The New School, Fayetteville Arkansas

What The New School, Fayetteville Arkansas does

The New School is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent day school founded in 1971 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, serving over 400 students from age 12 months through 12th grade on a 26-acre campus. It operates four vertical divisions — Early Childhood (12 months–PreK), Lower School (K–5), Middle School (6–8), and Upper School (9–12) — under separate division heads, with a college-preparatory curriculum that includes AP courses, college counseling, and a reported 100% college acceptance rate. The school's pedagogical differentiator is a three-phase STEAM program built around the Tinkering Studio (PreK–4th grade), an Innovation Center with professional-grade Maker Space tools (laser cutters, 3D printers, woodshop, metalshop, Arduino, robotics), and a Global Online Academy membership providing access to 140+ international member schools' online courses since 2023.

The business model is tuition-driven subscription revenue: Early Childhood tuition is $16,515 annually; K-12 tuition is $18,545 plus a $925 facility fee, with tuition covering approximately 80% of per-student educational cost. The remaining 20% is funded through an Annual Fund (2025 goal of $500,000), Spring Party fundraiser, and major donor contributions from named Northwest Arkansas benefactors (J.B. Hunt family, Simmons family, Walker family, Baledge family). Approximately 13% of students receive need-based financial assistance through the Clarity Application platform, and the school accepts Arkansas LEARNS Act Education Freedom Account funding of approximately $7,208 per eligible K-12 student for 2026-27. The go-to-market is sales-led personal tours scheduled year-round through Calendly by division, with applications processed through Blackbaud.

The school is accredited by the Independent School Association of Central States (ISACS) — one of only five schools in Arkansas with this distinction — and by the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (ANSAA), and is a member of NAIS and NACAC. Operating leadership includes Head of School Nancy Lang, with a Board of Trustees of 10–20 voting members plus the Head as ex-officio. Technology infrastructure integrates Blackbaud (school management), Calendly (tour scheduling), CampBrain (camp registration), SAGE Dining (food service), Naviance (college counseling), Method (test prep), Scorebook Live and Hudl (athletics), and Clarity (financial aid) — no proprietary AI/ML systems are disclosed.

Name

The New School, Fayetteville Arkansas

Legal name

The New School, Inc.

Website

https://thenewschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The New School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit independent day school in Fayetteville, Arkansas, serving over 400 students from age 12 months through 12th grade with a STEAM-focused, college-preparatory curriculum. Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition ($16,515–$19,470) supplemented by annual fundraising and donor contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-12 Private School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAA

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDACABAM

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools

Education/Early Childhood Education/Preschools & Pre-K Programs

Keywords

• Private K-12 education
• STEAM curriculum
• Early childhood education
• College preparatory school
• Independent day school

Headquarters

HQ city

Fayetteville

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments. Early Childhood (12 months - PreK) at $16,515 annually, Kindergarten - 12th Grade at $18,545 annually, plus a $925 facility fee. Tuition covers approximately 80% of the cost to educate each student.
2. Annual Fundraising: Annual Fund campaign targeting $500,000 with activities like Fun Run events. The Spring Party is the school's biggest fundraiser along with the Annual Fund. These fundraising efforts cover approximately 20% of educational costs above tuition.
3. Financial Assistance Program: Need-based financial assistance provided through Clarity Application for families demonstrating financial need. 13% of students receive tuition assistance.
4. Arkansas LEARNS Act EFA Funding: State funding through Education Freedom Account (EFA) program providing approximately $7,208 per eligible student for the 2026-2027 school year for all Arkansas K-12 students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The New School is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent day school providing continuous education from 12 months through 12th grade on a 26-acre campus in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Its core offering is a whole-person, STEAM-anchored academic program (Early Childhood, Lower School, Middle School, Upper School) with college-preparatory curriculum, dedicated Tinkering Studio and Innovation Center maker facilities, arts and athletics programs, and college counseling services — sold via annual tuition plus supplementary fees.

