The Shefa School

What The Shefa School does

The Shefa School is an independent 501(c)(3) Jewish community day school founded in 2014 in Manhattan, serving students in grades K-8 with language-based learning disabilities (LBLD) such as dyslexia, including approximately 50% with co-occurring ADHD. It delivers a research-based, multisensory instructional program built on the PAF (Preventing Academic Failure) Reading Program based on Orton-Gillingham methods, The Hochman Method for writing, and Multisensory Mathematics developed in consultation with Marilyn Zecher, all under a Science of Reading framework that emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing. The school maintains a 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio and delivers reading and math in small homogeneous groups of 3-7 students, with full-time speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, school psychologists, and social workers embedded in the curriculum rather than operating via a pull-out model.

The school's business model combines tuition ($88,500 per student for the 2025-2026 school year) with substantial philanthropic support. Tuition alone does not cover the full cost of education; the gap is bridged by the Shefa Fund annual campaign, planned giving, the Sponsor a Day of Learning program, and a $100M Capital Campaign that funded a new 12-story, custom-built campus at 17 West 60th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, which opened in September 2024 and is designed to serve up to 350 students. The Shefa Center, a wholly-owned division, extends the school's expertise to other Jewish day schools through professional development and consulting, creating a secondary revenue and influence channel. Students are accepted on a rolling basis via a structured admissions process (inquiry, application, neuropsychological testing, campus visits), with need-based financial aid administered through FACTS and extended payment plans. The school reports that 90-95% of students successfully transition to mainstream Jewish day schools, public schools, and independent schools including Ramaz, Frisch, SAR, Heschel, and Columbia Grammar.

The school operates from a single Manhattan campus serving the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut), with 101 employees. Distribution is entirely direct-to-consumer through admissions rather than intermediaries. Revenue streams include tuition (subscription/recurring), the Shefa Fund annual campaign, the capital campaign, planned giving/bequests, and the Sponsor a Day of Learning program. The institution holds NYSAIS accreditation and is a member of ISAAGNY and Prizmah, and partners with 15+ chesed organizations alongside UJA-Federation and Met Council for community service programming. Leadership is led by Founder and Head of School Ilana Ruskay-Kidd (Covenant Award, 2016) with a senior team drawn from elite NYC special-education institutions.

Name

The Shefa School

Legal name

The Shefa School

Website

https://shefaschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Shefa School is a Manhattan-based 501(c)(3) Jewish community day school founded in 2014 serving K-8 students with language-based learning disabilities, using research-based multisensory instruction at a 3:1 student-teacher ratio. Revenue combines $88,500 tuition per student with philanthropic support; the school opened a new 350-student, 12-story Upper West Side campus in 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for K-8 education. Tuition for 2025-2026 school year is $88,500 per student. Tuition does not cover the full cost of each student's education, requiring additional philanthropic support.
2. The Shefa Fund (Annual Campaign): Annual fundraising campaign that provides critical funds to bridge the gap between tuition and operating expenses. Supports faculty salaries, professional development, and financial aid for students.
3. Capital Campaign: Capital campaign fundraising for building and facility improvements, including the new 12-story building on the Upper West Side.
4. Sponsor a Day of Learning: Sponsorship program allowing donors to sponsor specific days of learning in honor or memory of loved ones, celebrating milestones or holidays.
5. Planned Giving: Bequests and planned gifts, including charitable bequests that support the school's mission in perpetuity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Shefa School is a Jewish community day school in Manhattan serving students in grades K-8 with language-based learning disabilities (including dyslexia). It delivers research-based, multisensory instruction using the PAF Reading Program, The Hochman Method for writing, and Multisensory Math, with a 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio, embedded therapeutic supports, and a 90-95% transition rate back to mainstream schools. The Shefa Center division extends the school's expertise to other Jewish day schools seeking to support diverse learners.

Product overview

The Shefa School offers a single unified educational program serving students in grades K-8 with language-based learning disabilities. The program comprises the Lower School Program (K-4/5) and Middle School Program (5/6-8), both utilizing research-based approaches including PAF Reading Program, The Hochman Method for writing, and Multisensory Math. The Shefa Center is a division that extends the school's expertise to other Jewish day schools. Additional offerings include co-curricular activities (athletics, arts, community service), and outplacement support services to facilitate students' transition to mainstream schools. The school maintains a 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio and recently opened a new 12-story campus to serve up to 350 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shefa Center: A division of The Shefa School that serves as a partner and resource for educators and leaders in Jewish day schools who want to expand their school's capacity to educate diverse learners.

