revenue is generated primarily through tiered annual tuition subscriptions ($30,300 for JK; $37,700 for SK-Grade 5; $46,200 for Grades 6-8; $49,100 for Grades 9-12), supplemented by Extended Day and Summer program fees, plus philanthropic revenue from the Day of Giving (targeting $1M annually, $6M cumulative over a decade) and the 44th Annual Gala. Approximately $8.25M in need-based financial assistance is awarded to 25% of the student body each year, demonstrating a cross-subsidy model that supports socio-economic diversity within the enrollment base. The go-to-market approach is sales-led admissions, leveraging inquiry forms, campus tours, open houses, neighborhood coffee meet-ups, webinars, and email/newsletter content marketing targeting prospective families across the San Diego metro. The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees with Kevin Yaley, Ph.D. as Head of School since 2010.
Francis Parker School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Francis Parker School
- Legal name
- Francis Parker School
- Website
- https://francisparker.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1912
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Francis Parker School is a 112-year-old nonprofit independent JK-12 school in San Diego serving 1,322 students across two campuses with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio, progressive curriculum, and tuition ranging from $30,300 to $49,100 annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Francis Parker School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent K-12 Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)
Keywords
Where Francis Parker School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Francis Parker School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition: Annual tuition payments from enrolled families across four divisions: Junior Kindergarten ($30,300), Senior Kindergarten-Grade 5 ($37,700), Grades 6-8 ($46,200), Grades 9-12 ($49,100). Primary revenue stream supporting school operations.
- Annual Giving (Day of Giving): Annual one-day campaign raising funds specifically for teacher professional development and salaries. Target of $1 million with goal of 1,000 family donors. Has invested $6 million over the past decade in faculty support.
- Annual Gala: 44th Annual Gala raising funds for student financial assistance. Sponsorships at various levels from Championship Circle ($50,000+) to Fan Zone ($5,000-$9,999). Last year awarded $8.25 million in need-based financial assistance.
- Financial Assistance: Approximately $8.25 million in tuition assistance awarded to 25% of the student body based on demonstrated financial need. Additional support for transportation, global trips, and other expenses.
- Summer Programs: Summer camps and programs including JK-Grade 3, Grades 4-8, Grades 9-12, Camp Parker, and Lancer Life. Revenue from camp registrations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Junior Kindergarten annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Senior Kindergarten to Grade 5 annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Grades 6-8 annual tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Grades 9-12 annual tuition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Application fee |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Lower School Extended Day full year |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Middle School Extended Day full year |
| Subscription | Annual | Financial Assistance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Francis Parker School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Francis Parker School is a private independent co-educational day school providing progressive education for students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 across two San Diego campuses (Mission Hills and Linda Vista). The school delivers college-preparatory academics, global learning travel, athletics, arts, robotics, and student wellness programs, supported by need-based financial assistance and supplementary summer and extended-day programs.
Product overview
Francis Parker School is a comprehensive JK-12 private educational institution offering a unified progressive education program across four divisions: Lower School (JK-Grade 5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), Upper School (Grades 9-12), and Integrative Programs. The core academic program is supplemented by extensive extracurricular offerings including award-winning robotics, athletics (with 300+ championship banners), performing and visual arts, global learning/travel programs, and comprehensive college counseling. The school also operates supplementary programs including Summer at Parker camps, Extended Day care, and a Financial Assistance program serving 25% of students with approximately $8.25 million annually. Fundraising initiatives include the annual Day of Giving and Gala events. The institution operates across two campuses in San Diego (Mission Hills for Lower School, Linda Vista for Middle/Upper School) serving 1,322 students with a 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Summer at Parker: Summer camp and educational programs for students JK-Grade 12 during summer break
- Extended Day Program
- Camp Parker
- Lancer Life
Products and services
- Lower School Program (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5) Foundational day school program for children ages 4-10 at the Mission Hills Campus, emphasizing play-based learning, character development, and introduction to global perspectives. Tuition: $30,300 (JK) and $37,700 (SK-Grade 5) per academic year.
- Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Day school program for pre-adolescents at the Linda Vista Campus, emphasizing social-emotional learning, character education, foreign language, music, and Discovery Week international travel. Tuition: $46,200 per academic year.
- Upper School Program (Grades 9-12) College-preparatory day school program at the Linda Vista Campus offering 60+ AP and Honors courses, diverse electives, global travel programs, and comprehensive college counseling. Tuition: $49,100 per academic year.
- Summer at Parker Public summer camp and educational programs for JK through Grade 12 students, including Lancer Life (Grades 4-8), Camp Parker, and access to the Douglas Aquatic Center. Revenue from camp registrations.
- Extended Day Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Francis Parker School
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Francis Parker School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Francis Parker School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Horizons San DiegocoreHorizons San Diego is a partner organization supporting the school's progressive education and community engagement initiatives. The partnership provides enrichment opportunities for students as part of the school's commitment to serving community needs and providing experiential education.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves2 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Francis Parker School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- La Jolla Country Day School: Independent co-ed K-12 day school in San Diego County offering comparable progressive, college-prep programming and tuition tier; competes head-to-head for the same regional applicant pool.
- The Bishop's School: La Jolla-based private independent co-ed K-12 day school and the most direct local competitor to Francis Parker, competing for the same San Diego families, applicants, and faculty.
- Pacific Ridge School: Carlsbad-based independent co-ed day school (Grades 7-12) competing for North County San Diego families seeking college-preparatory education with similar extracurricular breadth.
- Poly Prep Country Day School: Independent co-ed K-12 day school in Brooklyn, NY operating a similar progressive, college-preparatory model with comparable tuition scale and endowment-funded financial aid.
- San Diego Jewish Academy: Independent co-ed K-12 day school in San Diego County with comparable tuition model, financial aid program, and progressive college-prep curriculum.
Broad incumbents
- Crossroads School: Independent K-12 day school in Santa Monica with a progressive, mission-driven curriculum and similar tuition/financial aid structure; comparable on philosophy and program design.
- Harvard-Westlake School: One of LA's largest and most prestigious independent K-12 day schools, providing a peer benchmark for academic breadth, athletics, and advancement-driven operating model.
- The Buckley School: Independent K-12 day school in Sherman Oaks serving a comparable upper-income Los Angeles market with similar tuition tier and college-preparatory focus.
- Brentwood School: Large independent K-12 day school on LA's Westside serving a similar affluent, college-prep-focused clientele at comparable tuition levels; useful benchmark for scale and program breadth.
- Windward School: Independent K-12 day school in LA's Westside; comparable on private independent model, tuition scale, and college-prep outcomes — useful for benchmarking admissions yield and faculty economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Francis Parker School social profiles
Digital presenceFrancis Parker School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Francis Parker School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Francis Parker School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Francis Parker School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Francis Parker School
What does Francis Parker School do?
Francis Parker School is a private independent co-educational day school providing progressive education for students from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12 across two San Diego campuses (Mission Hills and Linda Vista). The school delivers college-preparatory academics, global learning travel, athletics, arts, robotics, and student wellness programs, supported by need-based financial assistance and supplementary summer and extended-day programs.
Is Francis Parker School a public or private company?
Francis Parker School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Francis Parker School founded?
Francis Parker School was founded in 1912. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Francis Parker School based?
Francis Parker School is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does Francis Parker School make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition is the primary driver. The others are annual Giving (Day of Giving), annual Gala, financial Assistance and summer Programs.
Who are Francis Parker School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are La Jolla Country Day School, The Bishop's School, Pacific Ridge School, Poly Prep Country Day School and San Diego Jewish Academy. Broad incumbents are Crossroads School, Harvard-Westlake School, The Buckley School, Brentwood School and Windward School.
Does Francis Parker School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Francis Parker School.
What industry is Francis Parker School in?
Francis Parker School's product category is Independent K-12 Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAA, Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools, with a secondary code of EDACABAM, Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools. Its NAICS code is 611110 and its SIC code is 8351.