Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School

What Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School does

Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School (LMCJ) is a public charter middle school in East Baltimore (2200 Sinclair Lane) serving approximately 215 girls in grades 5-8. Founded in 2015 and operated by Girls Charter School, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the school delivers a single-sex Expeditionary Learning (EL Education) model centered on project-based learning, scholar-led conferences, and a signature culminating Passage Portfolio Presentation (PPP) for 8th graders assessed against Academic, Character, and Presentation rubrics. The pedagogical stack is built around multi-year Crew advisory groups, the H.O.M.E. character framework (Inquiry, Collaboration, Active Citizenship, Perseverance, Responsibility, Integrity), Restorative Practices including Blooming Lillie Circles, and supporting tooling such as JumpRope for grading, Google Sites for student portfolios, and Khan Academy for summer enrichment.

The school's revenue is primarily per-pupil public funding from Maryland and Baltimore City Public Schools, supplemented by charter grants (including the Financial Framework Enhancement for Sustainable Growth initiative), a tiered facility rental program (no charge for affiliated non-profits up to $1,000/day for large events), and donations through a $20/month Legacy Builder monthly giving program. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via rolling enrollment on a waitlist, with outreach through the school website, Constant Contact email, social media, Family Engagement Nights, school fairs, and community referrals. The organization is deeply embedded in a partner ecosystem spanning EL Education, Roland Park Country School (via the Middle Grades Partnership), the Y in Central Maryland (Community School designation), and City Neighbors Foundation (co-lead of the Deeper Learning Mid-Atlantic Hub). Leadership includes CEO Dr. Kristina Kyles-Smith (Ed.D, Cambridge College), Principal Anitra Washington (since July 2022), and Board President Monica Mitchell (Harvard MBA in Non-profit Management).

Name

Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School

Legal name

Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School

Website

https://lilliemay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School is a Baltimore public charter middle school serving approximately 215 girls in grades 5-8 via the Expeditionary Learning model, with per-pupil public funding, facility rentals, and donations as revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Montessori/Waldorf/Classical/Expeditionary (Pedagogical Models) (EDAJACAL)

Keywords

• Charter middle school
• Single-sex education
• Project-based learning
• Character education
• College preparatory programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Public Funding: As a public charter school, LMCJ receives per-pupil funding from the state of Maryland and Baltimore City Public Schools for each enrolled scholar.
2. Charter School Grants: Public charter school grant funding, including the Financial Framework Enhancement for Sustainable Growth initiative.
3. Facility Rentals: The school campus is open to community rental when not in use for educational programs. Rental income supports the school's mission. Tiered pricing from no charge (Category A - affiliated non-profits) to $350/day (Category G - churches).
4. Donations and Legacy Builder Program: Monthly giving program (LMCJ Legacy Builders) at $20/month via PayPal or GiveBetter. One-time donations accepted via PayPal or check made out to Girls Charter School, Inc.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School is a tuition-free public charter middle school for girls in grades 5-8 in Baltimore City, delivering project-based Expeditionary Learning (EL Education) instruction combined with character development through Crew advisory groups, the H.O.M.E. (Habits of Mind Expectations) framework, and a Passage Portfolio Presentation (PPP) culminating experience for 8th graders. Operated by Girls Charter School, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the school enrolls approximately 215 scholars and supplements its academic core with summer enrichment programs, athletics, restorative practices, and community facility rentals.

Product overview

Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School offers a single, unified educational program centered on its core charter school offering for girls in grades 5-8, following the Expeditionary Learning (EL) Education model. The academic program is complemented by signature programs including the Passage Portfolio Presentation (PPP) culminating experience, the Crew advisory program, and Restorative Practices/Circles for character development. Summer enrichment includes Middle Grades Partnership, Summer Y, and Summer Bridge programs. The school also operates a Deeper Learning Mid-Atlantic Hub initiative for regional school leader networking, maintains an Athletics program with basketball teams, and offers campus Facility Rentals to the community. All programs are interconnected through the school's mission of empowering young women through rigorous academics, character development, and leadership opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Middle School Education (Grades 5-8) Core tuition-free public charter middle school program serving girls in grades 5-8 in Baltimore City, following the EL Education (Expeditionary Learning) school design with project-based learning.
• Passage Portfolio Presentation (PPP) Signature culminating academic experience for 8th grade scholars where students build a portfolio website of their best work and present to a panel of community members, educators, and family, demonstrating growth across Academic, Character, and Presentation rubrics (must score at least 2.5 of 4.0 on all three to pass).
• Crew Program EL Education tradition-based advisory structure where students stay with the same crew and crew leader for up to four years, providing ongoing mentorship, character development, and community building through Monday Community Meetings, daily Crew meetings, and Friday Blooming Lillie Circles.
• Restorative Practices and Blooming Lillie Circles Structured circle gatherings using talking pieces and guided discussions to build relationships, practice character habits, and create a positive school culture; rooted in Black women's sister-circle traditions.
• Expeditions & Celebrations of Learning Three-times-yearly events where students investigate real community problems and present their project-based learning work to families and community members.
• Middle Grades Partnership Summer Program (Growing Girls and Gardens) Summer academic enrichment program operated in partnership with Roland Park Country School and CenterStage, offering 160 hours of programming focused on reading, writing, math, plus enrichment in dance, art, and field trips.
• Summer Y Program Extended summer experience with the Y of Central Maryland providing academic enrichment in STEAM subjects along with enrichment activities and field trips.
• Summer Bridge Program Orientation program for new scholars to meet teachers, tour the school, and become familiar with the school environment before their first day.
• Athletics Program (LMCJ Jaguars) School sports program including basketball teams participating in Baltimore City Recreation Championships and games against local schools.
• Facility Rentals Campus rental program offering indoor venues (Auditorium, The Hub, Cafeteria), outdoor Arboretum, and Teachers Lounge to community groups, organizations, and private events with tiered pricing from no charge (affiliated non-profits) up to $350/day (churches conducting worship services).
• Deeper Learning Mid-Atlantic Hub Regional cross-sector network co-led by LMCJ and City Neighbors Foundation bringing together charter, district, and independent school leaders from Baltimore, Washington DC, Arlington VA, and Philadelphia to deepen teaching and learning practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of LMCJ graduates felt prepared for high school (per Advancing Girls Research Report 2022, classes 2018-2021)
• +4 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

