The Croft School

What The Croft School does

The Croft School is a multi-campus independent private school founded in 2018 in Providence, Rhode Island, by Scott Given. It operates three neighborhood campuses: the founding Providence campus (Kindergarten through Grade 8, located in Wayland Square on Providence's East Side), The Croft School: Jamaica Plain (Preschool through Grade 6, opened 2020 in Boston), and The Croft School: South End (Preschool through Grade 2, expanding toward Grade 6, opened 2022 in Boston). The school delivers a progressive, project-based, student-centered curriculum with social-emotional learning, fieldwork, and anti-racist pedagogy, anchored by a talent strategy that maintains a 0.4% teacher hiring rate and a flat organizational structure that empowers teachers without middle management.

The business model is tuition-driven, with recurring annual billing and a 10% non-refundable enrollment deposit. Tuition for 2026-27 ranges from $31,690 (Providence) to $37,690 (South End), with Jamaica Plain at $35,490 — positioned 20-30% below comparable Boston and Providence independent schools. Ancillary revenue includes Extended Day programs ($18-$30 per day), a $60 application fee, and need-based financial aid with sibling discounts (5% first sibling, 10% additional). The technology footprint is minimal: RenWeb powers admissions, the website is Squarespace-hosted, and Instagram is the primary social channel. A partnership with The Salvation Army provides South End students access to a gymnasium for physical education.

The school operates as a founder-led private institution with no disclosed outside investment. Central leadership comprises Interim Co-Leaders Erin Walsh-Hagan (Chief Program Officer) and Kate Mahoney (Chief Operating Officer), supported by three site-level Heads of School (Annie Reinish in Providence, Shilpa Taneja in Jamaica Plain, Cristina Lopez in South End). Total headcount is approximately 70 employees across the three campuses. Enrollment is acquired through direct-to-consumer engagement — interest lists, informal conversations, personalized school tours, and a community-driven word-of-mouth model — with no third-party distribution channels. Customer concentration is diffuse across individual families in Boston and Providence urban/suburban neighborhoods.

Name

The Croft School

Legal name

The Croft School

Website

https://thecroftschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Croft School is a multi-campus independent private school founded in 2018, operating three neighborhood campuses in Providence, RI and Boston, MA. It serves Preschool through Grade 8 students with progressive, project-based education at 20–30% lower tuition than comparable urban independent schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Independent school network
• Progressive private education
• Elementary and middle school
• Early childhood programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Jamaica Plain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees paid by families for their children's education. Tuition varies by campus location and grade level. Payments are made annually with a 10% non-refundable tuition deposit to secure enrollment.
2. Extended Day Programs: Optional after-school enrichment programs offered Monday-Friday. Two tiers: 3:00-4:30pm at $18/day (includes Extended Day Enrichment) and 3:00-5:30pm at $30/day (includes Extended Day Enrichment plus additional after school activities).
3. Application Fees: One-time $60 application fee required as the first formal step in the admissions process.
4. Sibling Discounts: Siblings of enrolled children receive guaranteed admission pending seat availability. First sibling receives 5% tuition discount, additional siblings receive 10% tuition discount.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Croft School is a multi-location private independent school network operating three campuses (Jamaica Plain and South End in Boston, and Providence, Rhode Island) that delivers Preschool through Grade 8 education through a student-centered model emphasizing project-based learning, social-emotional curriculum, diversity, and parent partnership. The school charges annual tuition, offers supplementary after-school Extended Day programs, and provides need-based financial aid and sibling discounts.

