Milwaukee Excellence Charter School

What Milwaukee Excellence Charter School does

Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy (HFCA), operating as a 501(c)(3) public charter school network in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, delivers a unified K3-12 college-preparatory education across three campuses: the C3 Elementary Campus, the Mardak-Vandenburg Middle School Campus, and the High School Campus. Founded in 2012 and renamed to honor civil rights leader and former MPS superintendent Dr. Howard Fuller, HFCA has maintained a 100% college acceptance rate for every graduating cohort since inception and serves a student body that is 97% African American and 85% economically disadvantaged, primarily drawn from Milwaukee's north side. The academic model is built around daily attendance habits, data-driven instruction, dual-enrollment partnerships with UW-Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College, high-dosage tutoring, ACT preparation, and one-on-one senior advising, with complementary programs in robotics (Roaring Gears), athletics (basketball, volleyball, cheerleading), fine arts, mental health support, and a coding curriculum delivered through a partnership with Indeed We Code and Marquette University.

The technology stack is intentionally lean and centered on operational rather than instructional differentiation: Infinite Campus serves as the student information system and enrollment portal, Google Apps for Education provides the productivity layer, and the school does not expose any public-facing API, SDK, or AI capability. The product surface is broad across enrichment categories (recording studios, marching band, visual and performing arts, fashion design, robotics, gospel choir, internship placements) but is delivered through traditional in-person instruction rather than a technology platform.

Revenue is generated through a dual mechanism. As a public charter school, HFCA receives per-pupil funding from Wisconsin governmental sources without charging tuition. A secondary revenue stream comes from tax-deductible charitable donations supporting mental health services, enrichment activities, college visits, and dual-enrollment programs, processed through the QGIV donation platform under the stewardship of a Senior Director of Development. The strategic plan targets $3 million in annual contributed support by 2028 and 1,500 enrolled students across the three-campus K3-12 continuum. HFCA is currently a 2025 Yass Prize finalist (one of 23 contenders nationwide and the only school in Wisconsin at that stage), competing for a $1 million award under the STOP (Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, Permissionless) education framework.

Name

Milwaukee Excellence Charter School

Legal name

Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, Inc.

Website

https://mkeexcellence.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) public charter school network operating three K3-12 campuses, serving primarily Black students from economically disadvantaged families with a 100% college acceptance rate maintained since 2012.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: As a public charter school, HFCA receives per-pupil funding from government sources. Operates as a registered 501(c)3 organization accepting charitable donations.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations supporting mental health services, enriching activities, college visits, and dual enrollment programs. Donations managed through QGIV platform.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy is a nonprofit public charter school network operating three campuses in Milwaukee that provides a unified K3-12 educational program with a mission to send scholars to and through college. Core offerings include standards-aligned academic instruction, dual enrollment partnerships with UW-Milwaukee and MATC that generate college credits for high school students, competitive athletics (basketball, volleyball, cheerleading), fine arts programs (recording studios, marching band, visual arts, fashion design), robotics through the Roaring Gears program, and comprehensive student support services including mental health counseling, ACT preparation, high-dosage tutoring, one-on-one senior advising, and alumni success coaching.

