First Step Academy

What First Step Academy does

First Steps Academy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent early childhood education provider operating from a single campus at 7900 Westpark Dr., Suite A040, McLean, Virginia. Founded in April 2004 (originally as First Steps Child Care Center, rebranded in November 2009), the school serves children from six weeks through kindergarten age across five age-tiered programs (Infants, Toddlers, Twos, Threes & Fours, and Kindergarten) plus an after-school offering (ASAP) launched in August 2024 in partnership with Spring Hill Elementary School. The campus is licensed for 110 children and has been Cognia Accredited, an internationally recognized standard of educational quality. The school generates revenue primarily through recurring monthly tuition on 12-month contracts ($2,057–$2,753/month depending on age tier), supplemented by annual registration fees ($450), application fees ($75), and the ASAP after-school program ($400/month).

The business is operated through a direct-to-consumer go-to-market motion with a community-led acquisition overlay. Family enrollment is driven by weekly campus tours, scheduled open houses, parent referrals (with a $500 tuition credit incentive), and digital presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Google reviews. Customer segments include working dual-income families in Northern Virginia (McLean, Tysons, Vienna, Pimmit Hills), military families eligible for MCCYN fee assistance near Fort Belvoir/Fort Myer, and Spring Hill Elementary families accessing the ASAP program. The school participates in a sister school network with Merritt Academy and The Appletree School, sharing recruitment infrastructure and creating cross-school referral pathways.

The technology footprint is intentionally light: the Tadpoles App serves as the primary parent-teacher communication platform (daily activity, meal, and nap updates), while Square handles payment processing for application fees. No proprietary software, mobile applications, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Operational technology relies on standard third-party tools rather than differentiated in-house systems, consistent with the labor-intensive, in-person nature of early childhood education delivery. Management is led by an Assistant Director/Admissions Coordinator (Erica Janifer) supported by 58 employees total across instructional and administrative functions.

Name

First Step Academy

Legal name

First Steps Academy

Website

https://firststepstysons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

First Steps Academy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Cognia-accredited early childhood education provider in McLean, Virginia, serving 110 children from infancy through kindergarten on a single campus via recurring tuition contracts and community-led family acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Play-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAE), Enrichment-Focused Before/After Care (Arts, STEM, Language) (EDACAHAI)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Childcare services
• Preschool programs
• Kindergarten education
• After school care

Headquarters

HQ city

McLean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Full-Time Tuition: Monthly tuition payments for full-day childcare and preschool programs serving infants through kindergarten. Revenue is recurring on a 12-month contract basis from August to August, billed monthly. Tiered pricing by age group with infants commanding the highest rates.
2. Part-Time Tuition: Reduced tuition for families choosing 2-day or 3-day weekly programs and half-day options. Part-time programs available for infants, toddlers, and twos. Provides flexibility while maintaining recurring revenue.
3. Application Fees: Non-refundable $75 application fee charged for enrollment processing. This is a one-time charge per student application.
4. Annual Registration Fees: Non-refundable $450 annual registration fee due February 1st for the upcoming school year. One-time annual charge per enrolled student.
5. ASAP After School Program: $400 per month tuition for the After School Activities Program (ASAP) serving Kindergarten and 1st grade students at Spring Hill Elementary. Includes transportation, snacks, and programming until 6:15 PM.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

First Steps Academy is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent early childhood school in McLean, Virginia, providing full-day educational and care programs for children from infancy through kindergarten. The school operates from a single campus, serves approximately 110 children, and is staffed by 58 employees with annual awards recognition from Northern Virginia Magazine.

Product overview

First Steps Academy is a single unified early childhood education center offering age-based programs from infancy through kindergarten. The portfolio includes Infant, Toddler, Twos, Threes & Fours (Preschool/Pre-K), and Kindergarten programs, plus ASAP (After School Activities Program) for after-school care. Programs emphasize academic excellence through purposeful play, character education, and family service. The school operates as a nonprofit Cognia Accredited institution serving the McLean, VA area since 2004.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ASAP (After School Activities Program): After School Activities Program for Spring Hill Elementary KG-1st Grade students, offering after-school transportation, snacks, and staffed programming until 6:15 pm.

