Central Lee Community School District

What Central Lee Community School District does

Central Lee Community School District is a public K-12 school district headquartered at 2642 Highway 218 in Donnellson, Iowa, serving approximately 1,100 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across the communities of Donnellson, Montrose, and Argyle in Lee County. The district operates two buildings on a single consolidated campus (K-8 and 9-12), employs approximately 150 staff, transports 800-900 students daily across 180 square miles via 14 bus routes plus 2 special education routes, and runs the Hawk's Place before/after school care program for K-5 students.

The district's core technology platform is a district-wide 1:1 iPad program (Apple Distinguished District) covering all K-12 students with managed Apple IDs and 200GB of iCloud storage, paired with Canvas LMS for grades 6-12, PowerSchool as the student information system, ClassLink single sign-on, iBoss CIPA-compliant content filtering, and a stack of instructional tools including iReady, ST Math, NoRedInk, CommonLit, PhET, Google Workspace for Education, and Microsoft Office 365. Its pedagogical identity is anchored on the FranklinCovey Leader in Me framework — manifested as SOAR (Successful, Organized, Accountable, Respectful) at the high school level, which earned Lighthouse School status in April 2025 — and on a four-year Career & College Readiness framework that includes concurrent enrollment with Southeastern Community College, work-based learning with local employers, and an FFA chapter with 167 of approximately 300 high school students.

As a government state entity, Central Lee is funded primarily through Iowa state per-pupil foundation aid, local property taxes from residents in its service area, and federal categorical funding (Title I, IDEA, NSLP). Approximately one-third of its student body is generated through open enrollment from neighboring districts, indicating the district functions as a regional 'School of Choice.' Ancillary revenue streams include the Central Lee Community School District Foundation (est. 1985) for tax-deductible gifts supporting facilities and programs, and pay-as-you-go technology device damage/loss fees on iPads.

Name

Central Lee Community School District

Legal name

Central Lee Community School District

Website

https://centrallee.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Lee Community School District is a public K-12 district in Lee County, Iowa, serving approximately 1,100 students pre-K through 12 across Donnellson, Montrose, and Argyle via a 1:1 iPad program, Canvas LMS, Apple Distinguished District technology ecosystem, and the SOAR leadership framework, funded by Iowa per-pupil aid, local property taxes, and federal categorical funds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Career and technical education
• Before and after school care
• Leadership development programs
• Student transportation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Donnellson

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. State Per-Pupil Funding: The district receives state funding based on per-pupil enrollment, which is the primary source of operational funding for Iowa public school districts.
2. Local Property Tax Revenue: The district receives local property tax revenue from residents in its service area (Donnellson, Montrose, Argyle). The district has a history of voter-approved facility improvements and levies.
3. Federal Funding: The district receives federal funding for programs including Title I, special education, and nutrition programs (NSLP breakfast and lunch).
4. Foundation Fundraising: The Central Lee Community School District Foundation, established in 1985, solicits and receives tax-deductible gifts to maintain, develop, and extend district facilities and services and provide broader educational opportunities for students, staff, and residents.
5. Before/After School Care (Hawk's Place): Hawk's Place provides before school care (7am-8am) and after school care (3:30pm-5:30pm) for students K-5 for a fee. Revenue supports the operational costs of the program.
6. Technology Device Fees: The district charges fees for lost, stolen, or damaged iPads, including replacement fees ($329) and various repair costs (screen, battery, charging port, etc.). This offsets district costs for device damage.
7. Open Enrollment Tuition: The district receives students via open enrollment from neighboring districts, generating per-pupil funding from the sending district's state allocation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Central Lee Community School District delivers free public K-12 education to approximately 1,100 students across pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in Lee County, Iowa, operating from a consolidated campus in Donnellson. The district pairs Iowa Core-aligned academics with a 1:1 iPad technology program, the SOAR/Leader in Me leadership framework, and career and college readiness pathways including concurrent enrollment, CTE programs in agriculture and trades, FFA, and fine arts. Supplemental paid offerings include Hawk's Place before/after school care for K-5 students and fee-based replacement of damaged district devices.

Product overview

Central Lee Community School District offers a unified K-12 educational platform serving approximately 1100 students through an integrated technology ecosystem. The core offering centers on its 1:1 iPad Program paired with Canvas Learning Management System for grades 6-12, supplemented by SOAR Leadership Framework (based on Leader in Me), Career & College Readiness programming, and Hawk's Place child care. The district emphasizes digital learning tools including iReady, ST Math, Google Workspace, and Office 365, all accessed through ClassLink single sign-on. Transportation covers 180 square miles via 14 bus routes serving 800-900 daily riders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Health-e Pro: Nutrition software system used by the district for meal planning and tracking
• SOAR
• Hawk's Place

