Purpose Preparatory Academy
Purpose Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free public charter elementary school in North Nashville, Tennessee, serving kindergarten through fifth grade students in Davidson County with a college-preparatory focus and intensive daily literacy instruction.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNashville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Purpose Preparatory Academy does
Purpose Preparatory Academy (commonly known as Purpose Prep) is a public charter elementary school serving kindergarten through fifth grade students at a single campus located at 220 Venture Circle in North Nashville, Tennessee. Founded by Lagra Newman and authorized by the Metropolitan Nashville Public School Board in June 2012, the school opened in Fall 2013 with an inaugural class of roughly 90 kindergarteners and has progressively grown through K-5, achieving Level 5 district designation (the highest growth and achievement rating from Metro Nashville Public Schools) and four-time Tennessee Reward School recognition. Its academic model centers on a 225-minute daily literacy block, a 185-day extended school year, structured daily routines (Morning Motivation, Community Meetings), and the RISE with Purpose character development framework (Respect, Integrity, Self-Determination, Excellence, Purpose).
The school is tuition-free and open to any child residing in Davidson County, with enrollment conducted through the MNPS Optional School Application process and no academic admission requirements. The technology stack is intentionally limited to educational-support tools rather than proprietary platforms, including Destination Reading (a computer-based literacy program) and the Pikmykid parent app for transportation and safety communications. Operations also rely on standard school management systems.
Revenue is derived primarily from per-pupil state and federal allotments typical of Tennessee public charters, supplemented by private donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising galas (Legacy of Purpose, Decade of Purpose, Jazz with Purpose), and major gifts — the largest of which was a $1 million donation from NFL player Jalen Ramsey in August 2020. The school operates as an independent, nonprofit-governed charter with a Board of Directors and a leadership team that includes the Head of School, Director of Academics, multiple Deans of Curriculum and Instruction, and an Operations Manager. Purpose Prep maintains membership in the Building Excellent Schools Network and is part of the broader Tennessee Charter School Incubator ecosystem.
Purpose Preparatory Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Purpose Preparatory Academy
- Legal name
- Purpose Preparatory Academy Charter School
- Website
- https://purposeprep.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Purpose Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free public charter elementary school in North Nashville, Tennessee, serving kindergarten through fifth grade students in Davidson County with a college-preparatory focus and intensive daily literacy instruction.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Purpose Preparatory Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Public Charter Elementary Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)
Keywords
Where Purpose Preparatory Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nashville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Purpose Preparatory Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Per-Pupil Allotment: As a public charter school, Purpose Prep receives per-pupil funding from state and federal sources based on student enrollment.
- Private Donations and Grants: Supplemental funding through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events to cover technology, enrichment, and additional program costs beyond public revenue.
- Major Gifts: Large individual contributions such as the $1M gift from NFL athlete Jalen Ramsey for capital and programmatic investments.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free public education with supplemental donation opportunities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Purpose Preparatory Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Purpose Preparatory Academy is a free public charter elementary school serving kindergarten through 5th grade students in Davidson County, Tennessee. The school delivers college-preparatory education with an intensive 225-minute daily literacy block, rigorous Common Core-aligned curriculum, and the RISE with Purpose character development framework. Operating on an extended school day and 185-day school year, it provides differentiated instruction, targeted interventions, and structured routines designed to close achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged students.
Product overview
Purpose Preparatory Academy is a public charter school offering elementary education (Kindergarten through 5th grade). As an educational institution rather than a technology product company, it does not offer software products, platforms, or modules in the traditional SaaS sense. The school's services consist of academic instruction, character development (RISE with Purpose values), and college-preparatory education. The institution provides educational programs including a book series featuring school scholars, a learning channel (YouTube), and family/student resources. The school operates with core educational offerings including rigorous curriculum, high-quality instruction, positive character development, and 225 minutes of daily literacy instruction.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- K-5 Elementary Education Program
- RISE with Purpose Character Development Program
Quantifiable outcome
- Four-time Tennessee Reward School, ranking within top 5% of schools in the state
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Purpose Preparatory Academy
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Purpose Preparatory Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Purpose Preparatory Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Kaboom!minorPlayground sponsor that helped build a playground for scholars in less than 6 hours with over 200 volunteers.
- Nashville PredatorsminorPlayground sponsor for the school's playground facility.
