Lake Forest Charter

What Lake Forest Charter does

Lake Forest Charter is a K-8 public charter school in New Orleans East (Orleans Parish), Louisiana, operated by The Council for Quality Education (a nonprofit corporation) and authorized by NOLA-Public Schools as a Type 3 charter. Established in January 2006 after Lake Forest Montessori was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the school opened in April 2006 with 66 students and has scaled to approximately 633 K-8 students supported by a staff of 63+ named professionals. The school delivers tuition-free education under a sustained A-rating from the Louisiana Department of Education, with an explicit academic vision of 100% four-year university attendance and 85% advanced degree attainment among graduates. Revenue is generated primarily through per-pupil state funding via the Orleans Parish School District, supplemented by fee-based Eagle Care before/after-school services ($65-$195/month), Spirit Store merchandise ($5-$35 per item), an annual Cocktails & Blues Gala fundraiser, and a Sustained Giving monthly donation program ($10+/month).

The academic product consists of three sequential programs — Lower Elementary (K-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), and Middle School (6-8) — aligned to Louisiana Student Standards, supplemented by enrichment in Spanish, IT, Music, Drama, PE, and Visual Arts, plus competitive athletics and 15+ clubs. The technology stack is entirely third-party SaaS with no proprietary systems: Google Classroom for instruction, PowerSchool for student information, ClassDojo for behavior tracking, MySchoolBucks for meal payments, PickATime for tour scheduling, and PayPal/GiveLively for donations. Distribution is a single in-person campus at 11110 Lake Forest Blvd., with a centralized Orleans Parish admissions process; tuition-free enrollment is the primary GTM channel, complemented by campus tours and community events. Recent capital activity includes an Outdoor Recreation Complex and Multipurpose Field funded in part by a $300,000 state appropriation secured in 2024 and sponsorship from Gulf Coast Bank, Liberty Bank, and Circular Consulting.

Operationally, the school has accumulated a thick recognition portfolio: National Blue Ribbon School (2013, 2021), Title I Distinguished School (2009, 2016, 2024), Terrel H. Bell Award for leadership (2021), US News & World Report state ranking, and a Fox 8 Golden Apple Award (2026). Leadership continuity is provided by Founding CEO Mardele S. Early, Executive Director Dr. Ryan D. DeRousselle, and a seven-member Board of Directors under President Mrs. Gina Dupart. The school has no parent company, no venture capital, no subsidiaries, and no patents or trademarks.

Name

Lake Forest Charter

Legal name

The Council for Quality Education d.b.a. Lake Forest Charter Elementary School

Website

https://lakeforestcharter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

K-8 public charter school in New Orleans East serving approximately 633 Orleans Parish students with tuition-free, college-preparatory academics, sustained A-rating, and National Blue Ribbon recognition, operated as a nonprofit under a Type 3 charter.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: Per-pupil state funding through Orleans Parish School District as a Type 3 charter school authorized by NOLA-Public Schools
2. Annual Gala & Events: Cocktails & Blues Gala fundraiser supporting Outdoor Recreation Complex development, with sponsorship opportunities and direct donations
3. Sustained Giving Program: Recurring monthly donations starting at $10 per month to bridge funding gaps between state allocation and true cost of education
4. Spirit Store Merchandise: School branded merchandise including apparel (t-shirts $15, jackets $35), accessories, and memorabilia sold through the school's e-commerce store
5. Eagle Care Before/After School Program: Fee-based childcare services with morning care ($65/month), evening care ($150/month), and combined option ($195/month), plus registration fee and drop-in rates

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Lake Forest Charter is a tuition-free K-8 public charter school in New Orleans East, Louisiana, operated by The Council for Quality Education. It delivers academic instruction across Lower Elementary (K-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), and Middle School (6-8) grade bands, supplemented by a college-readiness program, enrichment classes, athletics, before/after care, meal services, and a Spirit Store. The school is authorized by NOLA-Public Schools and has maintained an A-rating from the Louisiana Department of Education since its 2006 founding.

