Spectrum High School

What Spectrum High School does

Spectrum High School is a public charter school operating a multi-campus college preparatory district in Elk River, Minnesota, serving approximately 900+ students across grades 5-12. Founded in 2005 and opened to students in 2006 with 73 ninth- and tenth-graders, the school is authorized by Volunteers of America-Minnesota and provides tuition-free education funded through state and federal public charter school allocations. The organization operates three program divisions: Spectrum Elementary School (Grade 5), Spectrum Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Spectrum High School (Grades 9-12), each housed in a dedicated facility within the Elk River Industrial Circle campus complex, alongside a separate athletics complex with football, baseball, softball, and track facilities.

The school's core academic product is the College @ Spectrum High School (C@SH) program, which enables high school students to earn college credits and, in some cases, an AA degree while remaining on the high school campus. Supporting programs include a College and Career Center (added 2018-19), competitive athletics and performing arts under the Minnesota State High School League, a one-to-one Chromebook program with Google-based Sting Mail student accounts, and a homeroom-based Foundations for Success course in Grade 5. Average class size is 23 students. Reported outcomes include a 96% graduation rate and 4,943 college credits earned by the Class of 2026. Technology integration relies on commodity K-12 tools (Infinite Campus SIS, GoBound scheduling, SchoolStatus Sites) rather than proprietary platforms.

Spectrum's business model is public charter school funding: tuition-free to families, with revenue derived from per-pupil state and federal allocations (revenue figures are not publicly disclosed). Go-to-market relies on an open Minnesota enrollment process, information and tour events for prospective families, individual tour requests, and organic social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Key relationships include the authorizer Volunteers of America-Minnesota, transportation provider American Student Transportation, and the supporting nonprofit Friends of Spectrum, Inc. Leadership consists of Executive Director Dan DeBruyn (since Fall 2016, succeeding founder Vanessta Spark) and Activities Director Ben Poidinger, with governance by a Board of Directors.

Name

Spectrum High School

Legal name

Spectrum High School

Website

https://spectrumhighschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Spectrum High School is a tuition-free public charter school in Elk River, Minnesota, serving 900+ students in grades 5-12 under authorization from Volunteers of America-Minnesota. It offers a college preparatory curriculum, including a C@SH program enabling students to earn up to an AA degree on campus.

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

Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• College preparatory programs
• K-12 public education
• Dual enrollment college credits
• Secondary education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Elk River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Spectrum High School is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in grades 5-12 across three campuses in Elk River, Minnesota. The school offers a college preparatory curriculum, with the distinctive College @ Spectrum High School (C@SH) program allowing students to earn college credits and potentially an AA degree while on the high school campus. The school integrates technology through a one-to-one Chromebook program and provides competitive athletics, performing arts, and a College and Career Center.

Product overview

Spectrum High School operates a multi-campus college preparatory charter school district serving grades 5-12 in Elk River, Minnesota. The school consists of three distinct programs: Spectrum Elementary School (Grade 5), Spectrum Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Spectrum High School (Grades 9-12). The high school offers a unique College @ Spectrum High School (C@SH) program allowing students to earn up to an AA degree while remaining on campus. The school integrates technology through a one-to-one Chromebook program and provides a College and Career Center. Students participate in athletics and performing arts programs, with middle school students eligible for high school competitive programs. Authorized by Volunteers of America, the school has a 96% graduation rate and emphasizes college and career readiness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• College @ Spectrum High School (C@SH): College program allowing students to earn up to their AA degree while remaining on the high school campus.

Products and services

• Spectrum High School (Grades 9-12) College preparatory high school program for students in grades 9-12 where students can earn college credits through the C@SH program, including the opportunity to earn up to an AA degree while on the high school campus. Integrates technology through a one-to-one Chromebook program. Member of the Minnesota State High School League.
• Spectrum Middle School (Grades 6-8) Middle school serving students in grades 6-8 with a dedicated wing for 6th graders and a separate 7-8 building. Builds on the foundation established in 5th grade while supporting social and emotional growth. Middle school students can participate in high school competitive athletics and performing arts programs.
• Spectrum Elementary School (Grade 5) Single-grade campus providing a comfortable setting where 5th grade students establish a strong foundation in essential academic subjects, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills through a homeroom structure with the Foundations for Success course.
• College @ Spectrum High School (C@SH) Program College credit program allowing high school students to earn college credits and potentially earn their AA degree while remaining on the high school campus through partnerships with colleges. The Class of 2026 earned 4,943 college credits through this program.
• One-to-One Chromebook Program Technology integration program providing each student with a Chromebook for educational use, supporting technology competency as part of the school's mission. Includes Google-based Sting Mail student Gmail accounts.
• College and Career Center Resource center created to support high school students with college preparation and career guidance.
• Athletics and Performing Arts Programs Competitive athletic and performing arts opportunities through Minnesota State High School League membership. Includes football, soccer, baseball, softball, track, and performing arts. Middle school students are eligible for high school competitive programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% graduation rate
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Volunteers of AmericacoreOthersVolunteers of America-Minnesota serves as the authorizing body for Spectrum High School. The school operates as a public charter school authorized by Volunteers of America at 924 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404. This authorization arrangement enables the school to operate as a public education institution with the support and oversight of a established nonprofit organization.
• American Student TransportationminorOthersSpectrum High School contracts with American Student Transportation for its busing and transportation needs. Contact information for American Student Transportation is available on the school's transportation page.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Great Hearts Academies: Classical, college-prep charter school network with K-12 campuses; comparable in mission (college preparatory, character development) and tuition-free public charter model.
• BASIS Charter Schools: Network of college-preparatory charter schools emphasizing advanced coursework and high college-credit generation, closely comparable to Spectrum's college-prep charter model and C@SH outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Public Schools: Large national charter network offering college-prep public charter education; comparable in charter status and college-readiness mission though operating at much larger scale.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: NYC-based charter network focused on rigorous college prep and measurable academic outcomes; comparable in charter-driven, college-prep orientation with strong test/college outcomes.

Regional players

• St. Croix Preparatory Academy: Minnesota charter school serving grades K-12 with a college-preparatory focus; relevant as a regional charter peer competing for the same Minnesota families.
• Parnassus Preparatory School: Minnesota-based K-12 charter school with classical/college-prep emphasis; directly comparable as a same-state public charter competitor for Minnesota families.
• Nova Classical Academy: Minnesota K-12 charter school focused on classical, college-preparatory education; comparable in geography, charter status, and college-readiness mission.

Others

• Minnesota State High School League: Governing body for interscholastic athletics in MN; relevant ecosystem counterpart since Spectrum is a member and uses GoBound/athletics infrastructure heavily.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spectrumsting
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SpectrumHighSchool?feature=mhee
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpectrumSting
• Instagraminstagram.com/spectrumsting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/spectrum-high-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Spectrum High School