Product overview

Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy is a public charter school offering a unified K3-12 educational program with a mission to send scholars "to and through college." The school operates three campuses (Elementary School at C3 Campus, Middle School at Mardak-Vandenburg Campus, and High School Campus) serving Milwaukee's north side. The product portfolio includes core academic programs, dual enrollment partnerships with UW-Milwaukee and MATC, competitive athletics (basketball, volleyball, cheerleading), fine arts (recording studios, marching band, visual arts, fashion design), the Roaring Gears Robotics program, mental health support through the REDgen podcast and SEL Deans, and comprehensive college preparation including ACT prep, senior advising, and internships. The school maintains a 100% college acceptance rate since 2012 and was named a 2025 Yass Prize national finalist.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K3-12 Educational Program Comprehensive K3-12 educational continuum offered across three Milwaukee campuses (Elementary School at C3 Campus, Middle School at Mardak-Vandenburg Campus, and High School Campus), providing a unified college-preparatory pathway for scholars from early childhood through high school graduation.
• Dual Enrollment / Early College Credit Partnership with UW-Milwaukee and MATC allowing high school students to earn college credits while still enrolled at HFCA, reducing future college costs and preparing students for higher education through the 'to and through college' mission.
• Roaring Gears Robotics Program Competitive robotics program offering students hands-on experience in engineering, programming, and teamwork; competes at Thumbwars, RoboRumble, and Battle of Brookfield events with mentoring from Board Member Richaad Reed, Dr. Hiwot Abebe, Kevin Severs, and MSOE student advisor.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletics program including boys and girls basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, and elementary/middle school basketball, with teams competing in the Lake City Athletic Conference under Director of Athletics Branden Joseph.
• Fine Arts Program Creative arts programs including Mardak-Vandenberg recording studios, marching band, visual and performing arts, and fashion design courses for students across all three campuses.
• High-Dosage Tutoring Intensive academic tutoring program providing targeted small-group instruction to support student achievement and college readiness across the K3-12 continuum.
• ACT Preparation Targeted ACT test preparation program to improve college readiness and student scores, aligned with the strategic plan target of an average ACT score of 18 for graduating seniors.
• Senior Advising and College Counseling One-on-one senior advising providing personalized college application support, FAFSA completion assistance, college coaching, and out-of-state college tour coordination through the Senior Director of College and Career Readiness.
• Wellness Services and Mental Health Support Comprehensive mental health and family support services including Deans of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), restorative practices, the Pupil Services department, School Psychologist, School Counselor, and McKinney Vento Coordinator for homeless student services.
• Indeed We Code Coding Program Coding workshop program empowering young women through technology education using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, conducted in partnership with national nonprofit Indeed We Code and hosted at Marquette University.
• Internship Program Career exploration opportunities connecting student learning to real-world careers through internships with local organizations such as Baird, where alumni like Jahmari Hill served as IT Business Analyst interns.
• HFCA REDgen Podcast and Mental Health Peer Leadership
• Clubs and Organizations

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% college acceptance rate since 2012
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Indeed We CodecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025National nonprofit founded by Michelle Wilson and Dr. Patricia Ackerman to empower young Black girls through technology. Provided three-day coding workshops teaching HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. HFCA's first cohort 'The Starting Six' presented projects at Marquette University. Deeply connected to founder Dr. Howard Fuller's history - Michelle Wilson attended his Malcolm X Liberation University in 1969 at age 17.
• Marquette UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Host venue for Indeed We Code Demonstration Day. Students presented coding projects on campus. Students expressed Marquette as their 'dream college' after visiting.
• Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MSOE STEM Center hosts HFCA robotics team meetings on Wednesdays (1:00-2:00 PM) and Saturdays (10:00 AM-1:00 PM). MSOE student advisor provides additional technical support and mentorship to the robotics team.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual enrollment partnership allowing students to earn college credits. Supports the 'to and through college' mission.
• Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual enrollment partnership providing college credit opportunities for high school students alongside UWM partnership.
• Yass PrizeflagshipOthersNational education innovation competition. HFCA selected as 1 of 23 finalists nationwide and only school in Wisconsin. $1 million prize opportunity for STOP (Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, Permissionless) education approach.
• All-In MilwaukeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship program supporting HFCA alumni. Jahmari Hill (Class of 2023) is an All-In Milwaukee scholar while attending UW-Milwaukee.
• BairdminorOthersInvestment firm where HFCA alumnus Jahmari Hill serves as IT Business Analyst intern as part of career connection initiatives.
• Northcott Neighborhood HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization where HFCA middle school students helped wrap holiday gifts for families in need during the season of service.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNT0ohvoYnAfjeNjb2LEJAg
• Facebookfacebook.com/HowardFullerCA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/milwaukee-excellence-charter-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/howardfullerca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Milwaukee Excellence Charter School