What Independence Charter School does

Independence Charter School (ICS) is a non-profit K-8 public charter school founded in 2001 and located at 1600 Lombard Street in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It operates under a charter granted by the School District of Philadelphia and is governed by an independent Board of Trustees. The school serves up to 825 students from more than 40 Philadelphia zip codes, drawn through the Apply Philly Charter common lottery with sibling preference, and currently reports a diverse student body that includes 21% Special Education students, 17% English Learners, and 48% qualifying for free/reduced lunch. ICS is structured around three pillars: a Spanish dual-language instructional model (90% Spanish in K-1, tapering to 50% in grades 3-5, with Advanced Spanish Language Arts in grades 6-8, transitioning to a unified immersion track by 2028-2029), a STEAM academic core, and a global citizenship curriculum supported by the Oxfam Education and Learning for Justice frameworks.

The school's product surface includes the K-8 dual-language program, full-inclusion Special Education services with push-in and pull-out support, arts education (visual art, music, dance, plus rotating electives such as robotics, poetry, cooking, and graphic design), an annual 80+ student musical production, an afterschool violin program, the signature Take Flight study abroad program, and a K-8 school counseling program covering academic planning, SEL via Second Step and Career Zone, and high school selection support. Technology infrastructure is built on the Alma student information system, Clever SSO portal, Google Workspace for Education, and the fdmealplanner cafeteria menu platform. Operational services — transportation (Durham School Services for grades 1-6, SEPTA Transpasses for grades 7-8) and meals (Whitsons Culinary Group via the National School Lunch Program and CEP) — are delivered through contracted partners.

ICS generates revenue primarily through per-pupil public funding from the School District of Pennsylvania, supplemented by an Annual Appeal with donation tiers ranging from $25 to $2,100, corporate matching gifts, Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC) channeled through the school's Worlds of Opportunity foundation, and planned/legacy giving. The school has 168 employees (firmographic) and is overseen by a leadership team comprising a CEO, Principal, two Assistant Principals, a Director of Operations, a Director of Special Education, a Director of Technology, and a Dean of Students. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: prospective families are acquired through the website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), school tours, and the Apply Philly Charter platform, with no tuition charged and services delivered exclusively at the single Philadelphia campus.

Name

Independence Charter School

Legal name

Independence Charter School

Website

https://independencecharter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Independence Charter School is a non-profit K-8 public charter school in Philadelphia serving up to 825 students through a Spanish dual-language immersion model, STEAM academics, global citizenship curriculum, and full-inclusion special education, funded primarily via per-pupil allocations and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Public Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter Language Immersion & Bilingual Schools (EDAJACAI), Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• K-8 charter school
• Dual language education
• STEAM academic programs
• Public charter education
• Elementary middle school

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Public Funding: As a public charter school, ICS receives per-pupil funding from public sources based on enrollment. This is the primary revenue stream supporting school operations.
2. Individual Donations & Annual Appeal: ICS relies on donations from families, alumni, and friends. Annual giving campaign funds student resources, curricular offerings, staff development and learning facilities. Donation tiers range from $25 to $2,100.
3. Corporate Matching Gifts: Corporate support through employee matching gift programs. Many companies match employees' philanthropic contributions to the school.
4. Educational Improvement Tax Credits (EITC): ICS' foundation Worlds of Opportunity is approved to receive EITC contributions supporting global citizenship, STEM, dual language, arts education, and extra-curricular programming.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy giving opportunities including ultimate gifts in wills, trusts or other accounts to benefit future generations of ICS students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Independence Charter School is a public K-8 charter school in Philadelphia, PA, founded in 2001, providing tuition-free education to approximately 700 students. Its core academic program combines a Spanish/English dual-language immersion model with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) academics, arts integration, and a global citizenship curriculum, supported by inclusive special education services and wraparound student supports.

Product overview

Independence Charter School (ICS) is a community-based K-8 public charter school offering a unified educational program centered on dual-language education, STEAM academics, and global citizenship. The school's core offering is its comprehensive K-8 education combining Spanish Immersion (for grades K-5) or Spanish Enhanced (for middle school) language programs, full inclusion Special Education services, and Arts Education including music, art, dance, and annual theatrical productions. Supporting services include the Alma student information portal for academic records access, Responsive Classroom social-emotional learning curriculum, and comprehensive school counseling with high school placement support. The program is transitioning to a single unified Spanish Immersion model by 2028-2029, expanding accessibility to all students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Dual Language Immersion Program Spanish/English dual-language immersion academic program for K-8 students at Independence Charter School, supporting biliteracy and bilingualism across grade levels.
• STEAM Academic Curriculum Integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics academic program for K-8 students, woven into core coursework at Independence Charter School.
• Arts Education Program Drama, music, and visual arts instruction for K-8 students at Independence Charter School, integrated with the broader academic curriculum.
• Special Education Inclusion Services IEP-driven special education support and inclusive services for K-8 students at Independence Charter School, with dedicated support staff.
• Mental Health and Counseling Services School-based counseling and mental health support for K-8 students at Independence Charter School.
• After-School Enrichment Programs After-school enrichment activities for K-8 students, including chess, dance, music, and other programming at Independence Charter School.
• Athletic Programs Athletic programming for K-8 students at Independence Charter School, including basketball, soccer, and other sports using the school's gymnasium and outdoor spaces.
• Summer Camp Programs Summer camp programming for K-8 age children operated by Independence Charter School.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students graduate bilingual and biliterate, typically testing into upper-level Spanish courses in high school
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Durham School ServicescoreOthersThe School District of Philadelphia contracts Durham School Services to provide transportation to all students who sign up for bus service. Families receive bus stop assignments and pickup times directly from the District. For real-time information on bus status, families contact Durham School Services at 215-537-5405.
• SEPTAcoreOthersSEPTA provides weekly Transpasses to 7th-8th grade students who live more than 1.5 miles from school, as part of the District's transportation program for eligible students.
• Whitsons Culinary GroupcoreOthersWhitsons Culinary Group is the meal vendor providing breakfast and lunch through the National School Lunch Program. ICS participates in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) where all enrolled students receive meals at no charge.
• Aftercare ProvidersminorOthersMany neighborhood organizations offer afterschool pickup at ICS. A list of approved afterschool programs is maintained by the school. Some programs require minimum enrollment from ICS families per trimester.
• National PTAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS PTA is affiliated with National PTA, the oldest and largest child advocacy association in America. Membership provides benefits including discounts on car rentals, life and home insurance, and shopping at Walmart, in addition to local PTA events.
• Plays and Players TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS partners with Plays and Players Theater for major educational and cultural enrichment, taking advantage of Philadelphia's cultural facilities and programs.
• Dancing ClassroomsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partner providing dance education enrichment to ICS students as part of the arts curriculum.
• Philadelphia Young PlaywrightsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS partners with Philadelphia Young Playwrights to provide creative writing and theater arts enrichment, contributing to the annual school musical involving 80+ students.
• Barnes MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Barnes Museum for art education and cultural field trips, providing access to world-class art collections for student learning.
• Kimmel CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Kimmel Center for Performing Arts for cultural enrichment and arts education programs.
• Fleisher Art MemorialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Fleisher Art Memorial for art education and creative development opportunities for ICS students.
• Oxfam EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS uses the Oxfam Education for Global Citizenship Curriculum to guide instructional worldview and develop students' concepts of identity, global community, and principles of justice and civic responsibility.
• Learning for JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICS uses the Social Justice Standards from Learning for Justice as a guide for developing instructional approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Second StepcoreTechnology or IntegrationICS counseling team uses Second Step curriculum to help students build social-emotional skills like nurturing positive relationships, managing emotions, and setting goals.
• Career ZonecoreTechnology or IntegrationICS uses Career Zone to deliver career development lessons with interactive lessons customized for each student in the comprehensive social-emotional curriculum.
• 3Rs Sex EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationICS uses the 3Rs sex education curriculum meeting National Sexuality Education Standards, addressing both functional knowledge and skills necessary for healthy behaviors.
• ClevercoreTechnology or IntegrationICS uses Clever portal for student and family access to educational technology and resources, providing single sign-on to digital learning tools.
• AlmacoreTechnology or IntegrationAlma student information system provides round-the-clock access to academic information, important school events, and communication for families through an intuitive portal.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mastery Charter Schools: Largest Philadelphia charter management organization operating multiple K-12 campuses city-wide; comparable as a same-market charter operator competing for per-pupil funding and lottery applicants, though broader and less specialized in dual-language.
• KIPP Philadelphia Charter Schools: KIPP network operator running multiple Philadelphia charter campuses serving college-prep-focused K-12 students; comparable as a multi-site Philadelphia charter competitor drawing from the same per-pupil funding pool and lottery applicants.
• Aspira Charter Schools: Pennsylvania charter operator with multiple Philadelphia-area campuses emphasizing bilingual education and cultural identity; comparable as a regional charter operator with overlapping dual-language positioning.

Direct peers

• Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School: Philadelphia K-12 charter school with significant dual-language programming; directly comparable to ICS on the bilingual-instruction dimension and same-city charter ecosystem.
• Global Leadership Academy Charter School: Philadelphia K-8 public charter school with a global-citizenship and dual-language focus, operating in the same lottery system (Apply Philly Charter) and competing for the same Philadelphia families seeking bilingual education.
• Philadelphia Academy Charter School: K-12 Philadelphia public charter school operating in the same Apply Philly Charter lottery; comparable as a same-city, single-network charter competitor for Philadelphia families.
• Southwest Leadership Academy Charter School: Philadelphia K-8 charter school with a college-prep focus; comparable as a same-city K-8 charter operator competing for lottery applicants and Title I funding.
• Belmont Charter School: Philadelphia K-8 public charter school with a community-based, inclusion-oriented model; comparable as a similarly sized, single-site Philadelphia charter operator focused on diverse learners.
• First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School: K-12 Philadelphia charter school serving a similar urban demographic via the same lottery; comparable on Philadelphia charter market positioning and per-pupil funding dynamics.
• String Theory Schools: Philadelphia charter operator with multiple K-12 campuses emphasizing arts and STEAM integration; directly comparable to ICS on the STEAM-plus-arts positioning within the same city charter market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icscharter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@icsgriffins
• Facebookfacebook.com/independencecharter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independence-charter-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/icsgriffins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Independence Charter School