What Mills High School does

Mills High School is a public secondary institution founded in 1960 in Millbrae, California, operated by the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) as one of seven district high schools. It serves grades 9-12 through core academics, Advanced Placement courses, Career Technical Education pathways, Visual and Performing Arts, English Language Development, and Special Education, with an explicit college-and-career readiness focus. The school holds California Distinguished School designation and WASC accreditation, and has operated continuously for over 60 years.

The school is built on a third-party technology stack rather than proprietary platforms: Canvas LMS for course delivery, Aeries for student information, Google Workspace for productivity, a 1:1 Chromebook program, Zoom for remote instruction, and Naviance for college and career planning. Specialized partnerships extend the product surface - the TEALS partnership with Microsoft supplies industry volunteers for AP Computer Science, while mental health partnerships with Care Solace, allcove San Mateo, and Daybreak Health layer outsourced counseling and crisis support over in-house services. Extracurricular programming includes the FRC 253 Boba Bots robotics team (active since 1999), athletics, student media, and STEM and coding clubs.

The revenue model is non-commercial: the school is funded through SMUHSD via state and local tax revenue, with no tuition. The only disclosed fee is an $8 per-transcript charge for former students. Go-to-market is district-managed open enrollment through the SMUHSD Office of Student Services, supplemented by community outreach via PTO, social channels, and orientations. Customer segments are students grades 9-12 and their families/guardians, with secondary engagement from alumni and prospective incoming 9th-grade families.

Name

Mills High School

Legal name

Mills High School

Website

https://mhs.smuhsd.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mills High School is a California Distinguished public high school in Millbrae serving grades 9-12 within the San Mateo Union High School District, delivering college and career preparation through AP, CTE, STEAM, and mental health programs funded entirely by public tax revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Millbrae

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Transcript Fees: $8.00 charge for each transcript requested by former students
2. Public School Funding: Public high school funded by San Mateo Union High School District through state and local tax revenue

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mills High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in the San Mateo Union High School District, delivering comprehensive secondary education including core academic subjects, Advanced Placement courses, Career Technical Education pathways, Visual and Performing Arts, English Language Development, and Special Education. Student support services include on-site mental health counseling, college and career readiness programming via Naviance, and library resources with research databases. Technology-enhanced learning is delivered through a 1:1 Chromebook program, Canvas LMS, and the TEALS industry partnership for computer science instruction.

Product overview

Mills High School is a California Distinguished public high school serving grades 9-12 in the San Mateo Union High School District. The school's educational offerings include core academic subjects (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, World Languages, Physical Education) alongside specialized programs including Career Technical Education (CTE), Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA), English Language Development (ELD), and Special Education. Technology-enhanced learning is supported through a 1:1 Chromebook program, Canvas LMS, and partnerships including TEALS for computer science instruction. Student support services include mental health counseling, college and career readiness via Naviance, library resources with research databases, and anonymous safety reporting via StopIt. Extracurricular programs include competitive robotics (Team 253 Boba Bots), STEM Club, athletics, student government, and student media production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mills Thunderbolt: Student-run newspaper publication
• KVIK Broadcasts
• Mills Yearbook
• Vikings
• Boba Bots

