What Gower School District 62 does

Gower School District 62 is a public K-8 school district headquartered in Willowbrook, DuPage County, Illinois, serving students residing within its geographic boundaries through two campuses: Gower West Elementary School (K-4) and Gower Middle School (5-8). The district employs approximately 100 staff and operates under the authority of the Illinois State Board of Education and DuPage County Regional Office of Education, with funding drawn from local property taxes, state education aid, and federal grants including Title I, IDEA, and ESSER.

Instructional and operational technology is built around an integrated ed-tech stack: PowerSchool for SIS and enrollment, NWEA-MAP for triannual K-8 reading and math assessment, Google Workspace for Education with 1:1 Chromebooks for grades 2-8, GoGuardian for content filtering, Mealtime for food service payments, and FastBridge for benchmarking. Distinctive programs include the i3 Learning Initiative for digital content creation, the eLearning Days program for emergency continuity (approved 2019, verified by DuPage County), the Accelerated Track for high-ability learners grades 3-8, and the Capturing Kids' Hearts social-emotional learning process, which has earned National CKH Showcase District designation. The district co-developed the Range of Readiness Model with NWEA for college-readiness prediction.

The business model is government-funded and non-commercial: free public education is delivered to district residents with no tuition, and services are purchased indirectly via property taxes and intergovernmental transfers. Family engagement occurs through the district website, monthly Community Updates newsletter, the Gower SD 62 mobile app, Google Translate-enabled accessibility for 100+ languages, and in-person events such as curriculum nights, kindergarten orientation, and preschool screenings. Leadership is headed by Superintendent Dr. Victor Simon III, with a Board of Education of seven elected members; the district adopted its current Strategic Plan 2025-2030 on March 19, 2025.

Name

Gower School District 62

Legal name

Gower School District 62

Website

https://gower62.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gower School District 62 is a public K-8 school district in Willowbrook, Illinois, operating Gower West Elementary and Gower Middle School to serve resident families with free public education funded by property taxes and state aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC)

Keywords

• K-8 public education
• Social-emotional learning
• Education technology integration
• Special education services
• Accelerated academic programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Willowbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Local Property Tax Revenue: Primary funding source from local property taxes collected from district residents
2. State Education Funding: Illinois State Board of Education funding distributed to school districts
3. Federal Funding: Federal education grants and programs including Title I, IDEA, and emergency relief funds (ESSER)

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gower School District 62 is a public K-8 school district operating Gower West Elementary School and Gower Middle School in Willowbrook, Illinois. The district provides free public education to district residents, including standards-based academic programs, student support services (Special Education, Section 504, English Learner, Response to Intervention), social-emotional learning through the Capturing Kids' Hearts process, technology integration through the i3 Learning Initiative with 1:1 Chromebooks for grades 2-8, and an eLearning program for emergency closure days.

Product overview

Gower School District 62 is a public school district serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade through two schools: Gower West Elementary School and Gower Middle School. The district operates as a unified educational platform offering core academic programs alongside specialized initiatives including the i3 Learning Initiative for technology integration (with 1:1 Chromebooks for grades 2-8), the eLearning Program for remote instruction on emergency closure days, the Accelerated Track Program for high-ability learners in grades 3-8, and the Capturing Kids' Hearts social-emotional learning process. Student support services encompass Section 504, Special Education, English Learner programs, and Response to Intervention. The district uses Standards Based Grading, NWEA-MAP assessments for progress monitoring, and the Range of Readiness Model for college readiness projections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gower West Elementary School: Elementary school serving students in grades K-5 located in Willowbrook, Illinois
• Gower Middle School

