Horizon Education Centers

What Horizon Education Centers does

Horizon Education Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit early childhood education provider founded in 1978 in North Olmsted, Ohio, currently operating 21 locations across Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties. The organization delivers full-day child care, preschool, before/after-school programming, and summer camp services for children aged 6 weeks through 14 years, structured around the Creative Curriculum Program (Teaching Strategies) framework and supplemented by offerings such as Yoga 4 Classrooms and CACFP-funded meals. Programs are delivered through 14 dedicated centers plus 9 school-based sites, with embedded partnerships with Cleveland Metropolitan School District and Lorain City Schools. In 2024 Horizon celebrated 270 preschool graduates, awarded 72 Mary Smith Scholarships, and operated school-age programming across multiple district sites.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: recurring tuition (with income-based scholarships up to 400% Federal Poverty Level, multi-child discounts, military discounts, and prepayment discounts); government voucher funding via the Fast Start Voucher Program covering Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), Cuyahoga County, and Lorain County vouchers; and grant funding including $7.65 million in 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants secured in 2024. Customer-facing infrastructure consists of the MyProcare online payment portal for billing management and an in-house enrollment specialist team supporting same/next-day voucher-based enrollment.

Horizon is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Bret Fisher (CEO of Achieve Credit Union) and led operationally by Executive Director David Smith, who has led the organization since 1995, supported by a C-suite including a Chief Academic Officer, CFO, and COO. The organization's competitive positioning rests on Ohio Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) high ratings, 46+ years of brand recognition anchored by founder Mary Smith's legacy, and authorized-provider status for state-administered voucher programs, which together constitute regulatory and distribution moats in a fragmented regional child care market.

Name

Horizon Education Centers

Legal name

Horizon Education Centers

Website

https://horizoneducationcenters.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Horizon Education Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 operating 21 child care and early education centers across Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, Ohio, serving children aged 6 weeks to 14 years through tuition, government voucher programs, and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education and Child Care Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (6244), Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers (EDACAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL), Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Child care services
• Preschool programs
• After school care
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

North Olmsted, Ohio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Weekly tuition fees for child care programs including infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age care. Fees vary by program and age group. Financial aid and discounts available including income-based scholarships up to 400% Federal Poverty Level, multi-child discounts, military discounts, and prepayment discounts.
2. Government Voucher Programs: Revenue from Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC), County Vouchers, and government-funded preschool programs administered through Lorain County Department of Jobs and Family Services and Cuyahoga County Health and Human Services.
3. Summer Camp Fees: Field trip fees of $180 per child (capped at $360 for 2 children) for school-aged families attending field trips. Activity supply fees of $25 per school-aged child for those opting out of field trips. Payment installment options available.
4. Charitable Donations: Tax-deductible contributions to Horizon as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Includes Mary Smith Scholarship Fund supporting students with $180 summer off-campus activities costs. Donations managed through PayPal or check/money order to Finance Director.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Horizon Education Centers provides center-based early childhood education and child care for children ages 6 weeks to 14 years across 14 licensed centers and 9 school-based sites in Western Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, Ohio. Core services include infant care, toddler care, preschool, before/after-school programs, and summer camp, supplemented by the Fast Start Voucher Program for expedited enrollment and the Mary Smith Scholarship Fund for financial assistance.

Product overview

Horizon Education Centers offers a unified platform of early childhood education and care services operating through multiple specialized programs. The core offerings include Infant Care (6 weeks-18 months), Toddler Care (18-36 months), Preschool Programs (3-5 years), and School Age Programs (6-14 years), all enhanced by Summer Camp programming. Additional services include the Fast Start Voucher Program for expedited enrollment, the Mary Smith Scholarship Fund for financial assistance, MyProcare Online Payment Portal for billing management, Yoga 4 Classrooms for wellness, and the CACFP food program. The organization operates 14+ centers across Western Cuyahoga and Lorain County, Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mary Smith Scholarship Fund: Scholarship fund set up by the Horizon Board of Trustees to provide supplies, field trips and off-campus experiences for students during summer programs.

