Garden Homes Lutheran School

What Garden Homes Lutheran School does

Garden Homes Lutheran School (GHLS) is a private, non-profit K3 through 8th grade religious school located at 2450 W. Roosevelt Dr., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the Historic Garden Homes neighborhood. The school was founded in 1954 and has operated continuously for more than 70 years, serving approximately 300 students with a 12:1 student-teacher ratio (~25 faculty, 9.5 average years of experience, 35% with advanced degrees). It is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), accredited by WELSSA at the highest 'Exemplary' / 'Significantly Exceeded Expectations' level, and operated in conjunction with — but organizationally separate from — Garden Homes Lutheran Church.

The school's core deliverable is full K3-8 academic instruction delivered through a faith-based lens, with the explicit dual mission of academic rigor and Christian character formation ('mind, body, and soul'). Curriculum is supported by a standard K-8 EdTech stack: Gradelink as the student information system, Clever as single sign-on, IXL for adaptive individualized practice across Math/Reading/Science/Social Studies, and McGraw Hill's ConnectED/Reading Wonders curriculum for K5-8 reading. Academic progress is measured through the Wisconsin Forward Exam (grades 3-8, state-mandated) and NWEA MAP assessments administered three times per year for grades K5-8. Athletics (basketball, track and field) and forensics are delivered through a Junior Vikings partnership with Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WISCO), and meal service complies with the National School Lunch Program nutritional guidelines.

Revenue is dominated by Wisconsin's Parental Choice Programs — the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) and the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) — which provide state-funded voucher payments for eligible K4-8 students, eliminating or substantially reducing direct tuition cost for qualifying families. Applications are processed through the DPI Choice Parent portal, and eligibility documentation (immunization, IEP, birth certificates) is collected by the school. A supplementary revenue stream consists of charitable donations accepted via a PayPal button on the school website. There are no disclosed tuition rates, no reported revenue figures, and no external institutional investors; the school is structured as a church-sponsored non-profit with pastoral involvement (Pastor Christopher Doerr) and a secular administrative team led by Principal Nathan Bauer.

Name

Garden Homes Lutheran School

Legal name

Garden Homes Lutheran School

Website

https://gardenhomeslutheran.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Garden Homes Lutheran School is a private, non-profit K3-8 religious school in Milwaukee's Historic Garden Homes neighborhood, serving approximately 300 students with faith-based academics and state-voucher-funded enrollment through Wisconsin's MPCP/WPCP programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Lutheran school programs
• Faith-based education
• School voucher programs
• Elementary education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) / Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP): The school participates in Wisconsin's private school voucher programs. Eligible K4-8 students receive state-funded voucher payments that cover tuition, eliminating or reducing the need for direct tuition payments from families. The school also accepts PayPal donations.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The school website features a PayPal donation button, suggesting donations are accepted as a supplementary revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Garden Homes Lutheran School delivers a K3-8th grade private Lutheran education serving approximately 300 students in the Historic Garden Homes neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school combines an academically rigorous curriculum aligned with Wisconsin Academic Standards with Christian spiritual and character development, supported by standardized assessments (Wisconsin Forward Exam, NWEA MAP three times per year), individualized digital learning tools (IXL, ConnectED/McGraw Hill), and a 12:1 student-teacher ratio. Enrollment is enabled through state voucher programs (MPCP/WPCP) for eligible K4-8 students, supplemented by extracurricular athletics, forensics, and music programs.