Products and services

• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses College-level courses offered to grades 9-12 students that culminate in AP exams for potential college credit. Subjects include AP Computer Science, AP Statistics, AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, and AP Environmental Science, serving college-bound students seeking advanced academic credentials.
• Career Technical Education (CTE) Career-focused educational programs preparing grades 9-12 students for technical careers with industry-standard skills and certifications, including pathways such as Architectural Design, Biotechnology, Engineering Technology, and Computer Science.
• Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Arts education program including drama productions, dance, music, ceramics, and art courses culminating in AP Studio Art, serving students interested in creative and performing arts disciplines.
• English Language Development (ELD) Multi-level English language instruction for English learners in grades 9-12 to develop academic English proficiency across multiple proficiency levels.
• Special Education Individualized education programs (IEPs) providing specialized instruction and support services for grades 9-12 students with disabilities, overseen by Assistant Principal James Ortega.
• STEAM Programs Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics focused courses for grades 9-12 students including Architectural Design, Biotechnology, Engineering Technology, Computer Science, and AP Science courses.
• Robotics Team (Team 253 - Boba Bots) FRC competitive robotics team established in 1999, allowing students to participate in regional robotics competitions and earn awards including the Judge's Award and Imagery Award.
• Vikings Athletics Comprehensive athletic program for grades 9-12 students including football, water polo, golf, tennis, cross country, volleyball, and other sports with support from the Athletic Boosters parent organization.
• Mental Health and Wellness Counseling On-site mental health therapists and wellness counseling services for students and families, including Care Solace 24/7 concierge coordination, Daybreak Health virtual counseling, and allcove San Mateo youth mental health center referrals at no cost.
• College and Career Readiness Comprehensive college preparation including SAT/ACT prep, application support, financial aid assistance, scholarship matching via Naviance, and career exploration for grades 9-12 students.
• Library Services Library resources including research databases (Peninsula Library System, JSTOR), textbook management, Chromebook distribution, library use supervision, and digital news subscriptions (NYT, WSJ) for student use.
• Chromebook Program School-issued Chromebooks distributed to all grades 9-12 students with policies, support resources, and protection plans, integrated with Google Workspace and Canvas LMS for digital learning.
• TEALS Computer Science Partnership Technology Education and Literacy in Schools partnership pairing Microsoft industry computer science professionals with classroom teachers to team-teach computer science courses, supporting AP Computer Science instruction with industry expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• WASC accreditation through 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Microsoft (TEALS Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools) pairs computer science professionals from Microsoft with classroom educators to team-teach computer science. The program was started in 2009 by Microsoft employee Kevin Wang, embraced by Microsoft in 2011 as part of its global YouthSpark initiative. Ms. Denise Dryer (AP Computer Science) works with two Microsoft volunteers Steve Lamont and David deHeer who provide lab support.
• AutodeskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEM Club students took field trips to Autodesk to experience STEM careers and explore career pathways in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
• Care SolacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental healthcare coordination partner providing 24/7 concierge service to assist students and families in connecting with local mental health providers and community-based services at no cost.
• allcove San MateocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth-centered space for individuals ages 12-25 offering mental health support, peer support, medical services, substance use support, and wellness activities in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
• Daybreak HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual mental health counseling and support services available for students, including individual therapy and family support.
• San Mateo County Youth Arts FellowshipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing youth arts fellowship opportunities for Mills students in San Mateo County.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Capuchino High School: SMUHSD public high school in San Bruno sharing the district's AP, CTE, and extracurricular portfolio, drawing from the same open-enrollment applicant pool as Mills.
• Aragon High School: SMUHSD public high school in San Mateo offering comparable AP, athletics, and CTE pathways; families choose between Aragon and Mills under district open enrollment.
• San Mateo High School: SMUHSD public high school in San Mateo with overlapping academic and extracurricular programs; one of the six alternative campuses families consider alongside Mills under district open enrollment.
• Burlingame High School: SMUHSD public high school in Burlingame operating under the same district funding model and open-enrollment choice set, competing with Mills for Bay Area families prioritizing college-prep programs.
• Hillsdale High School: Public high school in the same San Mateo Union High School District serving grades 9-12 under the SMUHSD open-enrollment model, with overlapping AP, athletics, and CTE offerings that compete for the same family pool.
• Carlmont High School: Sequoia Union High School District public high school in Belmont serving grades 9-12 with comparable AP, CTE, and athletics programs; a nearby comparable peer operating under a different but structurally similar California public high school model.
• Sequoia High School: SMUHSD public high school in Redwood City offering comparable AP, CTE, and athletics programs; competes with Mills for open-enrollment families across the district boundary.

Broad incumbents

• Palo Alto High School: Highly-ranked Bay Area public high school in PAUSD with a similar college-prep, AP-heavy curriculum and strong STEM offerings; serves as a broader benchmark for distinguished public high school performance in the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLZzZHp2A6m6rCqXGkKN6JiQV6fpyc4MHP
• Facebookfacebook.com/millspto
• Instagraminstagram.com/mhsvikings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/mills-high-school

Compliance3 records

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 Mills High School