Classical Academy
Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton is a public charter middle school founded in 1998 in Clifton, New Jersey, delivering a classical curriculum with STEM, Gifted and Talented, and Special Education programs to a tuition-free student body funded by NJ per-pupil allocations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersClifton, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Classical Academy does
Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton is a public charter school founded in September 1998 by Vincent and Magda DeRosa, serving middle school students in Clifton, New Jersey. The school delivers a classical, academically rigorous curriculum supplemented by STEM programs, a Gifted and Talented track, and comprehensive Special Education services including a Child Study Team, I&RS pre-referral support, and related therapies. It holds the U.S. Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence designation, awarded in 2008, and is the first charter school in Passaic County.
The school's underlying technology stack is commodity and operationally oriented rather than proprietary: it runs on the Finalsite website platform, uses Clever for student single sign-on, embeds Google Calendar for event publishing, and offers Friday Parent and Student Portals for family and learner access. There are no disclosed proprietary platforms, APIs, AI systems, or developer-facing products.
Classical Academy operates as a tuition-free public charter school under New Jersey charter law. Revenue is generated entirely through per-pupil state funding allocated by the State of New Jersey and federal Title I (ESSA) and ESSER ARP grants. Enrollment is managed through an annual lottery open from October to January, with eligibility restricted to students residing within the Clifton district catchment. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees led by Adrienne Austin (President) and Eyad Asmar (Vice President), with operational leadership under Lead Person Dr. Gregory Farley, Business Administrator Bernadette P., and Curriculum Supervisor Ms. Colleen Cubbage.
Classical Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Classical Academy
- Legal name
- Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton
- Website
- https://classicalacademy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton is a public charter middle school founded in 1998 in Clifton, New Jersey, delivering a classical curriculum with STEM, Gifted and Talented, and Special Education programs to a tuition-free student body funded by NJ per-pupil allocations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Classical Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-8 Education (Public Charter School)
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Charter Montessori/Waldorf/Classical/Expeditionary (Pedagogical Models) (EDAJACAL)
Keywords
Where Classical Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clifton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Classical Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Per-Pupil State Funding: As a public charter school in New Jersey, Classical Academy receives per-pupil funding from the State of New Jersey based on enrollment. Additional federal funding includes Title I (ESSA) and ESSER ARP grants.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Classical Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Classical Academy is a public, tuition-free charter school providing a classically infused K-8 academic curriculum to students in Clifton, New Jersey. Its core offering is the multi-year academic program anchored by Special Education services (including Child Study Team and I&RS), a Gifted and Talented program, and a STEM program (with Summer STEM), supplemented by National Junior Honor Society and Student Government. The school is publicly funded through New Jersey per-pupil allocations, Title I (ESSA), and ESSER ARP grants.
Product overview
Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton is a National Blue Ribbon public charter school serving middle school students in Clifton, New Jersey. Founded in 1998, the school offers a classically infused and highly academic curriculum as its core educational product, supplemented by specialized programs including Special Education Services (with Child Study Team support and I&RS pre-referral services), Gifted and Talented enrichment, and STEM/ Summer STEM programs. The school also supports student development through the National Junior Honor Society and Student Government. As a public charter school, the institution operates within New Jersey's Title I framework and provides special education support services in compliance with IDEIA regulations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Classical Academy K-8 Academic Program
- Special Education Services
- Child Study Team Services Multi-disciplinary team providing evaluation, eligibility determination, and IEP development for students with educational disabilities, including School Social Worker, Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant, and Case Management.
- Intervention and Referral Service (I&RS) Pre-referral process team that addresses academic, social, or emotional concerns and develops classroom-specific strategies before special education referral.
- Gifted and Talented Program
- STEM Program
- National Junior Honor Society
- Student Government
Companies that use Classical Academy
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Classical Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Classical Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Classical Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Classical Academy: Classical, liberal-arts focused public charter school offering a tuition-free K–8 alternative with a similar pedagogy to Classical Academy of Clifton.
- Great Hearts Academies: Multi-state network of classical, liberal-arts charter schools offering a tuition-free public classical curriculum comparable to Classical Academy's classical-and-STEM focus. Operates in AZ, TX, and other states with comparable K–12 grade spans.
- Success Academy Charter Schools: NYC-based public charter school network with rigorous academic culture and lottery-based admissions. Comparable as a high-performing, tuition-free public charter serving similar demographics under per-pupil public funding.
- BASIS Charter Schools: Network of STEM-focused public charter and independent schools with rigorous college-preparatory academics. Comparable tuition-free public charter STEM emphasis and lottery admissions in select regions.
- Hillsdale Charter Schools: Network of classical charter schools affiliated with Hillsdale College's K–12 classical curriculum, directly comparable to Classical Academy's classical pedagogy and tuition-free public charter model.
- Ivywood Classical Academy: Tuition-free public charter school implementing a classical liberal-arts curriculum with comparable pedagogical model and lottery-based admissions structure.
- Classical Charter Schools of Raleigh: Tuition-free public charter school offering a classical education from K–12. Operates under similar public charter mechanics, lottery admissions, and Title I funding frameworks as Classical Academy of Clifton.
Regional players
- North Star Academy (Uncommon Schools): Newark-based public charter school network serving K–12 in northern New Jersey. A comparable public charter competitor operating in the same regional market with similar Title I and per-pupil funding dynamics.
- KIPP New Jersey: Statewide network of public charter schools operating in Newark, Camden, and other NJ cities. Comparable public charter operating model with similar government funding mechanics and lottery-style admissions in the same NJ regulatory environment.
- TEAM Academy Charter School: Newark-based public charter school within the larger TEAM Schools network serving K–12 in northern NJ. Operates in the same regional market under the same NJ charter funding and authorizer framework.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Classical Academy social profiles
Digital presenceClassical Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Classical Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Classical Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Classical Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Classical Academy 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 Classical Academy
What does Classical Academy do?
Classical Academy is a public, tuition-free charter school providing a classically infused K-8 academic curriculum to students in Clifton, New Jersey. Its core offering is the multi-year academic program anchored by Special Education services (including Child Study Team and I&RS), a Gifted and Talented program, and a STEM program (with Summer STEM), supplemented by National Junior Honor Society and Student Government. The school is publicly funded through New Jersey per-pupil allocations, Title I (ESSA), and ESSER ARP grants.
Is Classical Academy a public or private company?
Classical Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Classical Academy founded?
Classical Academy was founded in 1998. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Classical Academy based?
Classical Academy is headquartered in Clifton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Classical Academy make money?
One revenue line is on record: per-Pupil State Funding.
Who are Classical Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Classical Academy, Great Hearts Academies, Success Academy Charter Schools, BASIS Charter Schools, Hillsdale Charter Schools, Ivywood Classical Academy and Classical Charter Schools of Raleigh. Regional players are North Star Academy (Uncommon Schools), KIPP New Jersey and TEAM Academy Charter School.
Does Classical Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Classical Academy.
What industry is Classical Academy in?
Classical Academy's product category is K-8 Education (Public Charter School). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJACAL, Charter Montessori/Waldorf/Classical/Expeditionary (Pedagogical Models). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.