Products and services

• Infant Program Full-day early education and care for infants, delivered within a low child-to-staff ratio at the McLean campus.
• Toddler Program Full-day early education and care program for toddlers, designed as part of the school's age-stratified curriculum.
• Twos Program Full-day program for two-year-old children within First Steps Academy's age-segmented early learning curriculum.
• Preschool / Pre-K (Threes & Fours) Program Structured preschool and pre-kindergarten program for three- and four-year-olds, preparing children for kindergarten entry.
• Kindergarten Program Full-day kindergarten program serving as the final stage of the school's early childhood continuum and preparing students for elementary school.
• ASAP (After-School Activities Program) After-school enrichment and care program for school-age children, complementing the core early childhood programs offered by First Steps Academy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Children prepared for kindergarten and beyond, with returning students tending to be at least one year ahead of peers by first grade
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Spring Hill Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Spring Hill Elementary School (FCPS) to provide the ASAP After School Activities Program for Kindergarten and 1st grade students. First Steps Academy provides transportation from Spring Hill Elementary to their campus, snacks, and programming until 6:15 PM. Program launched August 20, 2024.
• Merritt AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school network providing continued education pathway for First Steps Academy graduates. Located at 9211 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22031. Kindergarten graduates can apply to continue at Merritt Academy with returning student benefits. Joint recruitment for open positions through shared Paylocity platform.
• The Appletree SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school network located at 9655 Blake Ln, Fairfax VA, 22031. Part of the family of schools serving Northern Virginia. Joint recruitment for open positions. Appletree referral option mentioned in admissions process.
• J127 Education FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit education foundation serving the First Steps Academy community. Contact at same address as First Steps Academy (7900 Westpark Dr. Suite A040). Hosts the First Steps Academy Giving Fund for teacher professional development.
• Schoolhouse GrillminorOthersCatering partner providing hot meals for kindergarten students. Meals are balanced according to food pyramid and crafted specifically for the school. Schoolhouse Grill accommodates students on strict diets upon request.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Goddard School: National franchise operating private preschools using a proprietary play-based, accredited curriculum with similar full-day and part-time tiering. Direct competitor in the private-pay preschool category and comparable in service mix, age range, and tuition positioning.
• Primrose Schools: Large franchised early-education network offering infant through Pre-K and after-school programs with a balanced learning curriculum. Operates private-pay schools in Northern Virginia with similar age-band structure, monthly tuition pricing, and character/academics blended philosophy.
• Chesterbrook Academy: Private preschool chain (operated by Cadence Education) offering infant through Pre-K with full-day hours and accredited curriculum. Competes directly in the Northern Virginia private-pay segment with comparable service tiers and tuition architecture.
• Merritt Academy: Sister-school in the same First Steps network located at 9211 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax, VA. Operates as a private independent school with overlapping admissions pathways and shared recruitment via Paylocity. Directly comparable as a private K-prep school serving Northern Virginia families.
• The Appletree School: Sister-school in the same First Steps network located at 9655 Blake Ln, Fairfax, VA. Provides parallel early-childhood programming with a direct referral option for incoming families. Comparable as a private Northern Virginia preschool sharing operational resources.
• The Montessori School of Northern Virginia: Private Montessori preschool located in the Northern Virginia/McLean area serving infants through kindergarten. Comparable as a same-geography private-pay early education alternative pursuing a differentiated curriculum philosophy.
• Kiddie Academy: Education-based franchised childcare provider serving infants through school-age children with a Life Essentials curriculum. Operates multiple locations across Northern Virginia with comparable tiered tuition, full-day hours, and character/STEM enrichment focus.

Regional players

• The Langley School: Independent private K–8 school located in McLean, VA. Comparable as a nearby independent private school capturing a portion of the same affluent Northern Virginia family demographic and competing for post-kindergarten placement.
• Westminster School: Independent private K–8 school in Annandale, VA serving Northern Virginia families. Comparable as a regional independent private school competing for the same family demographic after the kindergarten graduation point from First Steps Academy.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large publicly-traded incumbent operating employer-sponsored and private early-education centers nationwide. Overlaps with First Steps in infant care, preschool, and back-up care but at materially greater scale and with a corporate/B2B channel mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstStepsTysons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-step-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/firststepstysons

Compliance1 record

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 First Step Academy