HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMY-DAYTON

What HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMY-DAYTON does

Horizon Science Academy Dayton is a tuition-free, public charter school network operating three campuses in Dayton, Ohio under the names HSA Dayton Elementary (K-5, 4751 Sue Ann Blvd), HSA Dayton High (6-12, 250 Shoup Mill Rd), and HSA Dayton Downtown (K-8, 121 S Monmouth St). The schools deliver a STEM-focused, college-preparatory curriculum built on project-based learning, robotics and drone competitions, a 1:1 student technology program, and the College Credit Plus dual-enrollment program. The institution is managed by Concept Schools, a nonprofit charter management organization operating 34 schools serving approximately 13,500 primarily low-income students across the Midwest, and is authorized by the Buckeye Community Hope Foundation and accredited by Cognia (including STEM certification). Concept Schools was recognized as a Cognia System of Distinction in 2024, and multiple network schools have been ranked #1 in their states by U.S. News & World Report.

The school's revenue model is anchored on per-pupil state foundation funding (a recurring subscription-like stream tied to enrollment) supplemented by federal categorical aid through IDEA Part B (special education), Title I (disadvantaged students), and Title III (English language learners), plus one-time federal grants such as the 2025 Charter Schools Program CMO grant awarded to the parent Concept Schools network. A minimal consumable material fee is charged per child with a hardship waiver, and tuition is zero. Distribution is direct-to-consumer: families apply online through the school website or PowerSchool enrollment portal, schedule in-person school tours, and enter a lottery when applications exceed capacity (with preferences for returning students, district residents, and siblings). Outcome metrics reported by the network include a 96% college acceptance rate for the Class of 2024, $52 million in merit-based scholarships earned, 68% matriculation to four-year programs, and CREDO-validated academic growth of 1.2 years per school year for students enrolled in Concept-managed charter schools.

The school's positioning is differentiated less by proprietary technology (no AI/ML capabilities, proprietary models, or differentiated platform architecture are evidenced in the data) and more by brand, regulatory standing, and ecosystem leverage. Core technology assets are standard EdTech: interactive smart boards, cloud-based collaborative environments, virtual learning infrastructure, the PowerSchool SIS/enrollment platform, YouTube for content hosting, and PayPal/Lifetouch for ancillary commerce. The strategic moat is therefore primarily intangible (network brand and academic outcomes), regulatory (charter authorization and Cognia accreditation), and ecosystem-based (Concept Schools shared services), rather than technology-based. Notable risk factors include concentration on Ohio state funding policy, single-payer revenue exposure, and the absence of any proprietary technology differentiation.

Name

HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMY-DAYTON

Legal name

Horizon Science Academy Dayton

Website

https://horizondayton.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Horizon Science Academy Dayton is a tuition-free public charter school operating three STEM-focused K-12 campuses in Dayton, Ohio. It is managed by the nonprofit CMO Concept Schools and authorized by Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, serving primarily low-income families with college-preparatory education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charter School Education (K-12)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJACAG

Charter STEM/STEAM-Focused Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Charter K–12 Schools

Keywords

• Charter school education
• STEM K-12 curriculum
• College preparatory programs
• Tuition-free public school
• Project-based learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Public Funding: Charter schools receive per-pupil state funding based on enrollment, which constitutes the primary revenue stream
2. Federal Grants and Programs: Federal funding through IDEA Part B (special education), ESL programs, Title III (English language learners), and Title I (disadvantaged students)
3. Charter Schools Program (CSP) CMO Grant: Concept Schools received approximately $12 million through 2025 CSP CMO grant to support network growth and expansion of high-performing charter schools
4. Federal Expansion Grants: Additional approximately $2 million awarded to Horizon Science Academy Austintown for programming expansion
5. Consumable Material Fee: Minimal consumable material fee charged per child, with waiver available for eligible families. Fee is not a deterrent to admission or attendance

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Horizon Science Academy Dayton operates as a tuition-free public charter school network delivering STEM-focused, college-preparatory education to K-12 students across three Dayton, Ohio campuses (Elementary K-5, High 6-12, Downtown K-8). The core offering is classroom-based academic instruction integrated with project-based learning, robotics and drone competitions, science fair participation, dual-enrollment college credit options, and the Young 5's early-childhood transition program.