Products and services

• Infant Care Nurturing child care program for infants aged 6 weeks to 18 months, providing a safe environment with experienced caregivers who guide the earliest learning experiences.
• Toddler Care Program for toddlers aged 18-36 months focusing on social and educational activities including peer interaction, number sense, arts and crafts, and large motor activities.
• Preschool Programs Child care and preschool programs for children ages 3-5 that build independence, collaboration, communication skills, and essential kindergarten readiness.
• School Age Programs Before and after school programs for children ages 6-14 providing homework help, STEM exploration, physical activities, and wellness development.
• Summer Camp Full-day summer camp program for ages 6-14 featuring field trips, swimming, themed weekly activities like Under the Sea, and a summer reading program.
• Fast Start Voucher Program Pre-approval program that helps families get children into child care quickly by determining eligibility for PFCC, County Vouchers, or Free Preschool resources, often enabling enrollment within 1-2 business days.
• Mary Smith Scholarship Fund Scholarship fund established by Horizon's Board of Trustees providing summer program supplies, field trips, and off-campus experiences for children whose families cannot afford these activities; awarded 72 scholarships in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• 270 preschool graduates in 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cleveland Metropolitan School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership for afterschool programs since 2013. Contracted to provide after-school and summer programs at five elementary schools under the 'Say YES' initiative. Horizon operates 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs at district schools.
• Lorain City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership established in 1996 when Lorain City Schools approached Horizon to put a successful afterschool and child care program in Lorain. Garfield School in central Lorain became Horizon's first expansion location.
• Lorain County Department of Jobs and Family ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdministers Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) program for Lorain County. Families apply for vouchers through this county agency. Contact: 440-323-5726.
• Cuyahoga County Health and Human ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAdministers Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) program for Cuyahoga County. Families apply for vouchers through this county agency. Contact: 216-987-6640.
• Ohio Department of Children and YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) program that recognizes Horizon's high-quality ratings. Regulates early learning and development programs.
• AmeriCorpsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for volunteer support and community engagement. AmeriCorps members support Horizon programs and initiatives.
• Cleveland Botanical GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerField trip destination for Horizon students. Supports experiential learning and environmental education.
• Natural History MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerField trip destination for Horizon students. Provides educational experiences and hands-on learning opportunities.
• Southside Pride CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative running the Pioneer Freedge program providing food and addressing food insecurity in the community. Horizon supports this initiative as part of community outreach.
• NASA Glenn Research CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHorizon was awarded a NASA Glenn Research Center grant supporting STEM education programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Primrose Schools: National franchise network of private early childhood education centers for infants through afterschoolers, using a proprietary Balanced Learning curriculum. Comparable in product offering and age range, though franchised vs. Horizon's single-operator nonprofit model.
• Childcare Network: Large private operator of more than 200 childcare centers primarily across the U.S. Southeast, serving infants through school-age. Comparable on multi-age center model and tuition-plus-subsidy revenue mix.
• The Goddard School: National franchise of private preschool and childcare centers using a play-based, accredited curriculum for infants through pre-K. Comparable in curriculum-led, tuition-based positioning to Horizon's preschool-focused programming.
• La Petite Academy (Learning Care Group): National childcare and early education operator owned by Learning Care Group, serving infants through school-age children. Comparable on age range, before/after school programs, and tuition-based enrollment, though operated at national scale.
• The Learning Experience: National private early childhood education franchise with proprietary 'L.E.A.P.' curriculum, serving infants through preschoolers. Directly comparable on curriculum-driven, multi-age center model, though for-profit franchise vs. nonprofit.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Public company (BFAM) and the largest U.S. operator of employer-sponsored childcare and early learning centers. Comparable as a multi-site, multi-age childcare provider serving working families, though Horizon is a regional nonprofit and Bright Horizons is a national for-profit incumbent with employer-channel partnerships.
• Cadence Education: Private operator of more than 200 early childhood and school-age education centers across 30+ U.S. states. Comparable as a multi-site, multi-age provider competing for talent and government-funded enrollment, though for-profit and national in scope.
• KinderCare Learning Companies: Public national operator of more than 1,500 early childhood education centers serving infant through school-age. Directly comparable in service mix (infant, toddler, preschool, before/after school), but operates at materially larger scale and for-profit structure.

Others

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland: Local nonprofit youth development organization offering afterschool, summer, and youth programs across the same Cleveland footprint. Adjacent peer — overlaps Horizon's before/after school and summer camp segments but focused on school-age youth development rather than infant/preschool care.

Regional players

• YMCA of Greater Cleveland: Regional nonprofit operating licensed childcare, before/after school enrichment, and summer camp programs across the same Northeast Ohio geography as Horizon. Closest comparable on nonprofit mission, community-based delivery, and geographic overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/embed/NqgH56jU1VU
• Facebookfacebook.com/HorizonEducationCenters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horizoneducationcenters

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Education Centers