The Colorado Springs School

What The Colorado Springs School does

The Colorado Springs School (CSS) is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) day school founded in 1962, operating a 28-acre campus with eight academic buildings at 21 Broadmoor Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It enrolls approximately 300 students across four divisions — Early Childhood (PreK ages 3-5), Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12) — and employs roughly 230 faculty and staff. The school's product is a whole-child, experiential college-preparatory curriculum distinguished by signature programs such as Experience-Centered Seminars (ECS) with domestic and international expeditions, Senior Capstone, the Learning Garden, Service Learning, and an Athletics program that competes under CHSAA. CSS is ranked #1 Best Private K-12 School and #1 Best STEM High School in Colorado Springs by Niche.com and was named Best Private School in the Pikes Peak Region by Business Journal.

CSS runs a tuition-driven operating model supplemented by philanthropy. Tuition covers approximately 80% of operating expenses, with the remaining ~20% sourced from an Annual Fund (now branded Kodiak Pride Fund), restricted gifts, a Gala & Auction, and a $750,000 Kodiaks Rising matching campaign launched in April 2026 with a $1.5 million aggregate goal. In 2024-2025 the school raised $2,734,640 in total contributions, up from $1,734,672 in 2023-2024. The technology stack is intentionally lightweight and non-differentiated — RenWeb for the family portal, Microsoft SharePoint for staff, sportsYou for athletics communications, and ArbiterSports for athletic registration — reflecting that the core product is human-delivered education rather than software. Auxiliary revenue streams include public summer camps (Go West, Volleyball, Minecraft, Chess, Video Game Creation), campus facility rentals, and the Kodiak Spirit Store merchandise program.

CSS serves a hybrid customer base: local Pikes Peak families seeking independent K-12 education form the primary segment, with secondary segments in international students (supported by a homestay program) and military-connected families drawn to nearby Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station and Fort Carson. The go-to-market motion is sales-led through the school's website, admission events and tours, and earned-media rankings. Governance and leadership context includes two interim Head of School transitions in three years — Dr. Mike Edmonds (2023-2024) and Gabriel Ortega (2026) — which is a relevant signal for any investor-style diligence despite CSS being a non-profit operating entity.

Name

The Colorado Springs School

Legal name

The Colorado Springs School

Website

https://css.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Colorado Springs School is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) PreK-12 day school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving approximately 300 students with a whole-child, experiential education model and signature programs including ECS trips, Senior Capstone, and athletics under CHSAA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAA

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• Experiential education programs
• College preparatory schools
• Independent day school
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: CSS is a private independent school. Tuition payments cover approximately 80% of operating expenses. The school maintains a socioeconomically diverse student body while keeping tuition as affordable as possible.
2. Kodiak Pride Fund (Annual Fund): Annual fund providing unrestricted donations to the operating budget. In 2024-2025, raised $727,234 in unrestricted annual fund gifts.
3. Gala & Auction: Annual Celebration and Auction event. In 2024-2025, net proceeds were $191,025. Event includes sponsorships, auction items, and Raise Your Paddle donations.
4. Restricted Gifts: Designated gifts for scholarships, endowment, programs, professional development, technology, and capital improvements. In 2024-2025, restricted giving totaled $1,816,381.
5. Kodiak Rising Matching Campaign: $750,000 matching gift campaign announced in April 2026, giving the community opportunity to raise $1.5 million together. Every dollar to any program is matched.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Colorado Springs School is an independent PreK-12 day school operating on a 28-acre campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It delivers a whole-child, experiential education combining rigorous academics with hands-on field experiences, signature programs (ECS seminars, service learning, learning garden, fine & performing arts, leadership), college counseling, and competitive athletics. Tuition accounts for approximately 80% of operating revenue, supplemented by philanthropic giving.