Product overview

The Croft School is a multi-location independent private school network offering Preschool through Grade 8 education at three campuses: Jamaica Plain (Preschool-Grade 6), Providence (Kindergarten-Grade 8), and South End Boston (Preschool-Grade 2, expanding). The school provides a unified educational model grounded in innovation, balance, rigor, and student-centeredness through project-based learning, fieldwork trips, social-emotional learning, and social justice education. Core offerings include age-based programs (Preschool, Pre-K, Kindergarten) and grade-level programs (Elementary Grades 1-6, Middle School Grades 6-8). Supplementary offerings include Extended Day programs for after-school care and enrichment, a Financial Support Program with need-based aid and sibling discounts, and the Parent 3.0 family engagement initiative. The school emphasizes extraordinary teaching quality with a 0.4% teacher hiring rate, diverse community building, anti-bias/anti-racist curriculum, and partnerships with families as co-educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Croft School: Jamaica Plain A private school located in Jamaica Plain, Boston, offering Preschool (Age 3) through Grade 6 education with a project-based learning approach emphasizing rigor, social-emotional learning, and community engagement. Currently enrolling Preschool through Grade 5 (2025-26), expanding to Grade 6.
• The Croft School: Providence The founding location of The Croft School, offering Kindergarten through Grade 8 education in Wayland Square on Providence's East Side. Features a lower school facility and upper school facility serving families throughout Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. Currently enrolling K-Grade 7 (2025-26), expanding to K-8.
• The Croft School: South End A private school in Boston's South End neighborhood offering Preschool through Grade 2 in 2025-2026, with plans to expand one grade level annually until reaching Grade 6 capacity. Includes a Preschool-Kindergarten campus and a Grade 1-Grade 2 campus.
• Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten (K1) Program Early childhood education programs for children ages 3-4, focusing on emergent curriculum, play-based learning, foundational academic skills, and social-emotional development. Available at Jamaica Plain and South End campuses (Boston only).
• Kindergarten (K2) & Elementary Program (Grades 1-5/6) Full-day kindergarten and elementary education programs (Grades 1 through 5 or 6) featuring project-based learning, fieldwork trips, social-emotional learning, and rigorous academic instruction. Curriculum includes math, literacy, science, social studies, world languages (Spanish), arts, music, and physical education.
• Middle School Program (Grades 6-8) Middle school education for grades 6-8 featuring project-based learning, student-centered pedagogy, social justice education, and college preparation pathways. Currently available at Providence location (K-Grade 8), expanding to Jamaica Plain and South End campuses.
• Extended Day Program After-school care and enrichment program offered Monday-Friday with two options: a short option from 3:00pm-4:30pm at $18/day (includes Extended Day Enrichment) and a long option from 3:00pm-5:30pm at $30/day (includes Extended Day Enrichment plus additional after school activities).
• Financial Support Program Need-based financial aid program making The Croft School accessible to families from diverse economic backgrounds. Includes sibling tuition discounts of 5% for the first sibling and 10% for additional siblings, with guaranteed admission pending seat availability.
• Parent 3.0 Program A family engagement initiative providing a collaborative, personalized family experience through explicit commitments to convenience, communication, community, and customer service. Treats families as co-educators and partners in raising students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tuition 20-30% lower than comparable independent schools while maintaining comparable quality

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Salvation Army (South End)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Croft School: South End has a partnership with their South End neighbor, The Salvation Army. Through this partnership, Croft students have access to The Salvation Army's beautiful gymnasium for physical education and activities. This facility partnership allows the school to offer expanded physical education opportunities despite their compact neighborhood campus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Newton Country Day School: Independent Catholic girls' day school in Newton, MA serving Grades 5–12. Comparable Boston-metro independent school competitor targeting the same professional-family segment as Croft.
• The Park School: Independent day school in Brookline, MA serving PreK–Grade 8 with rigorous progressive pedagogy. Croft explicitly benchmarks against Park's $47,890 tuition; directly comparable product, customer profile, and Boston-metro market.
• Beaver Country Day School: Independent day school in Chestnut Hill, MA serving Grades 6–12 with a progressive, interdisciplinary model. Comparable Boston-metro progressive private school targeting similar upper-middle-class professional families.
• Belmont Day School: Independent day school in Belmont, MA serving Grades PreK–8 with a progressive, social-emotional focus. Comparable Boston-metro market, grade span, and progressive pedagogy to Croft's Jamaica Plain and South End campuses.
• Moses Brown School: Independent Quaker day school in Providence, RI serving nursery through Grade 12. Croft's Providence tuition is benchmarked against Moses Brown's $48,900 Grade 5 tuition; directly overlapping market, grade range, and family segment.
• Kingsley School: Independent Montessori school in Boston's Back Bay serving toddler through Grade 6. Croft explicitly cites Kingsley Montessori's $43,545 lower elementary tuition as a benchmark; directly overlapping downtown Boston family segment and educational philosophy.
• The Wheeler School: Independent day school on Providence's East Side serving nursery through Grade 12. Croft's Providence pricing is benchmarked against Wheeler's $45,350 Grade 3–4 tuition; same neighborhood, grade range, and progressive family demographic.
• Dexter Southfield: Independent day school in Brookline, MA serving PreK–Grade 12. Croft's South End tuition is benchmarked against Dexter-Southfield's $48,500 Grade 1–2 tuition; highly comparable product, audience, and Boston-area positioning.

Regional players

• Fay School: Independent day and boarding school in Southborough, MA serving Grades 1–9. Comparable product and grade range to Croft, but located in a suburban Metrowest corridor rather than the Boston/Providence urban core.
• Shore Country Day School: Independent day school in Beverly, MA serving Grades PreK–9. Comparable progressive independent K–8 model but serving the North Shore rather than the Boston urban core where Croft operates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/thecroftschool/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/croft-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 The Croft School