Lincoln Charter School

What Lincoln Charter School does

Lincoln Charter School (LCS) is a public K-12 college-preparatory charter school founded in 1998 and operating two campuses — Denver and Lincolnton — in Lincoln County, North Carolina. The institution is structured as a nonprofit governed by an independent School Board, led by Chief Administrator Jonathan Bryant, with the Director of Advancement & Engagement (Taylor Helms) overseeing community and fundraising functions. LCS serves students from Kindergarten through 12th grade under the mission of facilitating college-ready individuals through rigorous academics combined with six community expectations: honesty, respect, empathy, responsibility, service, and preparedness.

The core academic offering is enhanced by Advanced Placement courses via a College Board partnership and dual-enrollment coursework with Gaston College, allowing high school students to earn college credit. Beyond academics, LCS operates 28 athletic programs (14 high school and 14 middle school sports including football, lacrosse, swimming & diving, and wrestling), before/after school care, summer day camps, Counselor-in-Training programs, Sport & Scholar camps, Global Ambassadors international travel, comprehensive K-12 counseling, Exceptional Children's services, and specialized programs in beekeeping and aquaponics. Operational technology includes Canvas LMS, Infinite Campus (NCSIS) student information system, ParentSquare unified communication, MyPaymentsPlus billing, GoGuardian 24/7 internet monitoring, Raptor visitor management, Dragonfly athletic registration, Car Rider Pro dismissal management, RAVE emergency alerting, and vape detectors in MS/HS restrooms.

Revenue is generated primarily through North Carolina per-pupil state and federal public school funding, supplemented by fee-based ancillary services: annual bus transportation registration, before/after school care (pay-as-you-go), summer camp enrollment, and the My Hot Lunchbox program partnering with nine local restaurants (Chick-fil-a, Marco's Pizza, Jimmy Johns, Salsarita's, and others). The school charges no tuition and offers financial assistance coordinated through campus counselors. LCS celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023 and concurrently launched the "Wingspan" strategic plan, which articulates a vision to expand pathways and reinforce the school's identity as a premier college-prep community within Lincoln County.

Name

Lincoln Charter School

Legal name

Lincoln Charter School

Website

https://lincolncharter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lincoln Charter School is a nonprofit K-12 public charter school operating two campuses in Lincoln County, North Carolina since 1998, providing college-preparatory academics, AP and dual-enrollment courses, athletics, and ancillary fee-based services to enrolled students and families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• K-12 education
• College preparatory
• Charter school
• Public education
• Student athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. State and Federal Public School Funding: As a public charter school, Lincoln Charter receives per-pupil funding from the state of North Carolina and federal education programs. The school celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2023 and has been facilitating college prep experience since 1998.
2. Transportation Services: Annual bus registration fee for daily transportation to and from school. Parents register each school year through a bus application and are billed through MyPaymentsPlus.
3. Before and After School Care: Before school care at Lincolnton Campus and after school program for students K-8 at both campuses. Parents are billed only for days attended through MyPaymentsPlus.
4. Summer Enrichment Programs: Summer Day Camp serving rising K through rising 8th grade, Counselor-in-Training program for rising 9th-11th grade, and Sport and Scholar Camps. Flexible week-by-week registration with pay-as-you-go billing.
5. Lunch Program: My Hot Lunchbox program provides daily lunch from local restaurants. Ordering closes at noon the day before delivery. Emergency lunches available at $6.00 per lunch charged to student accounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lincoln Charter School provides tuition-free K-12 college preparatory education at two campuses (Denver and Lincolnton) in Lincoln County, North Carolina. The core program combines rigorous academics with character development and is enhanced by Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment with Gaston College, a 28-sport athletics program, comprehensive counseling, before/after school care, and summer enrichment camps. As a public charter school of choice, enrollment is open through an application process for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Product overview

Lincoln Charter School is a public K-12 college-preparatory charter school operating since 1998 with two campuses (Denver and Lincolnton) in Lincoln County, North Carolina. The school's core offering is its comprehensive K-12 academic program with college readiness focus, enhanced by AP courses and dual enrollment through Gaston College. The institution provides a wide array of supplementary programs including a 14-sport athletics program with Sports Boosters support, before/after school care, summer camps with day camp and Sport & Scholar options, a counseling department, Global Ambassadors international travel, The Quill literary magazine, and the Rise Up alumni association. Additional support services include transportation via school buses and counseling programs. Specialized programs include Exceptional Children's services, student-led clubs, beekeeping, and aquaponics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 College Preparatory Education Tuition-free, comprehensive college preparatory education for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade across two campuses (Denver and Lincolnton) in Lincoln County, NC, operational since 1998. Includes core academics combined with character development focused on six community expectations.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses College-level courses offered in partnership with College Board for high school students, enabling them to earn college credit upon successful completion of AP examinations.
• Dual Enrollment with Gaston College Partnership program allowing high school students to be dually enrolled in high school credit courses while potentially earning college credit when successfully demonstrating content knowledge.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program offering 14 high school sports and 14 middle school sports including baseball, basketball, cheer, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling, with NCHSAA participation and full-time athletic trainers.
• Before & After School Care Childcare program for students from Kindergarten through 8th grade at both Denver and Lincolnton campuses, featuring homework time, snack, physical fitness play time, themed activities, and creative arts/crafts. Billed only for days attended through MyPaymentsPlus.
• Summer Camps Summer enrichment program including Summer Day Camp (rising K-8th grade), Counselor-in-Training program (rising 9th-11th grade), and Sport and Scholar Camps. Features flexible week-by-week registration with pay-as-you-go billing at Denver and Lincolnton campuses.
• Comprehensive Counseling Program K-12 counseling program supporting students' cognitive, social-emotional development, and college readiness. Includes individual and group support, suicide assessment protocols, college planning, and coordination with community resources.
• Global Ambassadors Program Study abroad and international travel program featuring trips such as European Carousel, Northern Italy, Galapagos Islands, and Europe at Leisure for students.
• Transportation Services Daily bus transportation to and from school for students from various community stops at both Denver and Lincolnton campuses, with annual bus registration required and daily bus schedules for athletics.
• Exceptional Children's Program Special education program providing services for students with special needs as part of the school's comprehensive educational offerings.
• My Hot Lunchbox Lunch Program Lunch program partnering with local restaurants (CC'S Cafe, Marco's Pizza, Chick-fil-a, Salsarita's, Jimmy Johns, Manantial Mexican Grill, Small Town Kitchen, Japan Express, Pizza Inn) to provide daily lunch options delivered to campus, with emergency lunches available at $6.00 per lunch.

