Compass Public Charter School

What Compass Public Charter School does

Compass Public Charter School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charter school serving grades K-12 from a single campus at 4667 W. Aviator Street in Meridian, Idaho. Founded in 2005 by a group of parents seeking an alternative to traditional public schooling, the school has grown from 275 students at inception to over 1,200 students today and is accredited through Cognia. The institution ranks consistently in the top 5% of all schools in Idaho, with reported outcomes of 75% math proficiency, 83% ELA proficiency, and 84% college readiness — substantially exceeding both the neighboring district and Idaho state averages. The school operates a 4-day weekly calendar and emphasizes academic rigor alongside character development and personal worldview formation. Susan Luke serves as Charter Administrator.

The school's technology stack is standard K-12 administrative infrastructure: PowerSchool functions as the student information system for grades, attendance, scheduling, and graduation tracking; Schoology serves as the learning management system for grades 6-12, enabling parent visibility into coursework; WordPress powers the public website; and Google Workspace, Freshservice (IT helpdesk), MySchoolBucks (meal payments), PayPal, TreeRing (yearbooks), and SchoolPulse (wellness/reporting) round out the operational integrations. The school also maintains a College of Western Idaho (CWI) dual enrollment partnership enabling students to earn college credit in high school.

Revenue mechanics are anchored in per-pupil state and federal public education funding tied to enrollment, supplemented by donations and a formalized four-tier Aviator Sponsorship program (Bronze $100-$499 through Platinum $5,000+) targeted at local businesses, plus a $400,000 capital campaign to equip a new gymnasium. No tuition is charged. Go-to-market is community-led: enrollment is open to all Idaho students, and parent word-of-mouth, athletics, clubs, newsletters, and the school website drive acquisition and retention. The school has no parent company, no institutional investors, and operates under a board of directors with public disclosure of financials, policies, and contracts.

Name

Compass Public Charter School

Legal name

Compass Public Charter School

Website

https://compasscharter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Compass Public Charter School is a 501(c)(3) K-12 public charter school in Meridian, Idaho, serving over 1,200 students with Cognia accreditation and top-5% Idaho academic rankings. Revenue is per-pupil public funding supplemented by donations and athletic sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• K-12 academic programs
• College readiness programs
• Athletic sponsorship programs
• Public charter schooling

Headquarters

HQ city

Meridian

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a 501(c)(3) public charter school in Idaho, Compass receives per-pupil state and federal education funding based on enrollment. This is the primary revenue stream supporting operations.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The school conducts fundraising campaigns including a $400,000 equipment campaign for the new gym. Donors can contribute to unrestricted 'Highest Need' funds, student activities, athletics, or direct gym equipment. Tax credit donations are accepted (2025 deadline December 31st; 2026 opens January 1st).
3. Athletic Sponsorships: Annual Aviator Sponsorship program with four tiers: Platinum ($5,000+), Gold ($1,000-$4,999), Silver ($500-$999), and Bronze ($100-$499). Platinum sponsors receive permanent recognition in the new gym lobby, banner displays, score table TV logo placement, newsletter features, and announcements at home games.
4. Student Fees and Services: Revenue from athletics participation fees (with scholarship options available), yearbook purchases via TreeRing, and lunch payments via MySchoolBucks. School supply lists and various forms are provided, with some optional paid services.
5. College Savings Programs: Partnership with Idaho College Savings Network (ICSN) supporting positive mental health for families and college readiness.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Compass Public Charter School is a K-12 public charter school in Meridian, Idaho, providing tuition-free education to more than 1,200 students across kindergarten through 12th grade on a 4-day school week calendar. Its core offering includes standards-referenced academic programs, college preparation with dual enrollment through the College of Western Idaho, athletics, clubs, and student support services such as counseling, transportation, and health services. The school is accredited through Cognia and consistently ranks in the top 5% of all Idaho schools.

Product overview

Compass Public Charter School operates as a single unified educational institution offering K-12 academic programs as its core product. The school provides integrated platforms for parent/student engagement (PowerSchool Portal and Schoology LMS), alongside ancillary services including athletics programs, clubs and activities, and student health services. The school is currently fundraising for a new gymnasium facility. The institution serves over 1,200 students and ranks in the top 5% of Idaho schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% Math Proficient or Advanced — exceeds neighboring district (67%), '20 in 10' cohort (55%), and state average (53%)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CogniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompass Public Charter School is accredited through Cognia, a global nonprofit and premier accreditor for schools. Cognia accreditation validates the school's educational quality and continuous improvement processes.
• Idaho Charter School NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompass is a member of the Idaho Charter School Network (ICSN), a statewide organization supporting charter schools in Idaho. ICSN provides advocacy, resources, and community for Idaho's charter schools.
• Idaho College Savings Network (ICSN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompass partners with the Idaho College Savings Network to support positive mental health for families and promote college readiness. The network provides college savings resources to Compass families.
• College of Western Idaho (CWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompass offers CWI Dual Credit programs, allowing students to earn college credits while in high school. This partnership provides a direct pathway for students to access higher education coursework and reduce college costs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• North Star Charter School: North Star Charter School is an independent public charter school located near Meridian, Idaho, serving a comparable K-12 student base. Direct geographic peer competing for the same Eagle/Meridian-area families under the same Idaho funding model.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Success Academy is a high-performing charter school network consistently producing top-tier academic outcomes in math and ELA. Its outcome-driven charter model and family-driven enrollment approach are directly comparable to Compass's positioning.
• Idaho Arts Charter School: Idaho Arts Charter School is an independent, single-site public charter school operating in the Idaho market alongside Compass, making it a direct geographic and structural peer in terms of funding model, governance, and scale.
• Sage International School: Sage International School is an Idaho-based public charter school serving grades K-12 in the Boise area. A direct local peer given shared charter funding model, similar student population, and competing for the same Treasure Valley families.

Broad incumbents

• BASIS Charter Schools: BASIS is a national network of academically rigorous charter schools with top-decile outcomes. While it operates across multiple sites, its emphasis on high academic standards and college readiness closely mirrors Compass's stated positioning and outcomes (84% college readiness).
• National Heritage Academies: National Heritage Academies is a charter management organization operating K-12 charter schools across multiple states. Comparable as a scaled operator of tuition-free public charter schools reliant on per-pupil funding plus community fundraising.
• Great Hearts Academies: Great Hearts operates a multi-site network of classical, college-preparatory charter schools. It shares Compass's emphasis on character development, high academic expectations, and a culture-first approach to K-12 education.
• KIPP Public Schools: KIPP is one of the largest charter networks in the U.S., serving college-preparatory K-12 students with strong academic outcomes. Comparable as a tuition-free public charter operator with community-led growth and supplemental fundraising.
• Charter Schools USA: Charter Schools USA is a charter management organization serving tens of thousands of K-12 students nationwide. Relevant peer because it operates under the same per-pupil funding model with supplemental fundraising and corporate sponsorship programs.
• Democracy Prep Public Schools: Democracy Prep is a charter network with a college-preparatory focus and strong college-readiness outcomes. Relevant peer for outcome-oriented charter school operations and community-based enrollment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cpcs-idaho

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 Compass Public Charter School