Product overview

Garden Homes Lutheran School operates as a K3-8th grade private school serving the Historic Garden Homes Neighborhood in Milwaukee, serving close to 300 students. The school provides a unified education program combining academic rigor with Christian spiritual development. The product portfolio centers on the core K3-8 educational service enhanced by integrated digital platforms: Gradelink serves as the primary student information system for grades and enrollment; IXL and ConnectED (McGraw Hill) provide curriculum-aligned digital learning resources; Wisconsin Forward Exam and NWEA MAP assessments measure academic achievement; and the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) and Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) enable enrollment through state voucher funding. Athletic programs include basketball and track and field, with a partnership through WISCO's Junior Vikings program. The school maintains WELSSA accreditation with exemplary ratings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K3-8th Grade Education Program Comprehensive private Lutheran school education program serving children from K3 through 8th grade in the Historic Garden Homes Neighborhood of Milwaukee, with approximately 300 students, combining academic rigor aligned with Wisconsin Academic Standards with Christian spiritual and character development.
• Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) Enrollment State voucher-funded enrollment pathway for eligible K4-8 students in Milwaukee, providing tuition payments through the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
• Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) Enrollment State voucher-funded enrollment pathway for eligible K4-8 students outside Milwaukee, providing tuition funding through the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program managed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
• Athletics Programs School athletic offerings including boys and girls basketball (with A-Team competing at LSA state tournaments) and Track and Field for grades 6-8, conducted at WLC's Raabe Field and WLHS facilities.
• Forensics Festival Program Speech and performance competition program with participation in the 5th & 6th grade forensics festival at WISCO, offering events including Storytelling, Solo Acting, and Radio Speaking.
• Junior Vikings Athletic Program Athletic partnership with Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WISCO) offering programs for Garden Homes students to participate in under the WISCO Junior Vikings banner, with 6th-8th grade athletes competing at WISCO facilities.
• Music and Choir Program Music and choir program led by Music Director Douglas Reinhardt, supporting the school's fine arts and Christian worship offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 57% reading growth and 53% math growth per MAP assessments (K5-8)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WISCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGarden Homes Lutheran School is partnered with Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WISCO) through the 'Junior Vikings' athletic program. WISCO offers many programs for GHLS students to participate in. GHLS 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade athletes compete at WISCO facilities including WLC's Raabe Field and WLHS for track and field meets. The school also hosted a field trip for 7th and 8th graders to a Milwaukee Wave indoor soccer game at WISCO.
• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)coreOthersGarden Homes Lutheran School is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), a confessional Lutheran church body with many affiliations and partnerships. The school is affiliated with WELSSA (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran School Accrediting Association) for accreditation purposes.
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)coreOthersThe school participates in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP) and Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP) administered by the Wisconsin DPI. The DPI portal (sms.dpi.wi.gov/ChoiceParent) is used for choice applications. The DPI generates the School Accountability Report Card for the school.
• Lighthouse Youth CenterminorOthersReferenced in the website navigation as a linked partner organization. Located at lighthouseyouthcenter.com. The school calendar references events that involve Lighthouse, suggesting ongoing community collaboration.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Milwaukee College Preparatory School: Urban K-8 charter school network in Milwaukee participating in MPCP. Comparable on enrollment size, demographic focus, and voucher channel.
• Atlas Preparatory Academy: Milwaukee urban K-8 charter school participating in MPCP with a similar mission of serving low-income families through rigorous academics. Comparable on enrollment funding channel and demographic.
• Blessed Savior Catholic School: Milwaukee area Catholic K-8 school that participates in the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program. Comparable on faith-based instruction, grade span, and voucher funding.
• St. Marcus Lutheran School: Milwaukee urban Lutheran K-8 school participating in the MPCP voucher program. Highly comparable as a faith-based, voucher-funded, urban Lutheran school serving a similar low-income demographic.
• Notre Dame School of Milwaukee: Catholic K-8 school in Milwaukee participating in MPCP. Comparable as a faith-based, voucher-funded urban K-8 serving a similar demographic.
• Woodlands School: Independent private K-8 school in Milwaukee participating in WPCP. Comparable on grade span, voucher enrollment, and Milwaukee private-school market.
• Hope Christian School: Milwaukee faith-based K-8 school participating in the Parental Choice Program. Comparable as a Christian, voucher-funded K-8 serving urban families.

Broad incumbents

• Marquette University High School: Established Jesuit high school in Milwaukee drawing from a similar Catholic/Lutheran urban family pool. Comparable as a high-achieving, faith-based Milwaukee school feeding on K-8 graduates.
• Pius XI Catholic High School: Larger Catholic high school in Milwaukee serving a comparable urban, faith-oriented demographic. Comparable as a Milwaukee faith-based school though operating at the secondary level.
• Wisconsin Lutheran High School (WISCO): Larger Lutheran high school and strategic feeder/partner for Garden Homes via the Junior Vikings program. Comparable as a WELS-affiliated, Milwaukee Lutheran school, though operating at the secondary level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCwOnjH5GazgZInnMm2j7Qw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/Garden-Homes-Lutheran-Church-and-School-171663146843
• Instagraminstagram.com/gardenhomes_lutheranschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/garden-homes-lutheran-school

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles27 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 Garden Homes Lutheran School