NEW SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS

What NEW SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS does

New School for the Arts & Academics (NSAA) is a public charter school serving grades 6-12 at 1216 East Apache Boulevard in Tempe, Arizona, founded by Ron Caya in 1995 in Scottsdale and relocated to the historic Electric Ballroom building in August 2002. The institution operates as a tuition-free, state-funded charter under the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools, with current leadership under Executive Dean Katy Ferrell-Cardenas (since 2006). NSAA delivers an arts-integrated curriculum combining Visual Arts (drawing, painting, ceramics, jewelry and fashion design, digital arts, photography, 2D/3D design), Performing Arts (music, dance, theatre, vocal studies), and Arizona Academic Standards-aligned coursework including honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment options in partnership with Rio Salado College and Arizona State University.

The school differentiates itself through instruction by practicing professional artists, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), performance-based assessments, and project-based learning. Core products include the Visual Arts Program, Performing Arts Program, Academic Courses, the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency pathway, and dual-enrollment college credit. Supporting infrastructure is built on commodity education SaaS: Infinite Campus Portal for student information, Google Classroom for coursework, Remind for school communications, and The Box Office (BookTix) for ticketed performing arts events.

Revenue is derived primarily from Arizona per-pupil state charter school funding, supplemented by Arizona Tax Credit donations (up to $400 per individual / $800 per married couple) and an active community events / Box Office ticketing program. The student-facing GTM motion is direct enrollment via the school website, scheduled campus tours, and annual placement auditions and portfolio reviews (held July 27, 2026 for the upcoming school year). NSAA reports 21 employees, achieves state performance labels including Performing Plus, Highly Performing, and Excelling, and states that approximately 80% of graduates attend post-secondary educational institutes.

Name

NEW SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS

Legal name

New School for the Arts & Academics

Website

https://aznsaa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New School for the Arts & Academics is a tuition-free Arizona public charter school in Tempe serving grades 6-12 through an arts-integrated curriculum combining Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Arizona Academic Standards-aligned academics, funded primarily by state per-pupil funding and tax-credit donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Magnet & Specialty Schools (STEM/Arts/IB/CTE) (EDAJAAAF)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• Arts integrated curriculum
• Secondary education programs
• Visual arts instruction
• Performing arts education

Headquarters

HQ city

Tempe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. State Charter School Funding: NSAA operates as a public charter school receiving state funding per student, compliant with Arizona Department of Education and Arizona State Board for Charter Schools requirements.
2. Arizona Tax Credit Donations: Donors can contribute up to $400 to NSAA and receive the full amount back when filing Arizona state taxes, providing a tax benefit while supporting the school.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

New School for the Arts & Academics is a tuition-free public charter school in Tempe, Arizona that provides arts-integrated secondary education for grades 6-12. The school delivers Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and college-preparatory Academic programs taught by professional working artists, supported by Exceptional Student Services, counseling, and college coordination. Specialized offerings include the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency, dual enrollment college courses, summer programs, and portfolio reviews/placement auditions for admissions.

