What Clearwater School does

The Clearwater School is a 501c3 nonprofit democratic free school founded in 1996 in Bothell, Washington, operating on the Sudbury model. It serves roughly 91 students ages 4-19 with no mandatory classes, grades, tests, or homework; students govern the school through a one-person-one-vote School Meeting that approves rules, budgets, staff hiring, and discipline, supported by a Justice and Compassion Committee. The campus comprises five buildings on 3.4 acres along North Creek, including a kitchen, music room, art room, theater, computer room, library, quiet areas, and an active room.

Core offerings include a full-time enrollment program ($11,350 annual tuition for the first student, $9,080 for additional students in the same family), a part-time option for ages 4-7 (3-4 days per week), a Homeschool Extension pilot for ages 8+ that pairs weekly support committees with optional campus time, and a $300 non-refundable Visiting Week immersion required before enrollment. The school has no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on community-driven communications (website, Instagram, intern blog, intern blog content) rather than a formal LMS or AI tooling.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition subscriptions, supplemented by trust-based Tuition Assistance donations, one-time Visiting Week fees, and donations routed through Clearwater as fiscal sponsor for the Well Being Youth and Family Resource Center (co-founded with WAGRO and Mujeres con Actitud Latina in 2020) and Snohomish County Mutual Aid. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer via tours, video calls, orientation, Visiting Week, and contract signing; families discover the school through word-of-mouth, YouTube, social media, and earned media in Seattle Times and Everett Herald.

Name

Clearwater School

Legal name

The Clearwater School

Website

https://clearwaterschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Clearwater School is a 501c3 nonprofit Sudbury-model democratic free school in Bothell, WA, serving roughly 91 students ages 4-19 with self-directed learning, no grades or mandatory classes, and one-person-one-vote School Meeting governance, funded by tuition and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Alternative K-12 education
• Democratic free school
• Self-directed learning
• Sudbury model education
• Private nonprofit school

Headquarters

HQ city

Bothell

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. Tuition - Full-Time (5 days): Annual tuition for 5-day full-time enrollment: $11,350 for 1st student, $9,080 for additional students. Primary revenue stream.
2. Tuition - Part-Time (3-4 days, ages 4-7): Annual tuition for part-time enrollment: $9,080 for 4 days, $6,810 for 3 days. Only available for students aged 4-7.
3. Homeschool Extension Tuition: Annual tuition for Homeschool Extension program: $11,350. Same rate as full-time enrollment.
4. Visiting Week Fee: Non-refundable fee of $300 per student for the 5-day Visiting Week experience prior to enrollment.
5. Donations and Sponsorships: Donations support the Tuition Assistance Fund. Clearwater acts as fiscal sponsor for Well Being Center and Snohomish County Mutual Aid. The school is a 501c3 nonprofit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Clearwater School is a private nonprofit K-12 institution that provides self-directed, democratic education for students ages 4-19 based on the Sudbury model, with no mandatory classes, grades, tests, or homework. Students govern the school through a one-person-one-vote School Meeting and learn through play, exploration, and mixed-age interaction on a 3.4-acre campus. The school supplements its core enrollment program with a Homeschool Extension, a part-time option for younger children, and a community-based Well Being Youth and Family Resource Center.

Product overview

Clearwater School offers a portfolio of self-directed education programs based on the Sudbury model. The core product is full-time K-12 enrollment where students ages 4-19 direct their own learning without curriculum, grades, or tests. Supporting offerings include part-time enrollment for young children (ages 4-7), the Homeschool Extension pilot program for students 8+ with weekly support committee meetings, and the Well Being Youth and Family Resource Center providing holistic community services. All programs emphasize democratic governance through School Meeting, student autonomy, and community responsibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Well Being Center: Youth and Family Resource Center providing holistic well-being services including health screenings, support groups, Prime Time Family Reading, parenting workshops, mental health programs, art and cultural events, and violence prevention workshops. A collaborative initiative with WAGRO and Mujeres con Actitud Latina.

