Beacon Academy Charter School

What Beacon Academy Charter School does

Beacon Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving grades K-8 in Crystal, Minnesota (a Minneapolis suburb). The school operates under Minnesota state charter school law as entity 4124-07, with the Minnesota Department of Education serving as its authorizer and primary funding source. Beacon's revenue model is per-pupil state aid supplemented by federal Title I funding, Minnesota READ Act categorical aid ($20,809 in 2025; $36,033 in Literacy Incentive Aid for 2024-25), and PTO-managed fundraising. Enrollment is governed by an open enrollment period (first Tuesday in September through February 1st) and a mandated random public lottery when applications exceed openings; currently enrolled students, siblings, and children of employees receive preference.

The school's core offerings include a full-day play-based Kindergarten program, a Middle School Honors Program (Honors Pre-Algebra in 6th grade, Honors Algebra in 7th, Honors Geometry in 8th), comprehensive Special Education services (OT, PT, DAPE, BVI, School Psychology, PI consulting, Audiologist, nursing, Social Work), daily Spanish instruction using Comprehensible Input/TPRS methodology with Heritage Spanish tracks, Title I supplemental literacy and numeracy support for grades 1-3, and English Learner services. Character education uses Responsive Classroom (K-5) and Developmental Designs (6-8) frameworks built around the CARES model (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, Self-Control). Curriculum is delivered through established vendor partnerships with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Math Expressions K-5, Big Ideas Math 6-8), McGraw Hill (Open Court K-2, Wonders 3-5), TCI (Social Studies K-8), FOSS (Science K-5), and LabAids (Science 6-8).

Beacon Academy's technology stack is standard and non-proprietary: ParentVUE/StudentVUE for student information and parent communication, an online enrollment portal (apply.beaconacademy.com), a tour scheduling system (tour.beaconacademy.com), Google Forms for HR processes, and Square-based e-commerce for PTO fundraising. The school distributes its services through a single physical campus at 3415 Louisiana Ave N, Crystal, MN, with free bus transportation via a Lake Country Industries contract that uses satellite stops at churches, parks, and other schools to extend the catchment area across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Marketing is conducted through the school's website, Facebook, and Instagram, with campus tours serving as the primary mid-funnel conversion mechanism.

Name

Beacon Academy Charter School

Legal name

Beacon Academy

Website

https://beaconacademy.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Beacon Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving K-8 students in Crystal, Minnesota, funded primarily through per-pupil state aid and offering programs including honors math, Spanish instruction, special education, and character education under a state-authorized charter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Crystal

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding: As a public charter school in Minnesota, Beacon Academy receives per-pupil state funding based on enrollment. This is the primary revenue source for operating the school.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Beacon Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving grades K-8 in Crystal, MN. It delivers a rigorous, content-rich curriculum with emphasis on positive character development, family involvement, and a small learning community. Core offerings include a full-day Kindergarten program, a Middle School Honors Program, daily Spanish language instruction, Special Education services, Title I support, and English Learner services.