Product overview

The Colorado Springs School is an independent day school offering a unified PreK-12 educational program built on a whole-child, experiential approach. The core academic structure spans Early Childhood (PreK ages 3-5), Lower School (K-5th), Middle School (6th-8th), and Upper School (9th-12th), complemented by Signature Programs including Experiential Education with domestic/international ECS trips, Fine & Performing Arts, Service Learning, Learning Garden, Leadership, and Clubs & Activities. Additional offerings include Athletics (competitive sports under CHSAA), Summer Camps (Go West, Minecraft, Chess, Video Game Creation), College Counseling, Extended Care, and the Kodiak Spirit Store. Philanthropic programs include the Kodiak Pride Fund annual giving campaign and the Kodiaks Rising $750,000 matching challenge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kodiak Pride Fund: Annual Fund of The Colorado Springs School - unrestricted, tax-deductible donations applied to the school's general operating budget, formerly known as the Annual Fund.
• Lifetime Giving Society
• Claremont Society
• Pourtales Society
• Kodiak Spirit Store

Quantifiable outcome

• Tuition and fees account for only 80 percent of CSS's annual income, demonstrating strong philanthropic support.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Go West CampsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGo West Camps operates on CSS campus, providing summer camp enrichment programs for children. Accredited by American Camp Association (ACA), voted 'Best of the Springs 2024'. Runs 3-week sessions focusing on relationship building through biking, paddle boarding, rock climbing, farm and garden, art activities.
• Colorado Springs ConservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSS students travel to Colorado Springs Conservatory to record original songs created in the school's music program, supporting the school's fine arts education.
• Synergy Dance AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter-school dance program operating on CSS campus for PreK students, providing extended care and enrichment activities.
• Soccer BuddiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfter-school soccer program operating on CSS campus for PreK-5th grade students.
• Landsharks Running ClubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAfter-school running club operating on CSS campus for Lower School students.
• CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSS Athletics is a member of CHSAA, governing athletic competitions for high schools in Colorado.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kent Denver School: Kent Denver School is a PreK-12 independent day school in the Denver metro area with a college-preparatory focus and experiential education approach. It is a direct peer to CSS in mission, scale, and nonsectarian independent day school operating model.
• Aspen Country Day School: Aspen Country Day School is an independent day school in Aspen, Colorado serving a similar high-income, mission-driven family base in a Colorado mountain community. Comparable to CSS in independent day school model and experiential pedagogy, though its grade span ends at 8th grade.
• Colorado Academy: Colorado Academy is a PreK-12 independent day school in Denver offering a college-preparatory, experiential curriculum. It is directly comparable to CSS in operating model (independent nonsectarian day school), grade span (PreK-12), and curriculum philosophy.
• Denver Waldorf School: Denver Waldorf School is a PreK-12 independent school in Denver offering a Waldorf curriculum with a strong experiential and outdoor learning emphasis. Comparable to CSS as an alternative-pedagogy independent day school in Colorado, though with a different core instructional philosophy.
• Vail Mountain School: Vail Mountain School is a PreK-12 independent day school in Vail, Colorado with an experiential education model and small-school culture. It is a direct peer to CSS as an independent day school serving mountain-region Colorado families.
• Fountain Valley School of Colorado: Located in Colorado Springs at the base of Cheyenne Mountain, Fountain Valley School of Colorado is a private college-preparatory boarding and day school with an experiential education model. It is the most direct geographic peer to CSS, competing for the same Colorado Springs family base with a comparable independent-school ethos.
• University School of Nashville: University School of Nashville is a PreK-12 independent day school in Nashville, Tennessee with a college-preparatory, experiential curriculum. Comparable to CSS as a non-sectarian independent day school with a similar program mix and a comparable operating model for benchmarking purposes.
• Alexander Dawson School: Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain is a PreK-12 independent day school in Lafayette, Colorado with a similar experiential education focus and small-class culture. It is a direct peer to CSS in operating model and curriculum philosophy.
• The Lowell Whiteman School: The Lowell Whiteman School is an independent boarding and day school in Steamboat Springs, Colorado serving grades 9-12. Comparable to CSS as an independent, college-prep school in Colorado serving families seeking experiential, character-driven education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-colorado-springs-school

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 The Colorado Springs School