DeKalb Brilliance Academy

What DeKalb Brilliance Academy does

DeKalb Brilliance Academy is a free public charter school serving Kindergarten through 8th grade students in South DeKalb, Georgia. Founded in 2022 after three years of community co-design with over 1,000 South DeKalb families, the school currently operates K-5 grades and is expanding one grade per year toward a full K-8 program with a target enrollment of 700 students. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit operates from a brand-new 60,000-square-foot permanent campus at 2364 Park Central Boulevard, Decatur, GA 30035, opened in the 25-26 school year, and is regulated by the Georgia State Charter School Commission. The organization is led by co-founders Kedra Williams (Principal) and Jocelyn Alter (Head of School), supported by four Assistant Principals, a Director of Operations, and an active board chaired by Michael Freeland.

The school's core offering is Career-connected Project-based Learning, a pedagogy that pairs students directly with professionals (scientists, doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs) and structures semester-long hands-on projects integrating academic content with real-world skills such as collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, and financial literacy. Documented examples include kindergarteners designing community parks, first graders developing public health proposals, and third graders building restaurant business plans. The school reports strong early outcomes: 98% family recommendation rate, 95% student recommendation rate, a 15-percentage-point proficiency advantage over nearby schools in reading and math, and rankings of 4th in reading growth and 3rd in math growth among 80 innovative schools nationwide in its first year.

The business model is per-pupil public charter school funding supplemented by tax-deductible donations and minor ancillary revenue from before/aftercare services (with per-minute late-pickup fees ranging $1-$6/minute/child) and branded merchandise. Distribution is community-led through word-of-mouth, in-person and virtual information sessions via Eventbrite, and a lottery-based enrollment process managed on SchoolMint with a January-February priority window. The school runs no proprietary technology stack; its digital footprint relies on standard SaaS platforms for enrollment (SchoolMint), donations (Givelively), web (Squarespace), hiring (Workable), and social engagement (Instagram).

Name

DeKalb Brilliance Academy

Legal name

DeKalb Brilliance Academy

Website

https://dekalbbrilliance.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DeKalb Brilliance Academy is a free public charter school in South DeKalb, Georgia, serving K-8 students through Career-connected Project-based Learning. Founded in 2022 from input by 1,000+ community members, the 501(c)(3) operates a 60,000-square-foot campus targeting 700 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Career Readiness & College Prep (In-School) (EDAJAFAM)

Keywords

• K-8 charter school
• Project-based learning
• Career-connected education
• Elementary education
• Public charter education

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

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

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: As a public charter school, receives per-pupil public funding comparable to district schools, though Georgia charter schools reportedly receive less facilities funding than district counterparts.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Relies on external fundraising from donors as a 501(c)(3) organization. Accepts tax-deductible donations via Givelively.org platform. Donations support technology, curriculum, and facility upgrades. Currently fundraising for the Brilliance Playground Fund for the new campus.
3. Aftercare Services: Charges fees for before/aftercare services including drop-in fees and late pick-up charges. Late pick-up fees of $3/minute/child (regular) or $6/minute/child (holiday).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DeKalb Brilliance Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in South DeKalb, Georgia that delivers K-8 education (currently K-5, expanding to K-8) using a Career-connected Project-based Learning (PBL) model. The school combines core academics with real-world career exposure through career days, internships, and community partnerships, and also offers before/after-care services and branded spirit merchandise. Funding flows through public per-pupil charter dollars, grants, and charitable donations to the operating 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Product overview

DeKalb Brilliance Academy is a free public charter school offering K-8 education with a Career-connected Project-based Learning approach. The school provides core educational programs serving Kindergarten through 8th grade (growing from K-5 with plans to add higher grades annually), along with ancillary services including before/aftercare childcare programs and branded merchandise (DBA Merch including spirit wear and uniforms). The school operates from a 60,000-square-foot permanent campus in South DeKalb and is funded as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Charter School Education Program Tuition-free K-8 (currently K-5, expanding) public charter school education in South DeKalb that uses Career-connected Project-based Learning to integrate core academics with real-world career exposure, including on-site career days and off-site middle-grade internships, for Georgia-resident students.
• Before and Aftercare Services Year-round child care service provided to enrolled DeKalb Brilliance Academy students outside of school hours, with a per-minute late pick-up fee policy for families picking up after the designated end of aftercare.
• DBA Friday Spirit Tee Branded DeKalb Brilliance Academy Friday Spirit T-shirt sold to students, families, and supporters via the school's online merchandise shop.
• DBA K-4 Polo Branded DeKalb Brilliance Academy K-4 polo shirt sold to enrolled families and supporters via the school's online merchandise shop as part of the uniform/apparel line.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of families would recommend DeKalb Brilliance Academy
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Professionals (Scientists, Doctors, Engineers, Entrepreneurs)coreOthersProfessionals from various fields serve as mentors and guides for students through semester-long project-based learning experiences, bringing real-world expertise directly into the classroom.
• Givelively.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline donation platform used for accepting tax-deductible contributions. Hosts the school's Founding Sponsors program and Brilliance Playground Fund campaigns.
• Georgia State Charter School CommissioncoreOthersAuthorizing body for the charter school. The school's charter contract is on file with the Commission.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BASIS Charter Schools: Public charter network known for top-tier academic outcomes and a structured, accelerated curriculum. Comparable to DBA on the rigor/outcomes dimension and as a tuition-free public charter serving K-12.
• Centennial Academy: Atlanta public charter school (K-8) located in the same metro as DBA. Directly comparable as a tuition-free charter serving the same grade band with a similar college-prep orientation.
• Success Academy: High-performing urban charter network with strong proficiency outcomes and a rigorous culture. Directly comparable to DBA as a charter operator whose value proposition rests on academic outperformance versus district peers.
• Great Hearts Academies: Multi-state charter network built on a classical, rigorous academic model. Comparable to DBA as a charter operator whose value proposition is differentiation from local district schools via curriculum and culture.
• Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School: Atlanta public charter school serving elementary and middle school grades with a community-rooted model. A local peer competing for the same South-metro Atlanta family demographic.
• Atlanta Classical Academy: Atlanta public charter school with an academically rigorous, content-rich curriculum. A direct local competitor for families seeking alternatives to district schools in the Atlanta metro.
• Drew Charter School: Atlanta-based public charter school (K-8) with a project-based learning orientation. The closest geographic peer to DBA and the most directly comparable Atlanta charter operator in terms of grade band and instructional philosophy.
• Purpose Built Schools Atlanta: Atlanta-based charter management organization operating multiple neighborhood schools with a community-rooted model. Directly comparable as a charter operator in the same metro serving similar student demographics.
• KIPP: National charter school network with a college-prep mission and proven outcomes for underserved communities. Directly comparable as a multi-campus public charter operator pursuing rigorous academics plus leadership development, the same north star as DeKalb Brilliance Academy.
• IDEA Public Schools: Large charter network with a college-prep mission and documented outperformance for underserved students. Comparable to DBA on the college-readiness mission and the public-charter funding model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dekalbbrilliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dekalb-brilliance-academy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 DeKalb Brilliance Academy