Product overview

New School for the Arts & Academics is a public charter school serving as a Visual and Performing Arts Middle & High School located in Tempe, Arizona. The school offers an integrated curriculum combining arts specialization (Visual Arts, Performing Arts) with Arizona Academic Standards-aligned academics. The core offering consists of three interconnected programs: Visual Arts (drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, digital arts), Performing Arts (music, dance, theatre, vocal studies), and Academic Courses (English, math, sciences, social studies, languages). Specialized programs include the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency pathway, Dual Enrollment college credit courses, Summer Programs, and portfolio-based placement auditions for entry. The school operates as a single unified institution serving grades 6-12 with separate middle and high school charters, emphasizing interdisciplinary curriculum where students train with professional practicing artists while pursuing academic excellence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visual Arts Program A secondary-school visual arts program for students in grades 6-12 taught by professional working artists, covering studio-based visual arts practice and portfolio development. Intended for Arizona students seeking intensive arts training alongside college-preparatory academics.
• Performing Arts Program A secondary-school performing arts program for grades 6-12 directed by a Performing Arts Director and taught by professional working artists, intended for students pursuing performing arts alongside rigorous academics.
• College-Preparatory Academic Program A college-preparatory academic curriculum offered to grades 6-12 students, supported by an Assessment Coordinator and College Coordinator, with a reported 80% post-secondary matriculation rate.
• Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency Program A credentialed program enabling NSAA students to earn the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency on their diploma, recognizing advanced arts achievement. For NSAA students seeking a state-recognized arts credential at graduation.
• Dual Enrollment College Courses College-credit courses taken by NSAA students while still enrolled in high school, providing college credit and exposure to post-secondary coursework. For high school students seeking early college credit.
• Summer Programs Summer enrichment programs offered by NSAA to provide continued arts and academic engagement outside the regular school year.
• Portfolio Review and Placement Audition Admissions assessment events at which prospective students submit an art portfolio and/or perform a placement audition to gain entry to NSAA's arts programs. For prospective students and families applying for admission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of NSAA graduates attend post-secondary educational institutes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arizona State Board for Charter SchoolscoreOthersNSAA operates under charter contracts with the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS). The school must demonstrate ongoing progress in student achievement and growth, measured by attendance, state testing, and graduation rates, to maintain charter integrity.
• AZ Charter School AssociationcoreOthersNSAA is a member of the AZ Charter School Association, providing advocacy and resources for charter schools in Arizona.
• AdvancEDcoreOthersNSAA is accredited by AdvancED, demonstrating commitment to continuous improvement and meeting high standards for education quality.
• Arizona Department of EducationcoreOthersNSAA complies with Arizona Department of Education requirements and participates in state programs including the Arizona State Seal of Arts Proficiency.
• Girls Rock PhoenixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirls Rock Phoenix hosts camps at NSAA facilities, providing music education programs for youth during summer sessions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Frank Sinatra School of the Arts: Public high school in Queens, NYC, specializing in visual and performing arts with audition-based admission and professional-artist faculty. Direct peer in the public arts secondary school category.
• Oakland School for the Arts: Public charter secondary school in Oakland, CA, providing pre-professional arts training alongside college-preparatory academics. Directly comparable as a public charter arts school, similar to NSAA's governance structure.
• Baltimore School for the Arts: Public magnet high school in Baltimore offering pre-professional training in visual and performing arts alongside college-preparatory academics. Comparable in structure, mission, and public-arts-integration profile.
• New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA): Public arts conservatory-style high school serving Louisiana students through audition-based admissions in visual and performing arts. Closely mirrors NSAA's portfolio/audition entry requirement and artist-faculty model.
• Duke Ellington School of the Arts: Public magnet high school in Washington, D.C. combining rigorous academics with pre-professional arts training across multiple disciplines. Directly comparable to NSAA's arts-academics integration model and public, audition-based admission.
• Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA): Public countywide arts high school in Los Angeles serving grades 9-12 with conservatory-style training across visual and performing arts. Most directly comparable to NSAA as a tuition-free public arts-focused secondary school with professional-artist faculty.
• Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts: Palm Beach County public magnet high school offering pre-professional programs in visual and performing arts. Comparable public, audition-based arts secondary institution.
• LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts: Iconic New York City public specialized high school with audition-based admissions across visual art, music, dance, and theatre. Comparable to NSAA in mission and rigor, though serving a far larger student body.
• Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA): Houston public magnet school offering conservatory-style arts training alongside academic coursework. Directly comparable arts-academics integration with public funding.

Regional players

• Las Vegas Academy of the Arts: Public magnet secondary school in Clark County, NV, offering arts-integrated academics. Comparable in mission and curriculum but operates in a different regional market from NSAA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/new-school-for-the-arts

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 NEW SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS