Rafer Johnson Junior High

What Rafer Johnson Junior High does

Rafer Johnson Junior High is a public charter junior high school serving grades 7-8 in Kingsburg, California, operating as a wholly-owned school site within the Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District (KECSD). The district was established in 1874 and became the second charter school district in the State of California in 1996; today it enrolls approximately 2,104 students across six schools (preschool through 8th grade) and serves a rural community of roughly 12,000 people in the Central San Joaquin Valley. The school itself delivers instruction under a HERO (Helping Others Reach Objectives) motto, integrates Kaizen continuous-improvement principles, and operates within an open-enrollment model that allows intra- and inter-district transfers without tuition.

Its core academic offering is a standards-aligned general-education curriculum paired with a full suite of extracurricular programming: an award-winning music program (Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Chamber Choir) with multi-year Superior/Unanimous Superior festival ratings; competitive athletics through the Sequoia Athletic League (flag football, volleyball, tennis, cross country, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, and track & field); a 1:1 Chromebook technology program supporting digital literacy; and a full continuum of special education services delivered through the Fresno County SELPA consortium. The underlying technology stack is administrative rather than instructional: Aeries student information system for SIS/enrollment/grading, Aeries Parent Portal for parent communication, TITAN K12 Family Portal for cafeteria payments, and Google Calendar for event distribution. No proprietary software, app, API, or SDK is disclosed.

The business model is that of a publicly funded California charter school district rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue mechanics include per-pupil ADA funding from the state (California LCFF), Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) allocations, federal block grants (ESSER III, Community Schools, Educator Effectiveness, LREBG), and a voter-approved $10 million General Obligation Bond (Measure A, June 2016) for capital modernization. No tuition is charged; meals are free for on-site students. GTM is open enrollment, with new-student registration through Aeries AIR and returning-student flows through the Parent Portal. The district is governed by an elected Board of Trustees and accountable to the California Department of Education; there is no parent company, no external equity ownership, and no venture or buyout pathway.

Name

Rafer Johnson Junior High

Legal name

Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District

Website

https://kesd.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rafer Johnson Junior High is a public charter junior high school serving grades 7-8 in Kingsburg, California, within the Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District. It delivers academic instruction, HERO-based character education, and band, choir, and athletics programs to district families under open enrollment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Public charter school
• Middle school education
• Junior high school
• K-8 education
• Charter school district

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding: Public school district receives per-pupil funding from California state based on average daily attendance (ADA). The district's charter status allows flexibility with programs and staffing.
2. Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Funds: State funding allocated through LCAP for specific programs including educator effectiveness, expanded learning opportunities, and community schools initiatives.
3. General Obligation Bond (Measure A): Voter-approved $10 million bond measure from June 2016 for school modernization and renovation projects across the district's seven schools.
4. Federal Grants: ESSER III funds, Community Schools Grant, Educator Effectiveness Block Grant, Learning Recovery Education Block Grant (LREBG), and other federal education funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rafer Johnson Junior High is a public charter junior high school serving grades 7-8 as part of the Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District, delivering comprehensive middle school education including core academics, award-winning Band and Choir music programs, competitive athletics through the Sequoia Athletic League, special education services, and a 1:1 Chromebook technology initiative. The school emphasizes character education under its HERO motto (Helping Others Reach Objectives) and Kaizen principles, with no tuition charged for enrollment.

Product overview

Rafer Johnson Junior High is a charter junior high school serving grades 7-8 as part of Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District. The school offers a comprehensive educational program centered on its HERO motto (Helping Others Reach Objectives), combining rigorous academics with extensive extracurricular programs. Key offerings include award-winning Band and Choir music programs, competitive Athletics through the Sequoia Athletic League, Special Education services, and a 1:1 Chromebook technology initiative. The school emphasizes character education, academic excellence, and preparation for high school and beyond within a safe, nurturing environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rafer Johnson Junior High School A public charter junior high school serving grades 7-8, part of Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District, focused on academic excellence with a HERO motto (Helping Others Reach Objectives) and adherence to Kaizen principles.
• Band Program Award-winning music program featuring Concert Band, Marching Band, and Jazz Band for students in grades 7-8, consistently earning Excellent, Superior, and Unanimous Superior ratings at Valley festivals.
• Choir Program Choir program including Chamber Choir and general choir offerings, with performances at events such as Knott's Berry Farm Music in the Park.
• Athletics Program Competitive athletics participating in SAL League (Sequoia Athletic League) including fall sports (flag football, volleyball, tennis, cross country), winter sports (soccer, basketball), and spring sports (baseball, softball, track & field).
• Special Education Services Full continuum of special education services including Individualized Education Programs (IEP), speech and language therapy, and specialized support for students with disabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• CA Distinguished School Award Recipient
• +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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Central Valley Fuego Fútbol ClubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2021Partnered with Kingsburg Elementary Charter School District for Bilingual Children's Day celebration on November 10, 2021. Local soccer legend Milton Blanco served as keynote speaker.
• Southwest TransportationcoreOthersSouthwest Transportation provides home-to-school bus transportation services for KECSD students. Transportation questions can be directed to 559-644-1080. The district operates bus routes including special foggy day schedules.
• Valley PBS Channel 18minorOthersLocal news station used for foggy day schedule announcements and school communications. The district is identified as 'KINGSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT' in broadcasts.
• TITAN Family PortalcoreTechnology or IntegrationTITAN K12 provides the family portal for meal account management, balance tracking, and cafeteria payments. Used district-wide for food services operations.
• Fresno County SELPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresno County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) that KECSD participates in for special education services and compliance. Provides continuum of program options for students with disabilities.
• EdJoin.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCalifornia education job board used by KECSD for posting employment opportunities. Complete listing of open positions available at edjoin.org.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aspire Public Schools: California-based charter school network operating TK-12 public charter schools with similar flexibility-driven programming, character education emphasis, and college-readiness mission. Directly comparable as a California charter operator competing for the same open-enrollment families.
• KIPP Northern California: Charter school network operating public charter schools across Northern and Central California, including middle-school grades. Comparable as a multi-site charter operator serving similar student populations through publicly funded, flexibility-enabled programming.
• Wonderful College Prep Academy: Central Valley-based charter school operator serving TK-12 students in rural California communities. Directly comparable given shared geography, similar rural demographics, and charter flexibility model in the same Central San Joaquin Valley region.
• Rocketship Public Schools: California-origin charter network operating public charter elementary and middle schools with a strong personalized-learning and technology emphasis. Comparable as a California charter operator using 1:1 device programs and similar SIS/parent-portal infrastructure.

Regional players

• Sanger Unified School District: Adjacent K-12 public school district serving the Fresno County region near Kingsburg. Comparable as a regional competitor for student enrollment and state per-pupil funding in the same Central San Joaquin Valley geography.
• Greenfield Union School District: Small K-8 public school district in the Bakersfield area of the San Joaquin Valley. Comparable as a similarly sized rural public district serving similar demographics with similar per-pupil funding dynamics and program structures.
• Central Unified School District: Fresno-area public school district serving K-12 students in the Central Valley region. Comparable as a larger regional public district competing for the same open-enrollment transfer pool and operating under the same California funding framework.
• Selma Unified School District: Neighboring Fresno County public school district operating TK-12 schools in the same Central Valley region. Comparable as a regional public school competitor for families choosing between in-district and open-enrollment options.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kingsburgelementary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rafer-johnson-junior-high

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Rafer Johnson Junior High