Products and services

• Full-Time Enrollment Program Core K-12 Sudbury-model program where students ages 4-19 pursue self-directed education without mandatory classes, homework, tests, or grades, and participate in School Meeting to democratically govern the school. Designed for families in the greater Seattle area seeking an alternative to traditional schooling.
• Part-Time Enrollment (ages 4-7) Optional part-time enrollment for students under age 8, offering 3 or 4 days per week attendance and/or shorter hours to allow younger students to adjust to full-time school. Priced at $9,080 annually for 4 days and $6,810 for 3 days.
• Homeschool Extension Program Pilot program for students ages 8+ offering part-time attendance with weekly one-hour support committee meetings, unstructured time on campus, structured post-graduation planning, a narrative transcript, and a diploma. Annual tuition of $11,350.
• Visiting Week Five-day immersive experience where prospective students fully participate in school activities, attend School Meeting and Justice Committee, and demonstrate readiness for the unsupervised environment before full enrollment. Non-refundable fee of $300 per student.
• Well Being Youth and Family Resource Center Family resource center on Clearwater's campus providing holistic services including mental, physical, social, and emotional well-being support, resource navigation, health screenings, support groups, Prime Time Family Reading, parenting workshops, mental health programs, art and cultural events, and violence prevention workshops. Co-founded with WAGRO and Mujeres con Actitud Latina.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of Sudbury graduates pursue higher education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WAGRO (WAGRO Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020WAGRO Foundation partnered with Clearwater School and Mujeres con Actitud Latina to form the Well Being Community Center. Born out of dynamic alliance during the COVID-19 crisis to distribute PPE, administer tests, and deliver vaccines to underrepresented communities. WAGRO is a founding partner of the Well Being Youth & Family Resource Center on Clearwater's campus.
• Mujeres con Actitud LatinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Mujeres con Actitud Latina partnered with Clearwater School and WAGRO to form the Well Being Community Center. As a founding partner, it contributes to community programming including the 'Mujeres con Actitud Latina' monthly meetings and culturally-responsive support services. Located at 5326 176th St SW, Lynnwood, WA 98037.
• Snohomish County Mutual AidminorOthersClearwater School acts as fiscal sponsor for Snohomish County Mutual Aid, a local grassroots organization born during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide free groceries and household items to vulnerable community members. Donations can be made through Clearwater's PayPal by selecting 'Snohomish County Mutual Aid'.
• Clearwater CommonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClearwater Commons is a separate intentional low-impact development founded by several Clearwater families. They own 7.5 acres directly north of the school campus. The two organizations share a 'friendly relationship' and 'many shared opportunities'. The Clearwater Reach encompasses both the school and the Commons areas along North Creek.
• Snohomish County (Environmental Initiatives)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSnohomish County funded major environmental projects on Clearwater's campus including a creek and habitat restoration project (2011), rain garden installation (2009), and solar panel demonstration project (2010) through its environmental initiatives.
• Salmon Recovery Funding BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded a major salmon habitat restoration project along North Creek at the Clearwater campus in 2011, part of the Clearwater Reach restoration effort.
• National Fish and Wildlife FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded a major salmon habitat restoration project along North Creek at the Clearwater campus in 2011, part of the Clearwater Reach restoration effort.
• Snohomish County PUD (Planet Power Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded a solar panel demonstration project on Clearwater's campus in winter 2010 through the Planet Power program, in partnership with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.
• Snohomish Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartially funded a rain garden installation along Clearwater's playground in summer 2009, supporting environmental sustainability efforts.
• Clearwater Commons FamiliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeveral Clearwater families collectively purchased 7.5 acres directly north of the school campus and founded Clearwater Commons, an intentional low-impact development with 16 units using low-impact building practices. A collaborative relationship with the school.
• Sudbury Valley SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1968 in Framingham, Massachusetts, Sudbury Valley School is the origin of the Sudbury model of education that Clearwater follows. Clearwater is part of an international movement of over 30 Sudbury schools. The model asserts that children learn best when allowed to pursue their own interests. Sudbury Valley conducted an extensive alumni study cited by Clearwater (82% higher education, 45% self-employed).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alpine Valley School: A Sudbury-model democratic free school in Nederland, Colorado serving K-12 students through self-directed learning and School Meeting governance. It is a directly comparable Sudbury-model peer to Clearwater in size, philosophy, and age range served.
• Sudbury Valley School: Founded in 1968 in Framingham, MA, Sudbury Valley School is the origin of the Sudbury educational model that Clearwater explicitly follows. It is the same-age democratic free school model with School Meeting governance, mixed-age community, no mandatory classes, grades, or tests, making it the closest direct comparable to Clearwater in philosophy and operations.
• Diablo Valley School: A Sudbury-model democratic school in Concord, California serving students ages 4-19 through self-directed education and one-person-one-vote School Meeting governance. It is a directly comparable West Coast Sudbury-model peer to Clearwater.
• Sands Point School: A Sudbury-model democratic school on the East Coast offering self-directed learning and School Meeting governance for K-12 students. It is structurally and philosophically aligned with Clearwater as part of the international Sudbury schools movement.
• The Circle School: A democratic free school in Harrisburg, PA, founded in 1984 on the Sudbury model with annual staff elections, School Meeting governance, and self-directed learning for ages 4-19. The Circle School is one of the longest-running direct Sudbury-model peers comparable to Clearwater.

Regional players

• Seattle Waldorf School: A private Waldorf K-12 school serving the greater Seattle area, providing a non-mainstream educational alternative with a different pedagogical framework. It competes with Clearwater for Seattle-area families willing to pay tuition for non-traditional education.
• Bright Water School: A Waldorf-inspired K-8 school in Seattle, WA serving families in greater Seattle seeking an alternative to mainstream public and conventional private education. Although pedagogy differs from Clearwater's Sudbury model, it competes for the same Seattle-area families seeking alternative K-12 education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/theclearwaterschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clearwater-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Clearwater School