Hope Academy of West Michigan

What Hope Academy of West Michigan does

Hope Academy of West Michigan is a tuition-free public charter school academy serving students from preschool through 12th grade at a single campus located at 240 Brown Street SE in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The school is chartered by Ferris State University under a 2022-2027 authorization contract and is fully accredited by Cognia. Day-to-day operations are managed under an Educational Service Provider (ESP) agreement with Integrity Educational Services, which functions as the school's parent operating entity.

The school's academic and student-support portfolio includes a Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) preschool site operated in partnership with Kent ISD, a K-12 program with individualized learning plans, an English Language Development (ELD) program for multilingual learners, comprehensive special education services, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) built on the HAWKS values system, and a Career Pathways braided curriculum (NAF/JAG/JMG) that lets high schoolers graduate with a diploma plus an Associate degree or college credits through Early Middle College or Kent Career Technical Center. Free breakfast and lunch are provided to all students through the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, and free afterschool programming is delivered on campus via a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids. Supporting platforms include PowerSchool for the student/parent portal and Nutrislice for meal menus.

The school is funded by per-pupil state and federal allocations, GSRP preschool funding through Kent ISD, and federal meal program reimbursements; no tuition or fees are charged. Enrollment is community-led, driven by word-of-mouth, local partnerships (Cherry Health, Kent District Library, Kids' Food Basket, Hand2Hand, Literacy Center of West Michigan, Kent County Health Department), open house events, and a bilingual (English/Spanish) website enrollment funnel. Leadership includes a Superintendent (Dr. Heidi Cate), Principal (Dr. Arthur Garner), Assistant Principal (Joshua Barnhart), and a five-member volunteer Board of Directors.

Name

Hope Academy of West Michigan

Legal name

Hope Academy of West Michigan

Website

https://hopeacademywm.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hope Academy of West Michigan is a tuition-free public charter school in Grand Rapids, MI, serving preschool through 12th grade students under a Ferris State University charter and managed by Integrity Educational Services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• Public charter school
• K-12 education
• Preschool program
• Career pathways
• Special education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding: Public charter school funded through per-pupil state and federal funding based on enrollment. Serves preschool through 12th grade students in Grand Rapids, MI.
2. Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP): State-funded preschool program for four-year-old children through Kent ISD, covering classroom costs and operations.
3. National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs: Federal meal programs providing breakfast and lunch at no charge to all students. School partners with Southwest School Food Excellence for meal preparation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hope Academy of West Michigan is a free public charter school academy delivering tuition-free Pre-K through 12th grade education in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its offering centers on personalized, whole-child instruction through programs including GSRP preschool, K-12 academics, Career Pathways (Early Middle College) with college credit, Special Education, English Language Development for multilingual learners, PBIS behavioral support, and free breakfast and lunch for all students.

