What Manzanita Elementary School does

Manzanita Elementary School District is a public TK-8 single-school district headquartered at 627 E. Evans-Reimer Road in Gridley, California, serving students from Transitional Kindergarten through eighth grade. Founded on August 26, 1868, it is one of the oldest school districts in Northern California and currently operates a single campus branded as the "Mighty Mustangs." The district delivers core instructional programs emphasizing entrepreneurial learning, critical thinking, and technology integration, and supplements core academics with an after-school program operated in partnership with Butte County Office of Education, Prop 28-funded arts instruction, a sports program, child nutrition, and student transportation.

The district's technology footprint is limited to standard educational platforms — Aeries for gradebook and parent portal, Parent Square for family communications, and a real-time solar energy monitoring system tied to an on-campus 600,000-watt solar field installed in 2011 via a power purchase agreement with Tioga Energy, which provides live data for classroom instruction and saves approximately $12,000 annually in utility costs. The district holds two California Distinguished School designations (2004 and 2008), five consecutive Title I Academic Achievement Awards, and a documented history of the highest Academic Performance Index ranking in Northern California over an 11-year period.

Manzanita is a governmental entity funded primarily through California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), supplemented by federal grants (Title I, ESSER), state programs (Expanded Learning Opportunity Program, Prop 28), and local property taxes. The district operates under an elected Board of Trustees and is led by Superintendent/Principal Brad Roberts, who has held the role since 2001. Enrollment is allocated through a district-boundary-first process with interdistrict transfers; over 54% of students are admitted via interdistrict requests, and 150 students are on the waiting list, indicating sustained demand that exceeds in-district capacity.

Name

Manzanita Elementary School

Legal name

Manzanita Elementary School District

Website

https://manzanitaelementaryschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Manzanita Elementary School District is a public single-campus TK-8 district in Gridley, California, serving local and interdistrict students with tuition-free K-8 education funded through California's LCFF and state/federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

Keywords

• K-8 education
• Public elementary school
• Transitional kindergarten
• After-school programs
• School nutrition services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gridley

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. Public Education Funding: Funded through California Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) as a public TK-8 school district, receiving base funding plus supplemental grants for targeted student populations. Additional revenue from state and federal programs including ESSER funds, EPA funds, and Expanded Learning Opportunity Program grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Manzanita Elementary School is a public TK-8 school that delivers transitional kindergarten through 8th grade education to students in Gridley, California. Its offerings extend beyond core academics to include after-school programming, athletics, arts instruction, student nutrition services, and student transportation, all delivered tuition-free as part of California's public school system.

Product overview

Manzanita Elementary School District is a single-school TK-8 district that provides educational programs and services to students. The core educational offering is its TK-8 instructional program emphasizing entrepreneurial learning, academic achievement through collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. Additional services include an After School Program in partnership with Butte County Office of Education, Sports Programs (including volleyball), and Prop 28 Arts and Music funded art education. The district also provides Child Nutrition (breakfast/lunch) and Transportation services. The school uses technology as a tool for learning and student engagement, utilizing systems like Aeries for gradebook and parent portal, and Parent Square for family communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TK-8 Education Program Tuition-free public school instruction spanning transitional kindergarten through 8th grade, delivered to school-age children residing in the Gridley, California catchment area.
• After-School Program
• Athletics Program
• Arts Program
• School Nutrition Services
• Student Transportation

Quantifiable outcome

• High academic performance with top API ranking in Northern California
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tioga EnergycoreTechnology or Integration · 16 December 2011Power purchase agreement for solar energy field. Tioga Energy built and owns the solar plant; Manzanita purchases electricity at lower rates than PG&E, saving approximately $12,000 per year. After 5 years (2017), Manzanita could purchase system at 50% cost. Total solar field cost: $600,000.
• Butte County Office of Education - Expanded Learning ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Butte County Office of Education to provide after-school programming. The program offers academic assistance and enrichment activities for all TK-8 students in a safe, supportive environment. Operates daily when school is in session until approximately 6:00 PM.
• BCOE Expanded Learning ProgramscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerButte County Office of Education provides oversight and support for expanded learning opportunity programs including after-school enrichment and academic assistance.
• Manzanita Boosters ClubcoreOthersParent volunteer organization supporting school programs through fundraising, community events, and school spirit activities. Board includes President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Publicity, and Ways & Means positions.
• Gridley USDminorOthersManzanita has a representative (Cheryl Argetsinger) to the Gridley USD Board for coordination between school districts.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Magnolia Public Schools: Magnolia is a California-based charter management organization operating TK-12 schools with a STEM-focused curriculum. Comparable to Manzanita on California footprint, K-8 grade offering, and STEM (including renewable energy) educational differentiation.
• BASIS Charter Schools: BASIS operates K-12 charter and independent schools with a STEM-heavy, high-academic-rigor model and strong API/outcome track record. Comparable to Manzanita on academic excellence positioning, K-8 grade span, and use of STEM (including renewable energy) as a differentiation lever.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Success Academy is a high-performing K-12 charter network in New York City with persistently long waiting lists and strong parental demand. Directly comparable to Manzanita on demand-exceeds-capacity dynamics, single-network reputation-driven enrollment, and K-8 focus on academic excellence.
• Green Dot Public Schools: Green Dot operates a portfolio of charter TK-12 schools across California, Washington, and Tennessee serving predominantly low-income communities. Comparable on multi-school California charter operating model, LCFF-dependent funding structure, and emphasis on turnaround-style academic improvement.
• Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools: Alliance operates a network of TK-12 charter schools across Los Angeles County focused on college readiness for historically underserved students. Comparable on California operating geography, K-8/TK-12 grade span, and reliance on LCFF-style per-pupil funding.
• Rocketship Public Schools: Rocketship is a California-rooted charter network operating TK-5 elementary schools with a tech-enabled learning model and focus on closing achievement gaps. Comparable to Manzanita on California operating footprint, elementary grade span, and integration of technology as a pedagogical differentiator.
• KIPP Public Schools: KIPP is a nationwide charter management organization operating TK-8/TK-12 schools with a mission focused on college readiness, academic rigor, and supporting underserved students. Directly comparable to Manzanita on grade range served, public-per-pupil funding model, and emphasis on academic outcomes for K-8 learners.
• Aspire Public Schools: Aspire is a California-based charter management organization operating TK-12 schools with a college-prep mission serving predominantly low-income communities. Comparable to Manzanita on California footprint, K-8 instructional focus, and per-pupil public funding model.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mesdmustangs
• Facebookfacebook.com/242416765779330
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manzanita-elementary-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Manzanita Elementary School