Product overview

Horizon Science Academy Dayton Downtown is a non-selective, tuition-free public charter school managed by Concept Schools, serving grades K-8. The school offers a comprehensive STEM-focused and college-preparatory curriculum centered around its core educational program, augmented by specialized offerings including the College Credit Plus (allowing students to earn college credits), a Young 5's early childhood program, an intensive STEM Education program with robotics/drone competitions and science fairs, and the annual Art & Language Festival celebrating student artistic talents. The institution operates as part of the Concept Schools network of 34 Midwest schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Students demonstrate 1.2 years of academic growth per school year enrolled
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 December 2024State organization supporting Ohio schools with safety initiatives. Presented HSA Dayton Downtown with a buddy bench made from recycled materials as part of anti-bullying and school safety programs.
• Ohio State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2024Host venue for Concept Schools Postsecondary Student Success Program's Alumni and Senior First-Year College Experience-Sharing Panel where HSA seniors received college advice from alumni.
• Dayton Philharmonic OrchestraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2023Conducted 'Orchestra and You' hands-on audiovisual introduction to orchestra for students grades 2-4, preparing them for live performance of 'Peter and the Wolf' at Dayton Masonic Center.
• Buckeye Community Hope FoundationcoreOthersAuthorizing body for Horizon Science Academy Dayton schools. BCHF provides oversight and authorization for charter schools in Ohio, ensuring compliance with educational standards and performance requirements.
• Concept SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit charter management organization that manages and operates Horizon Science Academy Dayton. Provides comprehensive start-up, academic, financial, and operational services across 34 schools in the Midwest serving 13,500 students.
• CogniacoreOthersAccreditation organization providing quality assurance for schools. HSA Dayton Downtown is accredited by Cognia and holds STEM certification. Concept Schools was named System of Distinction by Cognia in 2024.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uncommon Schools: Nonprofit CMO operating college-preparatory charter schools in multiple states with rigorous academic models. Highly comparable as a network of K-12 charter schools targeting underserved students and achieving strong college acceptance outcomes.
• KIPP Public Schools: National nonprofit charter management organization operating K-12 college-preparatory schools with a STEM/college-ready focus. Directly comparable to Concept Schools/HSA Dayton as a multi-state CMO serving low-income communities with proven college outcomes.
• National Heritage Academies: For-profit charter management organization operating K-8 and K-12 schools across multiple states, with overlap in the Midwest market. Comparable as a charter network operator delivering structured curricula to similar demographics.
• Breakthrough Public Schools: Ohio-based charter management organization operating schools in Cleveland serving predominantly low-income students. Comparable as an Ohio charter CMO targeting underserved families with a college-prep mission.
• IDEA Public Schools: Large national charter network operating K-12 college-preparatory schools, recognized by U.S. News rankings. Comparable to HSA Dayton/Concept as a high-performing CMO scaled across multiple states with similar accountability and outcome-based positioning.
• ACCEL Schools: Charter management organization headquartered in Ohio operating schools across the Midwest. Direct regional peer with similar STEM and college-prep positioning and overlapping geographic footprint.
• Great Oaks Foundation: Charter management organization operating schools serving low-income communities. Comparable as a CMO with similar demographic focus and college-prep outcomes measurement approach.
• Cincinnati College Preparatory School: Ohio charter school serving K-12 with a college-preparatory focus. Comparable in mission, geography (Ohio), and demographic targeting as a regional charter peer to HSA Dayton.

Broad incumbents

• Dayton Public Schools: Traditional public school district in Dayton, Ohio, serving a comparable K-12 demographic. Comparable as the local incumbent against which HSA Dayton competes for students and is measured on outcomes.
• Hawken School: Cleveland-based private independent school with a strong STEM/college-prep reputation. Comparable as an Ohio STEM-focused school, though tuition-based rather than publicly funded.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hsaddt
• Facebookfacebook.com/HSADaytonDowntown
• Instagraminstagram.com/hsadaytondowntown
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horizon-science-academy-dayton

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMY-DAYTON