The Field School
The Field School is a private, nonprofit independent school in Washington, DC serving 370 students in grades 6-12 on a 10.5-acre campus, offering project-based interdisciplinary curriculum, required arts and athletics, Intersession immersive programs, and 100% college admission placement.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Field School does
The Field School is a private, nonprofit independent school in Washington, DC, serving approximately 370 students in grades 6-12 on a 10.5-acre campus in the Northwest DC neighborhood near Georgetown and American Universities. Founded in 1972 by Elizabeth C. Ely, the school operates with 87 employees and an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio, offering a project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum anchored by core academic programs (Middle School Experience, Upper School Experience), a Visual & Performing Arts requirement, competitive Falcon Athletics in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference, and a Senior Capstone Internship. Signature programs include Intersession (a two-week January program of 10-15 immersive courses, travel, and internships), a college counseling program hosting 150+ college representatives annually, and comprehensive Student Support Services. Tuition for 2026-27 is $58,265 (Middle School) and $59,965 (Upper School), with $2.9 million in need-based financial aid awarded to 20% of students.
The school runs a multi-channel admission funnel through Ravenna Hub, weekly campus tours, Discover Field open houses, and regional DMV school fairs, and partners with the Black Student Fund, Latino Student Fund, and A Better Chance for access. The technology stack is commodity EdTech (Apple laptops, MySchoolApp, Ravenna, Clarity, GiveCampus, Google Calendar) with no proprietary AI or platform offerings. Revenue is earned primarily through tuition and supplemented by transportation shuttles ($1,650-$2,800 annual fees), fees for new students ($1,500), 12th-grade fees ($550), an 8th-grade Costa Rica Experience (~$3,950), and a robust fundraising program comprising The Field Fund (annual giving), the Sapere Circle (planned giving), and the $20 million "Think Bold, Be Inspired" capital campaign launched March 2025 to fund a 15,000 sq ft Innovation Center, athletic facilities, and studio spaces by January 2027. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees (11-25 members) with no parent company or institutional investor ownership; Lori Strauss has served as the third Head of School since July 2020.
The Field School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Field School
- Legal name
- The Field School
- Website
- https://fieldschool.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Field School is a private, nonprofit independent school in Washington, DC serving 370 students in grades 6-12 on a 10.5-acre campus, offering project-based interdisciplinary curriculum, required arts and athletics, Intersession immersive programs, and 100% college admission placement.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Field School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Private Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)
Keywords
Where The Field School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Field School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue stream from tuition. Middle School (grades 6-8): $58,265 for 2026-27 school year. Upper School (grades 9-12): $59,965 for 2026-27 school year. Tuition covers books, supplies, and athletics.
- The Field Fund (Annual Giving): Annual charitable contributions supporting the school's operating budget. Provides vital support for financial aid, professional development, innovation, and co-curricular programs. Goal of 100% parent participation.
- Think Bold, Be Inspired Capital Campaign: $20 million capital campaign for campus improvements including state-of-the-art classrooms, enhanced athletic facilities, revitalized studio spaces (Ceramics, Music/Film Production, Digital Arts, Visual Arts Gallery), and a 15,000 sq ft Innovation Center.
- Transportation Services: Shuttle service from Metro stations. Annual one-way: $1,650; Annual round-trip: $2,800. Drop-in rates: $15 one-way, $25 round-trip.
- Planned Giving (Sapere Circle): Bequests and estate planned gifts including specific bequests, percentage bequests, residual bequests, and contingent bequests. Recognition program for donors who include Field in will or estate plans.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Middle School Tuition (Grades 6-8) |
| Subscription | Annual | Upper School Tuition (Grades 9-12) |
| Subscription | Annual | Transportation - Annual One-Way |
| Subscription | Annual | Transportation - Annual Round-Trip |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Transportation - Drop-in Rates |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | New Student One-Time Fee |
| Subscription | Annual | 12th Grade Fee |
| Other | Annual | 8th Grade Experience (Costa Rica Trip) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Field School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Field School is a private independent school in Washington, DC that delivers grades 6-12 education through a project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum integrating academics with visual and performing arts, athletics, and a signature two-week Intersession program of immersive courses, internships, and travel. It supplements classroom instruction with college counseling, student support services, shuttle transportation, and a need-based financial aid program supported by annual giving and capital campaign fundraising.
Product overview
The Field School is a private independent school serving students in grades 6-12 located in Washington, DC. The school offers a unified educational program built around its core pillars: Middle School Experience, Upper School Experience, Visual & Performing Arts, Falcon Athletics, College Counseling, Student Support Services, Intersession (winter internship program), Transportation Services, and Financial Aid. The academic program is project-based and interdisciplinary, emphasizing dialogue, reflection, and real-world application. The school also operates fundraising initiatives including The Field Fund (annual giving) and the Think Bold, Be Inspired capital campaign for campus improvements. Key partnerships include Ravenna Hub for admissions, Clarity for financial aid applications, and GiveCampus for donations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Middle School Experience (Grades 6-8) Core academic program for students in grades 6-8 built on students' sense of wonder and curiosity, featuring English, math, science, history, language, studio arts, PE, daily advisory meetings, and at least one required interscholastic sport per academic year.
- Upper School Experience (Grades 9-12) Program for students in grades 9-12 promoting intellectual curiosity, depth of learning, and community connection through core academic courses, upper-level academic elective courses, advisory groups, grade-level retreats, and the Senior Capstone Internship program.