Product overview

Hope Academy of West Michigan is a free public charter school serving preschool through 12th grade students in Grand Rapids, MI. The school offers a portfolio of educational programs including the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for preschool, an Afterschool Program in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs, a Career Pathways program enabling students to earn an Associate degree alongside their diploma, Special Education services, Multilingual Learners supports through an English Language Development program, and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Additional services include free breakfast and lunch for all students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool - Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) A state-funded preschool program for four-year-old children operated as a GSRP partner site through Kent ISD, preparing students for kindergarten through developmentally appropriate, individualized instruction with a 1:8 teacher-to-child ratio. Programs run Monday through Thursday with full-day or half-day options.
• K-12 Public Charter School Education The school's flagship tuition-free, public charter school academic program for kindergarten through 12th grade students, featuring small class sizes, individualized learning plans, data-driven instruction, and PBIS/MTSS support frameworks.
• Afterschool Program Free afterschool programming offered in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids, providing arts, crafts, sports, leadership development, homework assistance, tutoring, and career exploration with snacks and dinner included. Eliminates the need for post-school transportation.
• Career Pathways A career preparation program allowing high school students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an Associate degree or college credits, including NAF, JAG, and JMG curriculum components with seven pathway options: Business Administration, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Dental Hygienist, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Medical Assisting, and Hospitality and Tourism.
• Special Education Comprehensive special education programs and services for eligible students, including evaluation processes that examine the whole child with input from parents, teachers, specialists, and related service providers, leading to individualized education plans and related services.
• Multilingual Learners (ML) Supports English Language Development (ELD) Program providing instructional services in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for Multilingual Learners, with individualized Language Plans supporting language acquisition and academic achievement.
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) A multi-tiered school-wide system of support focusing on monthly values themes to promote academic success and positive behavior, including HAWKS tickets, a school store, themed assemblies, guest speakers, special field trips, and student council involvement.
• Free Breakfast and Lunch Program Nutritious breakfast and lunch provided at no charge to all students through the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs, with menus planned around student preferences and supplied by partner Southwest School Food Excellence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Implementation and Impact recognition for School Behavior through MTSS
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Integrity Educational ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational Management Organization (EMO) providing support services for schools that strive for excellent, relevant, and inclusive educational services. Manages day-to-day operations and provides administrative support.
• Ferris State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorizing body for the charter school through the Charter Schools Office (CSO), which focuses on student success and continuous improvement through quality oversight, professional learning opportunities, and relevant resources.
• CogniacoreOthersGlobal education accreditation organization. Hope Academy is fully accredited by Cognia, the largest community of education professionals in the world.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand RapidsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides afterschool programming on campus including arts, crafts, sports, leadership development, homework assistance, tutoring, and career exploration. Free snacks and dinner provided. Eliminates need for post-school transportation.
• Cherry HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity health partner offering medical, dental, vision, and behavioral health services to students and families.
• Kent Career Technical Center (KCTC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternative career pathway option for students not enrolled in Early Middle College. Offers career exploration, preparation, and continuing education in ~30 programs. Transportation provided at no cost. Results in industry certifications, internships, and college credit.
• Hand2HandsupportingOthersProvides food for kids facing weekend hunger in West Michigan.
• Kids' Food BasketsupportingOthersCommunity organization working toward a hunger-free West Michigan for all children.
• Kent District LibrarysupportingOthersKDL Bookmobile brings library services to patrons in far away or underserved communities, supports access to community resources, and builds meaningful relationships that foster love for literacy and lifelong learning.
• Kent County Health DepartmentsupportingOthersResponsible for continually assessing community health and ensuring certain services are available and accessible for citizens.
• Literacy Center of West MichigansupportingOthersWorks alongside immigrants, refugees, and native English speakers to provide literacy support tailored to learner needs. All programming offered at no cost.
• Lighthouse AcademymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelated charter school creating hope through academic success. Partner for career pathways programming with classes held on-site at Lighthouse Academy.
• Grand Rapids Promise ZonesupportingOthersFree higher education program for all eligible Grand Rapids students who enroll at Grand Rapids Community College.
• ChillsupportingOthersInspires young people through boardsports and builds a more equitable outdoor community.
• Southwest School Food ExcellencesupportingOthersFood service partner supplying meals for the school following National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program regulations.
• Kent ISD Great Start Readiness ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-funded preschool program for four-year-old children. GSRP is guided by developmentally appropriate practices through individualized instruction. Hope Academy Early Learning Center is a GSRP partner site.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heritage Academies: Large Michigan-headquartered charter school EMO operating dozens of public charter schools across multiple states. Comparable charter K–12 operating model with shared reliance on state per-pupil funding and EMO-managed operations.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large urban charter school network emphasizing data-driven instruction, behavior systems, and college preparation. Comparable in its reliance on MTSS-style data frameworks, behavior reward systems, and intensive academic culture.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National nonprofit network of college-preparatory public charter schools serving underserved communities. Comparable mission-driven charter K–12 model with emphasis on college readiness and whole-child supports.
• Charter Schools USA: National charter school management organization operating tuition-free public charter schools. Comparable as a large-scale EMO running public charter academies with similar funding model and parent/community engagement focus.
• IDEA Public Schools: Large public charter school network with strong college-prep focus, including early college pathways. Comparable to Hope Academy's Career Pathways + Early Middle College positioning and tuition-free public charter structure.
• BASIS Charter Schools: National charter school network recognized for rigorous college-prep academics and AP/college-credit opportunities. Comparable in offering accelerated, college-credit-bearing pathways within a public charter model.

Others

• Integrity Educational Services: Educational Management Organization providing back-office and operational support to Hope Academy (and Lighthouse Academy). Comparable as the closest peer of the operating layer that delivers Hope Academy's services.
• Kent Intermediate School District: Regional intermediate school district that administers GSRP preschool funding and shared services used by Hope Academy. Comparable as an ecosystem partner and counterparty in the local K–12 funding and programming infrastructure.

Regional players

• Grand Rapids Public Schools: Traditional public school district serving the same Grand Rapids, MI geography. Competes for the same K–12 student population, including via its own magnet and alternative programs, and is the primary incumbent Hope Academy draws from and competes against.

Direct peers

• Lighthouse Academy: Sister charter school managed by the same Educational Management Organization (Integrity Educational Services) in Grand Rapids, MI. Shares Hope Academy's operating model, EMO back-office, and Grand Rapids service area, including overlapping career-pathways programming.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HopeAcademyofWestMichigan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hope-academy-of-west-michigan

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Hope Academy of West Michigan