Quantifiable outcome

• Class of 2026: 1,037 college acceptances, $15.4 million in scholarships, 30,000+ service hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration14 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• College BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AP (Advanced Placement) course offerings during high school grades. AP courses allow students to be dually enrolled in high school credit courses while potentially achieving college credit.
• Gaston CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual enrollment partnership allowing high school students to take college courses while still in high school, potentially earning college credit when successfully demonstrating content knowledge.
• Lincoln County Sheriff's DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull-time School Resource Officer (SRO) assigned to each campus through partnership. SROs receive ongoing training and support specific to school safety. K-9 unit visits periodically or as needed.
• Atrium HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides full-time athletic trainers for student-athletes during practices and competitions. Also offers on-demand, on-site virtual telehealth services for students and staff through nurse referral.
• Sandy Hook PromisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsorship of Say Something anonymous reporting system. Platform allows anonymous reports to alert LCS and law enforcement regarding bullying, perceived or actual threats, and other safety situations.
• Lincoln County Health DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide trained nurses at each campus. Nurses see students and staff throughout the day, disperse medication, act as liaison with Health Department, treat minor injuries/maladies, and monitor overall health.
• ParentSquarecoreTechnology or IntegrationUnified communication platform replacing multiple previous channels (School Messenger, Class Dojo, Remind, Smore, Sign Up Genius). Offers multi-language, two-way group messaging, private conversations, district-wide alerts, and school website integration. Syncs with Infinite Campus.
• Infinite CampuscoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system (NCSIS) providing real-time access to grades, attendance, assignments, and schedules through Campus Parent and Campus Student portals. Phase 1 migration to new system.
• MyPaymentsPlusmajorTechnology or IntegrationPayment portal platform for collecting transportation fees, field trip fees, donations, spirit wear, and other school payments. Used for summer camp registration and various school activities.
• My Hot LunchboxmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLunch program partnering with local restaurants (CC'S Cafe, Marco's Pizza, Chick-fil-a, Salsarita's, Jimmy Johns, Manantial Mexican Grill, Small Town Kitchen, Japan Express, Pizza Inn) to provide daily lunch options delivered to campus.
• Dragonfly AthleticsmajorTechnology or IntegrationAthletic registration and management system for student-athletes. Used for tryout information, medical forms, concussion awareness documentation, and NCHSAA pre-participation physical evaluation forms.
• Various Therapy OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizations providing school-based therapy to students who may need a higher level of mental health support. Part of comprehensive mental health plan including suicide assessment protocols and ongoing staff training.
• Teach North CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecruitment partnership for future NC teachers. Provides 1-on-1 coaching, talk to a teacher resources, financial aid explorer, step-by-step application guides, scholarship opportunities, and application fee refunds.
• Reserve Health (Dr. Biondi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides on-campus annual physicals for MS and HS student-athletes in partnership with school athletic programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pine Lake Preparatory: Public charter school in Mooresville, NC (Iredell County) serving K-12 with a rigorous college-prep curriculum. Comparable model, similar Charlotte-adjacent market, and overlapping feeder regions to Lincoln Charter.
• Sugar Creek Charter School: Public charter school in Mecklenburg County, NC, offering K-12 education. Comparable college-prep charter model within the broader Charlotte region demographic.
• Lake Norman Charter School: Public charter school serving the Lake Norman region of North Carolina, including parts of Lincoln and Iredell counties. Direct competitor for K-12 college-prep families in the same geographic catchment as Lincoln Charter.
• Cabarrus Charter Academy: NC public charter school serving K-12 students in Cabarrus County. Comparable charter model and academic expectations, competing for Charlotte metro families seeking non-traditional public school options.
• Community School of Davidson: Public charter school in Davidson, NC (nearby Mecklenburg County) offering K-12 education with a college-prep focus. Same public charter model and similar college-readiness positioning in the Charlotte metro region.
• American Renaissance School: NC public charter school in the Piedmont region with a liberal arts and college-prep emphasis. Comparable model and academic positioning to Lincoln Charter.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): National network of public charter schools with a college-prep mission. Operates a broader portfolio across many states but follows the same charter K-12 college-readiness model Lincoln Charter employs.
• BASIS Charter Schools: National charter school network recognized for academic rigor and college-prep outcomes. Broader portfolio than Lincoln Charter, but directly comparable in emphasizing AP courses and college readiness.

Others

• Charter Schools USA: Large charter school management organization operating schools across multiple states. Not a direct competitor in Lincoln County, but a relevant ecosystem/industry peer providing operational models and best practices for charter school operations.

Regional players

• North Carolina Virtual Public School: Statewide online public school program operated by the NC Department of Public Instruction. Offers an alternative K-12 educational delivery model within the same state regulatory environment, though competes on modality rather than directly in Lincoln County.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/lincolncharter/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/lincoln-charter-school

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Lincoln Charter School