Lead Academy Public Charter School - K-8

What Lead Academy Public Charter School - K-8 does

Lead Academy is a public charter school serving students in grades K-8 in Greenville, South Carolina, operating under a charter agreement with the state at 804 Mauldin Road. Founded in 2010, the school delivers a tuition-free public education funded by state and federal per-pupil allocations, supplemented by federal program funding (Title I, special education) and minor ancillary revenue such as facility rentals. Its core educational offering centers on a characterdevelopment framework called "Habits of Leadership" (Empathy, Perseverance, Integrity, Curiosity), through which students are recognized as "EPIC Leaders." Academic programs span Literacy, Math, Related Arts (including music, dance, theatre, health, and PE), Expeditions (project-based learning), Crew (mentorship groups), and Student-led Conferences, with a dedicated Athletics program and Summer Programs for enrichment.

The technology stack is conventional for a K-8 public charter school: an Apptegy-hosted website for content management, enrollment, and parent resources, along with iOS and Android mobile apps for parent communication. There are no proprietary technology products, no AI/ML capabilities, no APIs, and no third-party platform integrations disclosed. The school augments its core offering with student support services including Special Education, 504 plans, Response to Intervention (RTI), ESOL, and Gifted & Talented programs, broadening its enrollment catchment.

The business model is that of a non-profit public charter school: revenue is generated almost entirely from per-pupil government funding tied to enrollment, with no tuition charged to families. The school is governed by an independent board of directors and has no parent company, no outside equity, and no venture or private capital backing. Go-to-market is community-driven through direct enrollment and local reputation. The school is affiliated with the South Carolina Charter School Association for advocacy and resources. Leadership is led by Curtis Baker (Executive Administrator & Principal), supported by Sarah Mitchell (Director of Development), Lee Scott (Executive Administrator & Band Director), and Susanne Wiedemann (Director of Finance and Federal Programs).

Name

Lead Academy Public Charter School - K-8

Legal name

Lead Academy

Website

https://myleadacademy.com

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lead Academy is a free public K-8 charter school in Greenville, South Carolina, funded by state and federal per-pupil allocations and serving local families through rigorous academics, expedition-based learning, and a character development program that recognizes students as EPIC Leaders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site) (EDAJACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ), Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs (EDAJACAF)

Keywords

• K-8 education
• Public charter school
• Elementary education
• Middle school education
• Character education

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenville

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

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: As a public charter school, LEAD Academy receives funding through state and federal per-pupil allocations based on student enrollment. Additional revenue comes from federal programs (Title I, special education) and potentially facility rental income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lead Academy Public Charter School is a tuition-free K-8 public charter school in Greenville, South Carolina, providing comprehensive academic programs in Literacy, Math, Related Arts, Expeditions, Crew, and Student-led Conferences, along with athletics and summer enrichment. The school focuses on developing "EPIC Leaders" through four character habits (Empathy, Perseverance, Integrity, Curiosity). It operates under a charter agreement with the state of South Carolina and is funded through public per-pupil allocations.

Product overview

Lead Academy is a K-8 public charter school offering a comprehensive educational program. The school provides core academic programs in Literacy and Math, along with specialized programs including Related Arts, Expeditions (project-based learning), Crew (mentorship groups), and Student-led Conferences. The institution also offers athletics programs and summer enrichment opportunities. The school serves students in grades K-8 with a focus on developing EPIC Leaders through habits of empathy, perseverance, integrity, and curiosity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-8 Academic Programs Comprehensive K-8 educational programs including core subjects (Literacy, Math) and specialized programs (Related Arts, Expeditions, Crew, Student-led Conferences). Designed for K-8 students enrolled at the school, taught by organized grade-band teams across K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 divisions.
• Athletics Programs Competitive athletics programs for students at Lead Academy, overseen by the Athletic Director. Provides physical and team-based extracurricular opportunities for enrolled K-8 students.
• Summer Programs Summer learning and enrichment opportunities offered to students during the summer break.
• Family & Community Engagement Programs Programs and resources supporting family involvement and community connections, including parent portal access, student-led conferences, and a dedicated Family and Community Engagement Coordinator. Aimed at parents and families of enrolled students.

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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SC Charter School AssociationmoderateOthersLEAD Academy is affiliated with the South Carolina Charter School Association, which provides advocacy, resources, and networking for charter schools in the state.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uncommon Schools: Multi-state charter school network operating K-12 campuses with an explicit character and college-preparation curriculum. Highly comparable to LEAD Academy's 'Habits of Leadership' and 'EPIC Leaders' framework combined with academic rigor.
• Green Dot Public Schools: Charter school network focused on college-prep and community engagement, operating multiple campuses. Comparable to LEAD Academy's community-led enrollment motion and emphasis on college preparation.
• BASIS Charter Schools: College-prep focused charter network with K-12 campuses emphasizing rigorous academics and high expectations. Comparable to LEAD Academy's rigorous academic plus character-development positioning within the K-8 charter segment.
• Aspire Public Schools: K-12 charter school network operating in California with college-prep focus and strong community ties. Comparable mission and grade-span coverage to LEAD Academy.
• Charter Schools USA: Charter management organization operating multiple schools across multiple states. Comparable as a charter operator with similar funding model (public per-pupil) and similar K-8 grade span offerings.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: K-12 charter network focused on rigorous academics, character development, and student achievement. Comparable as a charter operator serving similar grade spans with a strong values-based culture.
• National Heritage Academies: Charter management organization operating K-8 charter schools with structured character and moral focus curricula. Highly comparable in K-8 focus and character-driven differentiation.
• Alliance College-Ready Public Schools: Charter network operating K-12 campuses with a college-prep mission. Comparable in serving similar K-8 grade spans as a charter operator with public funding.
• KIPP Public Schools: National K-12 charter school network with a strong character-development and college-prep focus, similar in mission to LEAD Academy. Operates multiple single-site charters serving similar grade spans with a comparable value proposition around rigor plus values.

Others

• SC Charter School Association: State-level industry association providing advocacy and resources for South Carolina charter schools, of which LEAD Academy is an affiliate member. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC5DULqRYJqHza_pcWRZsVKg
• Facebookfacebook.com/myleadacademy
• Instagraminstagram.com/leadacademysc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lead-academy-public-charter-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Lead Academy Public Charter School - K-8