Products and services

• 1:1 iPad Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% graduation rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration15 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025The Central Lee School Board partnered with McPherson & Jacobson, L.L.C., a national firm specializing in superintendent searches, to conduct a comprehensive and transparent search for the district's next superintendent. The firm assists the board in gathering input from community and staff through surveys and focus groups, developing a leadership profile, posting the position, reviewing applications, and conducting interviews.
• Central Lee Community School District FoundationcoreOthers · 1 January 1985The Central Lee Community School District Foundation was established in 1985 by interested citizens of the school community with the support of the Board of Education. Its purpose is to maintain, develop, increase, and extend district facilities and services, and provide broader educational opportunities. It is governed by a Board of Trustees and is a not-for-profit corporation that can solicit tax-deductible gifts. Leadership: Doug Seyb (President), Marvin Conlee (Vice President), Steve Jones (Treasurer), Andy Crozier (Central Lee Superintendent).
• Southeastern Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Lee partners with Southeastern Community College (SCC) to offer concurrent enrollment courses, college credit for high school students, college visits for sophomores, SCC certification programs, and work-based learning experiences. This partnership extends educational offerings beyond what the district alone can provide.
• Iowa Core / Iowa Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district's Curriculum and Instruction work is grounded in the Iowa Core — statewide academic standards that define what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. The district aligns its instructional decision-making, curriculum materials, and resources with Iowa Core standards.
• Apple Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationCentral Lee is designated as an Apple Distinguished District, one of the first in the region to adopt 1:1 laptops and maintaining a dedicated Apple technology ecosystem. All K-12 students are issued iPads, and the district leverages Apple tools, Apple Pencil support, and the Apple Distinguished District identity as a key differentiator.
• FranklinCovey (Leader in Me)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Lee has implemented FranklinCovey's Leader in Me framework district-wide. The high school adaptation, SOAR (Successful, Organized, Accountable, Respectful), was recognized with Lighthouse School status in April 2025. The framework provides leadership instruction, student portfolios, student-led conferences, and service learning.
• Instructure (Canvas LMS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCentral Lee uses Canvas as its Learning Management System for grades 6-12. Canvas supports assignments, grades, and communication. The Canvas Parent app extends this to parent engagement. This is a core technology platform for the district's educational delivery.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationCentral Lee uses PowerSchool as its student information system for grades, attendance, and registration. Students and parents access PowerSchool for academic records and portal access.
• Iowa Area Education Agencies (AEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district collaborates with Iowa's Area Education Agencies for professional development (AEA & MISIC trainings), specialized instructional support, and access to Iowa AEA Online resources including databases, digital content, and training for teachers.
• Local Businesses and EmployersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal businesses in the Lee County area are deeply intertwined with the schools, offering career exploration opportunities that prepare students for life after graduation. Businesses provide job shadows, business and industry tours, work-study programs, and work-based learning experiences for students.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Waukee Community School District: Destination Iowa district where outgoing Superintendent Crozier is relocating; comparable as a fast-growing, high-performing Iowa K-12 system that competes for open enrollment and benchmarks against Central Lee's academic reputation.
• Keokuk Community School District: Adjacent SE Iowa K-12 district serving a similar small-city/rural community in Lee County region; comparable in enrollment scale, funding sources, and competitive overlap for open enrollment.
• Fort Madison Community School District: Neighboring Lee County K-12 district competing directly for open-enrolled students; directly comparable in size, geography, and Iowa funding framework, and a primary source/destination for open enrollment flows.
• Pleasant Valley Community School District: Iowa K-12 district recognized for academic excellence and college/career readiness programming; comparable in performance profile and curriculum structure though serving a different demographic region.
• Bondurant-Farrar Community School District: Iowa K-12 district of similar scale and community-engagement model, with comparable technology and college/career readiness programming serving a comparable rural-to-suburban Iowa population.
• Van Meter Community School District: Small, high-performing Iowa K-12 district known for innovation, technology integration, and strong community identity — directly comparable to Central Lee's Apple/Leader in Me positioning and rural Iowa footprint.

Regional players

• Mount Pleasant Community School District: Nearby SE Iowa K-12 district of similar size and rural Iowa profile; comparable as a regional peer in academic offerings and open enrollment dynamics though not in the same county.
• Muscatine Community School District: Larger SE Iowa K-12 district serving a comparable regional catchment; useful benchmark for curriculum breadth and concurrent enrollment partnerships with community colleges, though materially larger than Central Lee.

Others

• FranklinCovey (Leader in Me): Framework licensor behind Central Lee's SOAR leadership program and 2025 Lighthouse School designation; relevant ecosystem peer for understanding the framework's adoption dynamics and the prestige tier Central Lee has joined.
• Southeastern Community College: Concurrent enrollment and certification partner; comparable as the institutional counterparty that extends Central Lee's curriculum into post-secondary credit-bearing pathways.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CentralLeeCSD
• Facebookfacebook.com/CentralLeeCSD
• Instagraminstagram.com/centralleecsd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-lee-community-school-district

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Central Lee Community School District