- MapcominorPlayground sponsor for the school's playground facility.
- Jackson (Family Sponsor)minorPlayground sponsor for the school's playground facility.
- Building Excellent Schools (BES)coreNational charter school creation program that trains, supports and mentors individuals to design, found, sustain, and lead high performing urban public charter schools. Purpose Prep is a proud member of The Network, a select group of highest performing BES schools.
- Tennessee Charter School IncubatorcorePrivately financed nonprofit organization created by Mayor Karl Dean to assist potential operators in opening charter schools. Supported Purpose Prep's creation and authorization.
- Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS)coreMNPS provides health benefits through their plan for Purpose Prep staff. School operates as a public charter school within the district.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Purpose Preparatory Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Liberty Collegiate Academy: A Nashville public charter elementary serving scholars from low-income families with a rigorous academics-plus-character model, directly comparable in grade span, mission, and target demographic to Purpose Prep.
- Great Hearts Academies: Great Hearts is a public charter network providing a classical, rigorous college-preparatory K-12 education with character formation — closely aligned with Purpose Prep's RISE character framework and college-from-K model.
- Friendship Public Charter School: Friendship is a long-standing charter network with an elementary-focused college-prep model serving predominantly underserved scholars — directly comparable in mission, grade span, and operating cadence to Purpose Prep.
- LEAD Academy Nashville: LEAD Academy is a Nashville-based public charter school network serving elementary and middle school scholars in underserved neighborhoods with a college-prep focus, competing with Purpose Prep for the same Davidson County families.
- Nashville Classical Charter School: A Nashville public charter school using a classical, liberal-arts curriculum with extended day/year, structurally comparable to Purpose Prep's rigorous college-prep K-5 model within the same optional-school application system.
- BASIS Charter Schools: BASIS operates a national network of high-performing public charter schools with a college-prep curriculum, extended day, and intensive literacy/STEM focus — comparable to Purpose Prep in operating model and outcomes ambition even though geographically distinct.
- KIPP Nashville: KIPP Nashville operates public charter schools serving elementary students in Nashville with a college-preparatory mission focused on underserved communities — the closest mission and operating-model analog to Purpose Prep in the same metro.
- RePublic Schools: RePublic Schools is a Nashville-area public charter network focused on college preparedness for traditionally underserved scholars across multiple campuses, sharing Purpose Prep's mission and Nashville charter ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Achievement First: Achievement First is a multi-state charter management organization serving predominantly low-income scholars of color with a college-prep model and an extended school day/year — a scaled analog of Purpose Prep's playbook.
- National Heritage Academies: NHA is one of the largest charter management organizations in the U.S., operating public charter elementary schools serving families of color and low-income communities — comparable business model and beneficiary population to Purpose Prep.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Purpose Preparatory Academy social profiles
Digital presencePurpose Preparatory Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Purpose Preparatory Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Purpose Preparatory Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Purpose Preparatory Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Purpose Preparatory Academy
What does Purpose Preparatory Academy do?
Purpose Preparatory Academy is a free public charter elementary school serving kindergarten through 5th grade students in Davidson County, Tennessee. The school delivers college-preparatory education with an intensive 225-minute daily literacy block, rigorous Common Core-aligned curriculum, and the RISE with Purpose character development framework. Operating on an extended school day and 185-day school year, it provides differentiated instruction, targeted interventions, and structured routines designed to close achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged students.
Is Purpose Preparatory Academy a public or private company?
Purpose Preparatory Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Purpose Preparatory Academy founded?
Purpose Preparatory Academy was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Purpose Preparatory Academy based?
Purpose Preparatory Academy is headquartered in Nashville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Purpose Preparatory Academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Per-Pupil Allotment is the primary driver. The others are private Donations and Grants and major Gifts.
Who are Purpose Preparatory Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Liberty Collegiate Academy, Great Hearts Academies, Friendship Public Charter School, LEAD Academy Nashville, Nashville Classical Charter School, BASIS Charter Schools, KIPP Nashville and RePublic Schools. Broad incumbents are Achievement First and National Heritage Academies.
Does Purpose Preparatory Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Purpose Preparatory Academy.
What industry is Purpose Preparatory Academy in?
Purpose Preparatory Academy's product category is K-12 Public Charter Elementary Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAAAB, Public Elementary Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.