Products and services

• Gower West Elementary School Elementary school serving students in the district's lower grades with standards-based report card, shared Chromebook access, and foundational academic programs.
• Gower Middle School Middle school serving upper-grade students with course selection including accelerated math programs, Spanish curriculum, and STEM courses.
• Academic Performance Program District-wide academic performance goals aligned to NWEA-MAP assessment in Reading and Math, with accountability metrics targeting 65% of students meeting EOY targets and 80% at/above 50th percentile.
• Student Support Services Comprehensive support programs including Section 504, Special Education, English Learner (EL) Program, Response to Intervention (RTI), Accelerated Placement, and Social Emotional Learning services.
• i3 Learning Initiative Technology integration program focused on innovation in classrooms, digital learning, and content creation, including 1:1 Chromebooks for grades 2-8 and Google Certification professional development for teachers.
• eLearning Program Remote learning program used in place of Emergency Closure Days, with 5-hour student engagement blocks and real-time teacher support to enable instruction continuity.
• Accelerated Track (AT) Program High ability learner program available to students in grades 3-8 for English Language Arts and/or Mathematics, with AT Math accelerating one year and completing Geometry in 8th grade.
• Standards Based Grading Grading system used across the district, focused on standards mastery rather than traditional letter grades.
• Capturing Kids' Hearts Program Social-emotional learning process implemented district-wide to help students succeed in all settings; both schools are recognized as National CKH Showcase Schools, making Gower a National CKH Showcase District.
• Range of Readiness Model Research-based model developed in partnership with NWEA providing a balanced approach to high school and college readiness assessment, used for intervention, acceleration, and curriculum design decisions.
• Food Service Program School breakfast and lunch programs available through the Mealtime online payment system.

Quantifiable outcome

• At least 65% of students tested in BOY to meet or exceed their EOY target in Reading and Math
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)coreTechnology or IntegrationNWEA provides MAP assessment platform used for student academic performance measurement in grades K-8, administered fall, winter, and spring. District developed Range of Readiness Model in partnership with NWEA researchers.
• Capturing Kids' HeartscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial-emotional learning process implemented district-wide since 2012-2013 school year. Both schools are National CKH Showcase Schools. Process focuses on respectful relationships, good decisions, self-management, and positive learning environment.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent Information System (SIS) used for enrollment registration and parent portal access. Families use PowerSchool for online registration and to access grades, attendance, and school communications.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationDistrict uses Google Workspace for Education and Google Translate for website accessibility. Students in grades 2-8 assigned Chromebooks. Google Certification offered as ongoing professional development for teachers.
• GoGuardiancoreTechnology or IntegrationDistrict-managed content filtering and activity monitoring system used to support safe, focused digital learning environment across all student devices.
• UChicago ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing educational research and assessment resources. District participates in 5Essentials research-based school improvement system.
• Illinois State Board of EducationcoreOthersState education authority providing report cards, assessment requirements, learning standards (Common Core), and funding distribution. District complies with ISBE mandates including PERA teacher evaluation.
• DuPage County Regional Office of EducationcoreOthersRegional education authority providing oversight, verification of eLearning program, and support for district operations within DuPage County.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hinsdale CCSD 181: Neighboring DuPage County K-8 school district serving Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills. Most directly comparable peer — same grade span, similar suburban demographic, comparable funding model, and overlapping district boundaries near Gower's Willowbrook footprint.
• Darien School District 61: Small K-8 public district in adjacent DuPage County. Direct competitor for district-resident families with similar operating model and funding structure.
• Woodridge School District 68: Adjacent K-8 district serving Woodridge in DuPage County. Comparable by size, grade span, and suburban Illinois operating context, competing for similar family demographics.
• Downers Grove Grade School District 58: DuPage County K-8 district serving Downers Grove. Closest comparable peer in scale, mission, and grade configuration, with similar reliance on Illinois state funding and property tax revenue.

Broad incumbents

• Stride Inc. (K12 Inc.): Publicly traded online K-12 education provider. Comparable as a K-12 education operator but operating as an alternative statewide virtual school rather than a brick-and-mortar district — a peripheral alternative for families leaving or avoiding traditional public schools.
• Illinois School District U-46: Large K-12 public district in the Fox Valley region serving Elgin and surrounding areas. Comparable as a public Illinois district with similar funding mix but materially larger scale and full K-12 span.
• Indian Prairie School District 204: Larger K-12 district in DuPage and Will counties serving parts of the same Willowbrook/Aurora/Naperville corridor. Broader portfolio including high schools, so a broader incumbent rather than a direct K-8 peer.

Emerging players

• National Heritage Academies: Charter school management organization operating multiple campuses in Illinois. Comparable as a K-8 education operator but with a charter/public-private hybrid model that competes for similar demographics in saturated suburban markets.
• Connections Academy: National online K-12 operator with Illinois presence. Comparable by grade span and academic curriculum, but operates virtually — an emerging alternative channel that competes for marginal families.
• EdisonLearning: Education management provider operating partner schools and eLearning services. Comparable as a provider of K-12 schooling and the eLearning/digital learning model that Gower has adopted — a peer in capability rather than direct geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gower-school-district-62

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Gower School District 62