- Visual & Performing Arts Integral program of theater, technical theater, dance, music, and visual arts (2D, 3D, Photography) taught by practitioner-artists who model their own creative approaches alongside students.
- Falcon Athletics Athletic program competing in the Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC) with 84 league championship banners; offers middle school sports (soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, swimming, track & field) and upper school sports (soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, cross country, swimming, winter track, lacrosse, tennis, track & field, ultimate frisbee), plus non-competitive options like yoga and hiking.
- College Counseling College counseling program that hosts 150+ college representatives on campus annually, offers individual counseling, a curriculum-based College Seminar course, College Boot Camp, and access to nearly 200 college representatives; supports a 100% college admission rate and placements at 143 colleges and universities.
- Intersession Two-week winter program in January offering immersive learning experiences including hands-on courses, domestic and international travel programs, and internships; students choose from 10-15 immersive courses, travel programs, or internships.
- Student Support Services Comprehensive support including Advisory (learning communities of 10-14 students with one faculty member), Counseling Services (short-term individual and small-group counseling, consultation, referrals), and Academic Support Services for students with identified learning differences.
- Transportation Services Shuttle service from 11 metro stations and neighborhoods; annual one-way ($1,650), annual round-trip ($2,800), drop-in ($15 one-way / $25 round-trip) options, and support for public transportation including Kids Ride Free SmartTrip Metro Cards.
- Electives and Clubs Student-led clubs and faculty-designed electives offering advocacy, academic, arts, coding and robotics, language immersion, music, theater, and sports options to help students discover passions and connect with diverse groups.
- Financial Aid Program Need-based financial aid program that awarded $2.9 million in financial aid to approximately 20% of students for the 2025-26 school year; works with access organizations including Black Student Fund, Latino Student Fund, and A Better Chance.
Companies that use The Field School
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Field School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Field School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Black Student FundcoreThe Field School partners with Black Student Fund, an access organization for school placement. The organization provides support for African American students seeking educational opportunities at independent schools in the DC area.
- Latino Student FundcoreThe Field School partners with Latino Student Fund for school placement services. The organization supports Latino/a students in accessing quality independent school education.
- A Better ChancecoreNational organization dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for students of color. Field collaborates with this organization for access and placement support.
- Potomac Valley Athletic Conference (PVAC)minorField competes in the PVAC, a conference of independent schools in the Washington metro area. School holds 84 PVAC league championship banners.
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)minorField aligns with NAIS Principles of Good Practice for Board governance and participates in NAIS conferences including Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and People of Color Conference (PoCC).
- Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) and Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA)minorDC regulatory bodies that approved Field's renovation plans including Transportation Management Plan with DDOT limiting campus vehicle traffic to 217 at peak hours.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Field School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Georgetown Day School: Large DC independent day school (PK-12) with progressive, experiential pedagogy closely aligned with Field's. Competes directly for the same DMV applicant families and overlaps on project-based learning and DEI emphasis.
- Bullis School: Independent K-12 day school in Potomac, MD with progressive, experiential programs including an upper school internship program. Comparable DMV competitor in price tier.
- Landon School: Independent boys' day school (3-12) in Bethesda, MD. Comparable tuition tier and college placement outcomes for the same DMV demographic.
- National Cathedral School: Elite DC girls' day school (4-12) affiliated with the National Cathedral. Direct competitor for the same DMV families and selective college placements.
- Holton-Arms School: Independent girls' school (3-12) in Bethesda, MD. Competes for affluent DMV families with similar progressive and arts-integrated curriculum.
- Sidwell Friends School: DC's flagship private independent day school (PK-12) with Quaker heritage. Direct competitor for the same DMV families, with substantially larger endowment and stronger brand recognition in the same progressive-experiential niche.
- Edmund Burke School: DC independent middle and upper school with progressive, discussion-based pedagogy similar to Field. Direct competitor for grades 6-12 families in the DC core.
- The Potomac School: Large independent K-12 day school in McLean, VA serving the broader DC metro. Comparable progressive, project-based pedagogy and similar tuition tier.
- Maret School: DC independent day school (K-12) with similar progressive philosophy, small class sizes, and arts/athletics integration. Direct competitor in the same geography and price tier.
- St. Albans School: Elite DC boys' day school (4-12) affiliated with the National Cathedral. Competes for the same upper-income DMV families and offers comparable college placement outcomes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Field School social profiles
Digital presenceThe Field School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Field School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Field School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Field School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Field School
What does The Field School do?
The Field School is a private independent school in Washington, DC that delivers grades 6-12 education through a project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum integrating academics with visual and performing arts, athletics, and a signature two-week Intersession program of immersive courses, internships, and travel. It supplements classroom instruction with college counseling, student support services, shuttle transportation, and a need-based financial aid program supported by annual giving and capital campaign fundraising.
Is The Field School a public or private company?
The Field School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Field School founded?
The Field School was founded in 1972. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Field School based?
The Field School is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Field School make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tuition Revenue is the primary driver. The others are the Field Fund (Annual Giving), think Bold, Be Inspired Capital Campaign, transportation Services and planned Giving (Sapere Circle).
Who are The Field School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Georgetown Day School, Bullis School, Landon School, National Cathedral School, Holton-Arms School, Sidwell Friends School, Edmund Burke School, The Potomac School, Maret School and St. Albans School.
Does The Field School have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Field School.
What industry is The Field School in?
The Field School's product category is Independent Private Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAA, Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.