Products and services

• Lower School Program (K-4/5) Comprehensive educational program for kindergarten through 4th/5th grade students with language-based learning disabilities, featuring research-based multisensory instruction, 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio, small group reading and math instruction using PAF (Orton-Gillingham reading program) and Multisensory Math approaches, and integrated speech-language, occupational therapy, and social-emotional supports.
• Middle School Program (5/6-8) Educational program for 5th/6th through 8th grade students building on the Lower School curriculum with personalized schedules, advisory groups, research and study skills integration, student government, and preparation for transition to mainstream schools. Maintains the 3:1 student-to-teacher ratio and embedded therapeutic supports.
• Shefa Center A division of The Shefa School that serves as a partner and resource for educators and leaders in Jewish day schools who want to expand their school's capacity to educate diverse learners. Features a dedicated conference room and workshop spaces, and provides professional development, training, and resource sharing.
• Co-Curricular Activities Co-curricular programs including Chesed community service (partnering with 15+ organizations), Shefa Sharks Athletics (basketball, soccer), Rooftop Garden, Student Committees, Chorus, Maker Program, and Math Team.
• Outplacement Support Services Comprehensive transition support for students moving from Shefa to mainstream schools, including personalized school recommendations, application guidance, interview preparation, advocacy, and records management. Over 95% of students transition successfully to mainstream schools, accepted to 80+ mainstream schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 95% of students successfully transition to mainstream schools
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Met CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Met Council for chesed (acts of loving kindness) programming, including Met Council's first-ever student-run pantry operated by Shefa students on the 7th floor Chesed Center.
• Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent involvement in TOM programming and partnership for innovation initiatives. The school was featured in coverage of TOM opening its New York Innovation Center with UJA-Federation of New York.
• 15+ Chesed Partner OrganizationsminorOthersShefa partners with 15+ organizations for chesed activities including Animal Cares Center of NYC, Broadway Community Soup Kitchen, City Harvest, DOROT, Food Bank NYC, Hope Lodge, JASA Older Adult Centers, Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center, Meals on Wheels, Project ORE, Reading Buddies Program, Save a Child's Heart, Student Tzedakah Committee.
• PrizmahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrizmah is a Jewish day school network that Shefa participates in. The school is featured in Prizmah's publications and Hayidion magazine, and benefits from professional development and resource sharing.
• NYSAIS (New York State Association of Independent Schools)coreOthersAccreditation by NYSAIS demonstrates the school's compliance with high standards for independent education in New York State.
• ISAAGNY (Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York)coreOthersShefa is a proud member of ISAAGNY, participating in shared admissions timeline and professional development with nearly 30,000 students across greater New York.
• UJA-Federation of New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUJA-Federation partnership through Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) New York Innovation Center opening.
• Marilyn ZecherminorOthersMultisensory Math program developed in consultation with Marilyn Zecher, specialist in applying Orton-Gillingham strategies to mathematics instruction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Ramaz School: Prominent NYC Jewish day school (Nursery-12) that increasingly supports diverse learners and is one of the top mainstream destinations for Shefa graduates. Comparable on the Jewish day school dimension with emerging overlap on learning support services.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel School: Pluralistic NYC Jewish day school K-12 serving a diverse learner population. Rabbi Dov Lerea, Shefa's Head of Judaic Studies, previously served as Dean of Judaic Studies at Heschel — overlap on Jewish day school dimension and a documented outplacement destination.
• Luria Academy of Brooklyn: Jewish day school in Brooklyn serving neurodiverse learners; Ian Cohen, Shefa's Head of Middle School, was previously Director of Support Services at Luria. Comparable on Jewish day school × learning differences intersection at smaller scale.

Direct peers

• The Gateway School: NYC independent K-8 school for children with language-based learning disabilities. Vicki Messler, Shefa's Head of Innovation and Integration, previously served as Director of Curriculum at Gateway for 14 years, evidencing tight functional overlap.
• The Windward School: Independent K-8 school in Westchester County, NY exclusively serving students with language-based learning disabilities using multisensory, Orton-Gillingham–based instruction. Closest direct competitor in the tri-state LD-specialty day school market; Shefa's founding team includes former Windward staff.
• The Churchill School: NYC independent K-12 school exclusively serving students with language-based learning disabilities. Uses a research-based, multisensory approach and shares faculty pedigree with Shefa — directly comparable in mission, pedagogy, and geography.
• Mary McDowell Friends School: NYC K-8 school serving students with learning disabilities, language-based learning difficulties, and related challenges. Comparable mission, multisensory instructional approach, and small-group structure within the same NYC market.
• Lower School of The Parkside School: NYC independent K-12 school for students with language-based learning disabilities. Comparable multisensory methodology and tri-state specialty positioning, focused on grades K-8 in a single-organization model similar to Shefa.
• The Smith School: K-8 school on the Upper West Side of NYC serving students with language-based learning disabilities. Direct geographic and pedagogical competitor to Shefa in Manhattan.

Regional players

• Eagle Hill School: Independent K-9 school in Greenwich, CT dedicated to students with learning disabilities. Shefa CFO Jim Halliday previously served as Assistant Business Director at Eagle Hill — comparable model and pedagogy, but located in a different sub-market of the tri-state region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shefaschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/shefaschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theshefaschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/theshefaschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 The Shefa School