FINN ACADEMY AN ELMIRA CHARTER SCHOOL

What FINN ACADEMY AN ELMIRA CHARTER SCHOOL does

Finn Academy: An Elmira Charter School is a tuition-free K-6 public charter school located at 610 Lake Street in Elmira, New York, serving families across the Elmira and Chemung County region. The school was founded in 2015 and operates under a charter authorized by the State University of New York (SUNY) Charter Schools Institute, functioning as a nonprofit governed by a Board of Trustees. It is led by School Leader Aimee Ciarlo with a leadership team that includes COO Martina Baker and Academic Directors Deborah Breen and Karen Cassetta, supported by approximately 60 staff members and Board Chair Renee Sutton.

The academic model is built on an experiential, inquiry-based curriculum: EL Education anchors grades K-3, while Uncommon Schools' Reading Reconsidered is used for grades 4-6, supplemented by Go Math! and TCI History Alive. Distinctive programming includes a STEM Lab, social-emotional learning via Second Step, an Edible Schoolyard, Drama Club, and College & Career Readiness preparation, with NWEA MAP used for academic assessment. The school maintains an active ecosystem of community partnerships — notably with Elmira College (student-teacher hosting and tutoring) and Friends of the Chemung River Watershed (place-based environmental learning) — to extend instructional capacity.

The business model is that of a publicly funded nonprofit charter school: revenue is derived from New York State per-pupil allocations accessed through SUNY authorization, with no tuition charged to families. The school participates in the National School Lunch Program and actively recruits families for each upcoming academic year (currently 2026-2027). Operating costs are dominated by instructional staffing, with no disclosed commercial product, fee-for-service offering, or auxiliary revenue stream beyond state aid.

Name

FINN ACADEMY AN ELMIRA CHARTER SCHOOL

Legal name

Finn Academy: An Elmira Charter School

Website

https://finnacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Finn Academy is a tuition-free K-6 public charter school in Elmira, New York, serving Chemung County families through a SUNY-authorized, nonprofit, experiential learning model funded by New York State per-pupil allocations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Montessori/Waldorf/Classical/Expeditionary (Pedagogical Models) (EDAJACAL)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• K-6 elementary education
• Experiential learning programs
• Social-emotional learning
• Tuition-free public school

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmira

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: As a tuition-free public charter school, Finn Academy is funded through public per-pupil funding from the State University of New York charter authorization. No tuition is charged to families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Finn Academy delivers tuition-free K-6 public charter school education through an experiential and inquiry-based learning model. The school delivers standards-aligned instruction in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, supplemented by dedicated social-emotional learning, a STEM Lab, the Edible Schoolyard program, college-and-career readiness exposure, the National School Lunch Program, and after-school activities including Drama Club. Curriculum delivery relies on EL Education (K-3), Uncommon Schools Reading Reconsidered (4-6), Go Math!, and TCI History Alive, with NWEA MAP assessments used to track student growth.

Product overview

Finn Academy is a tuition-free public charter school offering K-6 education with an experiential learning model. The core product is its charter school education program, supplemented by specialized offerings including a STEM Lab, Social-Emotional Learning Program using the Second Step curriculum, College and Career Readiness Program, NWEA MAP Assessments, and the Edible Schoolyard garden program. The school also provides extracurricular activities such as Drama Club and family engagement through Finn Family Crew. Curriculum is delivered through partnerships with EL Education (K-3), Uncommon Schools Reading Reconsidered (4-6), Go Math!, and TCI History Alive.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-6 Charter School Education
• Experiential Learning Program
• STEM Lab
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Program
• College and Career Readiness Program
• NWEA MAP Assessment
• Finn Academy Drama Club
• Finn Lunch Program
• Edible Schoolyard Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of SUNY authorized charter schools outperformed their districts of location in mathematics
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Friends of the Chemung River Watershed (River Friends)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal partnership providing authentic learning opportunities aligned with grade-level standards. River Friends volunteers visit classrooms, conduct expeditions to the riverbank, and integrate Next Generation Science Standards, National Geography Standards, and NYS Common Core Learning Standards into experiential activities.
• Elmira CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter-school small group tutoring program staffed by Elmira College students. Also hosts and mentors student teachers from Elmira College each year. Provides college campus visits and ongoing interactions for Finn Academy students.
• Expeditionary Learning (EL Education)coreTechnology or IntegrationFinn Academy utilizes curriculum developed by EL Education (K-3) as part of its inquiry-based and experiential learning approach. EL Education provides the foundational curriculum framework for language arts instruction.
• Bee Girl OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting student learning, teacher development, social-emotional and physical wellness initiatives.
• Chemung County History MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing learning experiences aligned with social studies and humanities curriculum.
• Elmira YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting social-emotional and physical wellness initiatives.
• Heritage Village of the Southern Finger LakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing cultural and historical learning experiences.
• Ithaca Children's GardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting experiential learning in outdoor garden settings.
• Ithaca Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting STEM and science education.
• Museum of the EarthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing science and earth science learning experiences.
• Steele Memorial LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting literacy and reading development.
• Tanglewood Nature CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing nature-based and environmental learning experiences.
• Upstate HydroponicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting STEM Lab and experiential learning in indoor and outdoor gardens.
• Wisner MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner potentially supporting Edible Schoolyard program and nutrition education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Democracy Prep Public Schools: NY-based charter network operating tuition-free public charter schools with elementary grades. Comparable on charter authorization model and college preparatory mission from K-12.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: NYC-based K-12 charter school network operating tuition-free public charter schools authorized by NY State. Directly comparable on charter model, public per-pupil funding, and non-selective enrollment in NY.
• KIPP NYC Public Charter Schools: National K-12 charter network with strong NY presence operating tuition-free public charters. Comparable on mission, funding model, and college-readiness emphasis from elementary grades.
• Achievement First: Charter school network operating K-12 tuition-free public charters across NY and CT. Comparable on charter model, public per-pupil funding, and college readiness programming starting in elementary years.
• Uncommon Schools: NY-based charter school network running K-12 tuition-free public charters. Finn Academy uses Uncommon Schools' Reading Reconsidered curriculum for grades 4-6, making pedagogy and assessment practices highly comparable.
• Harlem Children's Zone / Promise Academy: Community-based organization operating Promise Academy charter schools (K-12) in NYC with wraparound services. Comparable on combining charter school operations with deep community partnerships and whole-child programming.

Others

• Committee for Children (Second Step): Provides the Second Step SEL curriculum used by Finn Academy during dedicated SEL blocks. Adjacent as social-emotional learning curriculum provider integrated into the school day.
• EL Education: Nonprofit that develops the expeditionary learning curriculum used by Finn Academy for K-3 language arts. Adjacent as curriculum framework partner that defines the school's pedagogical approach.
• NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association): Provides the MAP assessments that Finn Academy administers for student growth tracking and personalized reading recommendations. Adjacent as assessment infrastructure partner.

Regional players

• Elmira City School District: Local traditional public school district serving the same Elmira, NY geography. Functions as the primary enrollment alternative for families in Finn Academy's service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AnElmiraCharterSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/finn-academy-an-elmira-charter-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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