Product overview

The New School is a private independent school offering a comprehensive educational program from Early Childhood (12 months) through 12th grade. The school operates with a three-phase STEAM curriculum utilizing the Tinkering Studio for younger students and the Innovation Center for middle and upper school students. Core programs include Early Childhood Education, Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12). Auxiliary services include Extended Day and Summer Camp programs. The school provides college counseling through Naviance and test preparation through Method software. As a member of Global Online Academy since 2023, students access additional online courses. Financial assistance through Clarity Application and music scholarships are available. The Arts program encompasses drama, music, and visual arts with regular performances.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Education Comprehensive developmental program for children 12 months through Pre-K, integrating social-emotional learning, cognitive development, early literacy, mathematical thinking, and exploration through art, music, and creative movement. Full-day and half-day options with enrichment in art, music, Spanish language, PE, library, and STEAM. Annual tuition: $16,515.
• Lower School Elementary education program for Kindergarten through 5th grade, emphasizing foundational academics in literacy and math, with enrichment in art, tinkering, technology, library, music, world languages, PE, and social-emotional learning. Annual tuition: $18,545 plus $925 facility fee.
• Middle School Grades 6-8 program focused on curiosity, community, and character with humanities, world language, math, science, STEAM, athletics, electives, and executive functioning skills development. Inquiry-based curriculum with advisory groups and STEAM rotations.
• Upper School College-preparatory program spanning grades 9-12 with Advanced Placement courses, STEAM-focused Innovation Center, Global Online Academy access, and dedicated college counseling. 100% college acceptance rate among graduating seniors.
• STEAM Education Three-phase STEAM curriculum progressing from Tinkering Studio (PreK-4th grade) through Innovation Center (middle school making) to upper school specialization, integrated across all grade levels.
• Arts Program Comprehensive arts education including drama/theatre, music (rock, funk, jazz, R&B, pop), and visual arts (fiber arts, printmaking, ceramics, AP 2D Studio Art) across all grade levels with performances and exhibitions.
• Athletics Program Athletic offerings including youth sports (K-6th), middle school (7th-8th) sports, and high school (9th-12th) athletics with various team sports (basketball, volleyball, tennis, etc.) and year-round training with an experienced strength and conditioning coach.
• Extended Day Program After-school care and enrichment activities including music lessons, robotics, dance/tumbling, and other enrichment for an additional charge. Registration managed through CampBrain.
• Summer Camp Program Summer programming for students 12 months through 5th grade, including ECE summer program (June-July) and K-5 specialized enrichment camps. Voted CitiScape Best of Summer Camp 2016-2022 (consecutive years). Registration via CampBrain.
• College Counseling Comprehensive college counseling program from freshman year through senior year, including Naviance software access, college visits, application support, financial aid assistance, and Method test preparation (ACT/SAT). 100% of graduates accepted into college or university.
• Global Online Academy Membership Full membership in GOA consortium (140+ member schools) providing upper school students access to online courses taught by international teachers in an ever-expanding suite of adventurous courses.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Online Academy (GOA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023The New School became a full member of the Global Online Academy consortium in 2023. GOA is an international consortium of over 140 member schools working to shape the future of online learning. Membership allows the school to expand its curriculum beyond the walls of its classrooms by partnering with schools and teachers around the country and the world. GOA gives member schools access to exceptionally skilled teachers, an international academic community, and an ever-expanding suite of adventurous courses.
• SAGE DiningminorOthersSAGE Dining provides food services for the school. Their website shows the school's menu is available through their platform.
• BlackbaudcoreTechnology or IntegrationSchool management software platform used for the admissions application process, donor management, and parent communication.
• Clarity ApplicationcoreTechnology or IntegrationFinancial assistance application platform used to determine family financial need based on assets, income, expenses, and debts.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• The Nueva School: Independent PK-12 school in the San Francisco Bay Area renowned for its progressive, project-based, and design/STEAM-focused curriculum. Closest philosophical and curricular peer for TNS's Innovation Center and Tinkering Studio approach, though at a much larger and more resource-rich scale.
• College Preparatory School: Independent 6-12 college-preparatory school in Oakland, CA with a similar small-school (~350 students) and rigorous college-prep focus including high college placement rates. Comparable in mission, governance structure (nonprofit board), and STEAM-adjacent curriculum.
• River Valley School: Independent PK-8 nonsectarian school in Boulder, CO serving ~400 students with a similar small-scale, project-based, and whole-child education model. Comparable as a small-size independent day school benchmark.
• The Park School: Independent PK-8 progressive school in Brookline, MA with a comparable size profile (~400-500 students), low student-teacher ratio, and project-based, whole-child educational philosophy. Useful peer for benchmarking a small nonsectarian independent school of similar scale.

Direct peers

• Episcopal Collegiate School: Independent PK-12 school in Little Rock, AR, one of the few other Arkansas schools with similar full K-12 scope and ISACS-equivalent accreditation. Comparable in mission, tuition range, and reliance on tuition + fundraising model.
• Harding Academy: Independent K-12 Christian school in Searcy, AR with a similar size profile and college-preparatory mission. Comparable in structure (private, faith-affiliated, K-12) and provides a useful benchmark for tuition, fundraising, and program scope at a similar Arkansas independent school.
• Thaden School: Newer independent school in Bentonville, AR (founded 2017) with significant Walton-family backing. Operates grades 6-12 with a similar whole-person, project-based educational philosophy, and represents a direct emerging competitor in the same metro for college-prep-oriented families.
• Haas Hall Academy: Highly-ranked public charter college-prep school with campuses in Fayetteville and Bentonville, AR. Competes for the same academically-oriented Northwest Arkansas families prioritizing college placement, though operates as a public charter rather than independent nonprofit.
• Shiloh Christian School: Private K-12 Christian school located in Springdale, AR — the same Northwest Arkansas metro as The New School. Direct competitor for families choosing between independent school options in the region, though faith-based rather than nonsectarian.

Regional players

• Mount St. Mary Academy: Catholic private PK-12 school in Little Rock, AR. Comparable as a regional private K-12 alternative in Arkansas, though faith-based and located in a different metro; useful proxy for tuition and operational benchmarks in the state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newschooltweets
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheNewSchoolNWA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-new-school-arkansas
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenewschoolar

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 New School, Fayetteville Arkansas