Product overview

Lake Forest Charter is a K-8 public charter school offering a unified educational program built around rigorous, accelerated academics. The core consists of three sequential programs: Lower Elementary (K-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), and Middle School (6-8), all aligned to college-readiness standards with the goal of 100% student college attendance and 85% advanced degree attainment. These are supplemented by enrichment classes (Drama, Spanish, IT, Music, PE, Visual Arts), athletic teams, and 15+ clubs. Support services include Eagle Care before/after care, Eagle Cafe meal service, Social Work, Dean of Students, and Student Health. The school also offers Extended Day, Saturday Camp, Summer Brain Power, and annual programs like Science Fair and College Day Project. A Spirit Store sells branded merchandise. All programs are unified under the school's A-rated academic standards and National Blue Ribbon recognition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lower Elementary Program (K-2) Kindergarten through 2nd-grade academic program for early learners, delivered as part of the K-8 public charter curriculum.
• Upper Elementary Program (3-5) 3rd through 5th-grade academic program for upper elementary students, part of the K-8 public charter curriculum.
• Middle School Program (6-8) 6th through 8th-grade academic program preparing middle school students for high school and college readiness.
• College-Readiness Program College-readiness curriculum and activities designed to prepare K-8 students for high school and post-secondary education.
• Enrichment Classes Elective enrichment classes in Drama, Spanish, Information Technology, Music, Physical Education, and Visual Arts for K-8 students.
• Athletic Teams School athletic teams and sports participation opportunities for K-8 students.
• Clubs and Activities School-sponsored clubs and student activities for K-8 students.
• Eagle Care (Before/After Care) Fee-based before- and after-school care program for K-8 students designed to support working families.
• Eagle Cafe (Meal Service) School cafeteria meal service providing meals to K-8 students and supporting payment via MySchoolBucks.
• Sustained Giving Program Monthly recurring donation program supporting Lake Forest Charter's operations and programs.
• Spirit Store School-branded merchandise store offering apparel and spirit items for students, families, and supporters.
• Social Work Services School-based social work services supporting K-8 students' social-emotional and family needs.
• Student Health Services School health services supporting K-8 students' physical health needs on campus.
• Summer Brain Power Program Summer enrichment program designed to maintain academic engagement during summer break.
• Extended Day and Saturday Camp Extended day and Saturday camp programming providing additional supervised programming for K-8 students.
• Science Fair Program School science fair program offering K-8 students STEM project experience and competition.
• College Day Project College Day Project initiative exposing K-8 students to college preparation and future planning.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students attend four-year university; 85% obtain advanced degrees
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NOCCA (New Orleans Center for Creative Arts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2025NOCCA classical instrumental department visits LFC to coach Strings students. Students learn about NOCCA programs, music concepts, and techniques. LFC alumni Nasya Jackson has been attending NOCCA for 4 years. Partnership provides advanced enrichment and pathway for students pursuing performing arts.
• Lyrica BaroqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLFC Strings Chamber performed at Lyrica Baroque's 10-year anniversary celebration 'Lyrica Affair' alongside professional performers. Students benefited from performing for sponsors whose support funds educational and community outreach projects including the Nola Chamber Fest competition.
• Duke University Talent Identification Program (T.I.P.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLFC participates in Duke TIP where academically talented 7th graders receive first exposure to ACT/SAT testing. Many students have received TIP Louisiana State Recognition (ACT scores 20-36) in Math, Science, English and Reading. Program is integral to college-readiness curriculum.
• NOLA Public Schools / Orleans Parish School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLFC is a Type 3 charter school authorized by NOLA-Public Schools. The Orleans Parish School Board provides oversight, accountability frameworks, and per-pupil funding. Superintendent Dr. Fateama Fulmore and leadership attended ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KIPP New Orleans Schools: Multi-site college-preparatory public charter network in New Orleans serving K-12 students. KIPP is the most comparable charter network operating in the same Orleans Parish market with a similar college-readiness mission and tuition-free model.
• Lusher Charter School: Orleans Parish public charter school serving K-12 with strong academic outcomes. Lusher is one of the highest-performing charters in New Orleans and directly comparable to LFC in mission, governance structure, and target demographic.
• Morris Jeff Community School: New Orleans-based public charter school serving PK-12 with a strong academic and arts focus. Comparable to LFC as a tuition-free Orleans Parish charter with a college-readiness orientation and similar enrichment programming.
• Hynes Charter School: Orleans Parish public charter school serving K-8 with a college-preparatory focus. Operates as a single-site Lakeview-campus charter offering a directly comparable K-8 college-readiness program to LFC.
• Bricolage Academy: New Orleans-based K-8 public charter school. Bricolage is one of the most direct peer schools to LFC, serving a similar K-8 student population in Orleans Parish with a comparable tuition-free, college-readiness mission and comparable scale.
• Audubon Charter School: Orleans Parish public charter school serving K-8 students with a French immersion and academic focus. Operates as a single-site charter authorized by NOLA-Public Schools, directly comparable to LFC's structure and grade range.

Regional players

• Benjamin Franklin High School: Top-ranked New Orleans public charter high school. While it serves grades 9-12 rather than K-8, it is a regional peer in the Orleans Parish charter ecosystem and a likely destination for LFC alumni, sharing the college-readiness mission and high-performance pedigree.
• Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans: New Orleans-based public charter school offering French immersion curriculum from PK-12. Operates as a charter in the same Orleans Parish market but with a distinct language-immersion specialty that differentiates it from LFC.

Broad incumbents

• Uncommon Schools: National nonprofit charter management organization operating high-performing urban charter schools. While not present in New Orleans, Uncommon Schools is a relevant peer for LFC's college-readiness model and high-performance charter operations at scale.
• KIPP (national network): National nonprofit network of college-preparatory public charter schools. While the KIPP foundation operates at much larger scale, KIPP sets the benchmark charter operating model and college-readiness culture that LFC emulates, making it a relevant broader-market peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@lakeforestcharterschool9042
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lake-forest-charter

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Lake Forest Charter