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026LMCJ has partnered with EL Education since the school's founding in 2015. EL Education provides the foundational school design model, curriculum framework, professional development, and the intellectual foundation for the Passage Portfolio Presentation model. EL Education's national network and credentialing system support the school's instructional practices.
• City Neighbors FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026LMCJ and City Neighbors Foundation co-lead the Deeper Learning Mid-Atlantic Hub, a cross-sector regional network bringing together public charter, district, and independent school leaders from Baltimore, Washington DC, Arlington VA, and Philadelphia committed to deepening teaching and learning.
• Middle Grades Partnership (MGP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMGP is a partnership program connecting public schools with independent/private schools. LMCJ partners with Roland Park Country School through MGP, providing school year programming run by CenterStage and a summer program (Growing Girls and Gardens - GGG) with academic enrichment in reading, writing, math, plus dance, art, and field trips.
• Roland Park Country SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe partnership between LMCJ and Roland Park Country School (private school) provides collaborative projects during the school year uniting students from both schools, fostering deeper understanding of themselves, their city, and their ability to make meaningful contributions. The partnership also enables the MGP summer programming.
• Y in Central MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLMCJ is designated as a Y in Central Maryland Community School. The Y provides a Community School Coordinator (Stephanie Okonkwo), an Out of School Time (OST) program with academic enrichment and STEAM content, and family membership benefits ($10/month for enrolled families). The Y also offers summer programming (Summer Y).
• CenterStageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenterStage runs the school year portion of the MGP partnership, working with LMCJ and Roland Park Country School students to create and tell original stories using different forms of media.
• Art with a HeartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt enrichment partner providing programming for LMCJ students as part of summer and after-school enrichment activities.
• University of Maryland School Mental Health ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides a school-based clinician (Asia Humphries) in partnership with LMCJ to support student mental health services.
• BGTPS (Bridging Gaps Through Positive Solutions)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based behavioral health program providing integrated behavioral health services using a person-centered approach to children, adolescents, and adults in Baltimore City. Accepts referrals from schools, medical providers, and self-referrals.
• Sheppard PrattminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual crisis walk-in clinic providing urgent online therapy and telemedicine. Accepts medical assistance and private insurance. Available to LMCJ families as a mental health resource.
• Baltimore Crisis Response, Inc (BCRI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner24-hour behavioral health crisis hotline service (410-433-5175) for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. Available as a community resource for LMCJ families.
• Baltimore Urban Debate LeagueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrograms partner providing debate enrichment for LMCJ students as part of expanded learning time and opportunities.
• H.O.M.E. at Lillie MaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerH.O.M.E. (Habits of Mind Expectations) at Lillie May is the school's volunteer organization dedicated to raising awareness and promoting volunteerism that assists scholars and promotes the school's mission. Members support school supplies drives, classroom volunteering, community dinners, the edible garden, and employee appreciation events. Annual membership available at $125/year.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Girls Inc. A national nonprofit inspiring girls through research-based programming. Adjacent peer — shares the girls' empowerment mission but is not a school operator; useful as a programmatic partner or funder ecosystem.
• Y in Central Maryland: LMCJ's designated Community School partner, providing the Community School Coordinator, OST programming, and family memberships. Adjacent peer operating in the same Baltimore community-school ecosystem with overlapping youth-development goals.

Broad incumbents

• Success Academy Charter Schools: A large, established charter school network operating K–12 schools with rigorous academic and character expectations. Comparable as a broader charter operator offering a structured college-prep model at scale, though not single-sex.
• EL Education: The national school design network providing LMCJ's foundational pedagogical framework. Comparable as the broader ecosystem of schools that share the same Expeditionary Learning/Crew/project-based approach used at LMCJ.

Direct peers

• KIPP Baltimore: A charter middle school operator in Baltimore City serving the same local demographics. Comparable as a public charter middle school competing for similar Baltimore families and per-pupil funding.
• Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women: A Baltimore public charter high school for young women with a college-preparatory mission. Closely comparable as another single-sex public school for girls in Baltimore focused on leadership development and postsecondary readiness.
• The SEED School of Maryland: A public, statewide boarding charter school serving Maryland students from low-income communities. Comparable because both are public charter schools in Maryland serving urban populations with structured, college-preparatory models.
• The Young Women's Leadership School (TYWLS): A network of public all-girls secondary schools serving similar identity-affirming, college-preparatory missions. Comparable because both operate single-sex public schools for girls focused on leadership, character, and postsecondary readiness.
• City Neighbors Foundation: Baltimore-based public charter school operator and co-lead of the Deeper Learning Mid-Atlantic Hub with LMCJ. Direct peer as a fellow progressive, project-based Baltimore charter serving a similar urban demographic with comparable pedagogy.

Regional players

• Greenwood Elementary / City Neighbors High School: Baltimore-area charter schools sharing the project-based, constructivist pedagogy and operating in the same regional ecosystem. Comparable as regional charter operators drawing from the same Deeper Learning Mid-Atlantic Hub network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/search
• Facebookfacebook.com/LMCJS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lillie-may-carroll-jackson-charter-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/lilliemayforlife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School