Product overview

Beacon Academy Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving grades K-8 in Crystal, MN. The school operates as a unified educational program combining core academics with specialized offerings including a full-day Kindergarten program, Middle School Honors Program (6th-8th grades with accelerated math courses), Special Education services, Spanish language instruction, Character Education (Responsive Classroom K-5 / Developmental Designs 6-8), Title I support, and English Learner services. Additional services include bus transportation, uniform requirements, and PTO-managed fundraising programs. The school provides comprehensive K-8 education with emphasis on community, rigor, and character development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Charter School Education Tuition-free public charter school education serving grades K-8 located in Crystal, MN, providing a rigorous, content-rich curriculum with emphasis on positive character development and family involvement.
• Kindergarten Program Full-day kindergarten program with play-based learning that builds foundations in reading and math, emphasizes social-emotional development, and includes Spanish language instruction.
• Middle School Honors Program Accelerated academic program for 6th-8th graders preparing for advanced high school courses, featuring Honors Pre-Algebra (6th), Honors Algebra (7th), and Honors Geometry (8th).
• Spanish Language Instruction Daily Spanish instruction using Comprehensible Input methodology and TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling), with leveled classes in middle school and Heritage Spanish for Spanish-speaking families.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education program including OT, PT, DAPE, BVI, School Psychology, PI consulting, Audiologist, nursing, and Social Work services.
• Character Education Program Social-emotional learning curriculum using Responsive Classroom (K-5) and Developmental Designs (6-8), teaching Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, and Self-Control (CARES).
• Title I Support Program Federally-funded supplemental instruction supporting 1st-3rd grade students in literacy and numeracy through small group interventions and classroom support.
• English Learner (EL) Program English language support services for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds, developing speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension skills toward English mastery.
• Bus Transportation Free bus transportation provided through contract with Lake Country Industries, LLC, using satellite stops at church parking lots, parks, or other schools.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Houghton Mifflin HarcourtminorOthersCurriculum publisher providing math curriculum materials: Math Expressions K-5 and Big Ideas Math 6-8. These are standard educational publishing partnerships for curriculum delivery.
• McGraw HillminorOthersCurriculum publisher providing literacy curriculum materials: Open Court K-2 and Wonders 3-5. Standard educational publishing partnership for literacy instruction materials.
• TCIminorOthersSocial Studies curriculum provider for grades K-8. Provides curricular materials for social studies instruction.
• FOSS (Full Option Science System)minorOthersScience curriculum provider for grades K-5. Provides hands-on science curriculum materials.
• LabAidsminorOthersScience curriculum provider for grades 6-8. Provides science instructional materials for middle school students.
• Lake Country Industries, LLCminorOthersBus transportation contractor providing satellite bus stops at churches, parks, or other schools to accommodate the student population. Transportation is provided at no cost to families.
• Minnesota Department of EducationcoreOthersState authorizer and funding body. Beacon Academy is a public charter school (4124-07) operating under Minnesota charter school law. Receives per-pupil state funding and is subject to state educational standards and reporting requirements including Minnesota READ Act compliance.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heritage Academies: Grand Rapids, MI-based charter management organization operating public charter schools nationwide, including in Minnesota. Comparable to Beacon as a tuition-free charter operator with standardized curriculum stacks, character education, and similar compliance/authorizer-driven funding model.
• Mastery Charter Schools: Philadelphia-based nonprofit charter management organization operating tuition-free K-12 public charter schools with a strong character and college-prep focus. Comparable to Beacon as a charter operator emphasizing rigor, character development, and family/community engagement under per-pupil state funding.
• Distinctive Schools: National charter management organization operating public charter schools across several states with a focus on innovative, community-embedded models. Comparable to Beacon in operating tuition-free K-8 charters with lottery admission and family/community engagement emphasis, but at multi-site scale.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National nonprofit charter network operating hundreds of K-12 public charter schools across the U.S. with a college-prep focus and character education (KIPP character strengths). Comparable to Beacon in operating charter schools, lottery admissions, family engagement model, and character-based curriculum, but at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Sejong Academy: Minnesota K-8 public charter school in Minneapolis with a Korean/English dual-language immersion model. Directly comparable to Beacon as a small, tuition-free MN K-8 charter where daily language immersion is the central educational differentiator.
• St. Croix Preparatory Academy: Minnesota public charter school serving grades K-12 in Stillwater with a rigorous college-prep focus, character education, and honors pathways. Comparable to Beacon as a tuition-free MN charter with lottery admission, character development programming, and a strong honors/academic differentiation strategy.
• Great River School: Minnesota public charter school in St. Paul serving grades K-12 with a progressive, Montessori-inspired pedagogy and small learning community. Comparable to Beacon as a tuition-free MN charter emphasizing character, community, and family involvement across the K-8 span.
• Kaleidoscope Charter School: Minnesota public charter school serving grades K-12 with a project-based and arts-integrated curriculum. Comparable to Beacon as a tuition-free MN charter with lottery admission, family engagement emphasis, and similar K-8 service range.
• Lakes International Language Academy: Minnesota K-8 public charter school with a strong dual-language immersion focus, headquartered in Forest Lake, MN. Directly comparable to Beacon Academy as a tuition-free MN charter serving K-8 with wraparound services and lottery-based enrollment.
• Twin Cities Academy: Minnesota public charter school serving grades 6-12 in St. Paul with a small learning community model and character-focused mission. Directly comparable in governance structure, tuition-free charter model, and small-school positioning, with overlap in middle-school grades served.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/beaconacademycharter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beacon-academy-charter-school

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Beacon Academy Charter School