Twin Lakes Christian School

What Twin Lakes Christian School does

Twin Lakes Christian School is a private K-8 Christian school located at 2701 Cabrillo College Dr in Aptos, California, operated as a ministry of Twin Lakes Baptist Church, Inc. (a California nonprofit). Founded in 1980 (originally as Mid County Christian School), the school expanded incrementally — adding one grade per year through 1985, modular buildings in 1995-2000, a sixth grade in 2003, and a full Middle School program in 2011 — before moving into its current permanent building in 2016. The institution serves students in Kindergarten through 8th grade across two classes per grade level, each supported by a full-time instructional aide, and is dual-accredited by ACSI and WASC.

The core educational offering comprises an Elementary (K-5) program and a Middle School (6-8) program built on California Standards with leveled math pathways, integrated Bible instruction, and a distinctive STEAM curriculum covering Robotics, Coding, Green Architecture, Medical Detectives, and Design & Modeling. Enrichment modules span Art, PE, Spanish, Music, Drama, Woodshop, Cooking, and various electives; signature experiential programs include the 6th grade Catalina Island Science Camp (Campus by the Sea), 7th grade Mexico Mission Trip (Door of Faith Orphanage), and 8th grade Rock-N-Water outdoor adventure. The technology stack is a portfolio of third-party ed-tech tools — Gradelink SIS, Savvas Realize, McGraw Hill Connect, Benchmark Universe, Renaissance, Mystery Science, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, IEW, and Google Workspace — with no proprietary AI/ML capability.

The business model is direct-to-consumer tuition-based: families apply online, tour and interview, and upon acceptance pay $11,250 (K-5) or $11,600 (6-8) per student annually in 10 monthly installments, plus registration fees ($250-$450), with 10/20/30% sibling discounts and FAST-processed tuition assistance available. Additional revenue streams include usage-based Cross Walk before/after care ($8.50/hour), an optional hot lunch program sourced from local restaurants, and athletic/elective fees. Marketing is conducted through the school's website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twin Lakes Baptist Church referral channels. There are no external investors, no funding rounds, and no M&A activity; the school is governed by its parent church as a nonprofit.

Name

Twin Lakes Christian School

Legal name

The Twin Lakes Baptist Church, Inc., d.b.a. Twin Lakes Christian School

Website

https://tlcs.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Twin Lakes Christian School is a private K-8 Christ-centered school in Aptos, California, operated by Twin Lakes Baptist Church, Inc., serving families in the Santa Cruz area with tuition-based enrollment across two classes per grade.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Christian Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Private K-8 education
• Christian school
• Elementary education
• Middle school education
• STEAM curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Aptos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition charged based on grade level (Elementary K-5 vs Middle School 6-8) and number of enrolled students. Tuition is divided into 10 monthly payments from August through May. Sibling discounts of 10% for second child, 20% for third child, and 30% for fourth child are applied.
2. Registration Fees: One-time fees per student: $450 for new students, $350 for returning students (or $250 if paid by February 28th). Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
3. Cross Walk (Before/After School Care): Optional before and after school care program with hourly rates ($8.50/hour for one student, with sibling discounts). Additional fees for middle school students at $2.50/hour. Late pickup charges of $1.00 per minute past 6:00pm.
4. Hot Lunch Program: Optional hot lunch program using local restaurants. Families order via online portal by noon the day before. Additional $1.50 late charge for morning orders after 9:00am. Payment accepted via debit or credit card.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Twin Lakes Christian School provides private K-8 Christ-centered education through its Elementary (Kindergarten through 5th grade) and Middle School (6th through 8th grade) programs in Aptos, California. Each grade level operates two classes supported by full-time instructional aides, with weekly enrichment in Art, Physical Education, Spanish, Music, and STEAM, alongside optional Athletics, Cross Walk before/after school care, and Hot Lunch services. The school is dually accredited by ACSI and WASC and delivers California Standards-based curriculum integrated with a Biblical worldview.

Product overview

Twin Lakes Christian School operates as a private Christian school offering a unified educational program spanning Kindergarten through 8th grade. The core offering consists of Elementary (K-5) and Middle School (6-8) programs, each with differentiated instruction and a full-time aide per classroom. These are supported by integrated enrichment modules including STEAM, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish, as well as add-on programs such as Athletics, before/after-school Cross Walk care, and an optional Hot Lunch program. The school also provides access to Gradelink as its student information system. All programs are unified by the school's Christian mission and California Standards-based curriculum framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elementary Education (Kindergarten - 5th Grade) Comprehensive K-5 elementary education with two classes per grade level each supported by a full-time instructional aide. Curriculum follows California Standards and includes Benchmark Advance Language Arts, Mystery Science, Impact Social Studies, and integrated Bible instruction, with weekly enrichment in Art, PE, Spanish, Music, and STEAM.
• Middle School Education (6th - 8th Grade) Grades 6-8 academic program offering leveled math (Regular and Accelerated) at every grade, with curriculum in enVision Mathematics, Into Literature English, IEW Writing, science, Bible (Route 66), and history, including the 6th grade Catalina Island Science Camp and 8th grade Rock-N-Water adventure.
• STEAM Program Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics program. Elementary students participate weekly; Middle School students meet 3 times per week rotating through modules including Robotics, Coding, Green Architecture, Medical Detectives, Magic of Electrons, and Design and Modeling.
• Athletics Program Competitive sports program for middle school students organized by quarters: Q1 Soccer, Girls Basketball, Cross Country; Q2 Girls/Boys Lacrosse, Boys Basketball; Q3 Flag Football, Girls Volleyball; Q4 Boys Volleyball, Track & Field.
• Cross Walk (Before and After School Care) Extended care program operating 7:00am-8:30am (morning, no charge 8:00-8:30am) and 3:00pm-6:00pm (afternoon). Hourly billing at $8.50/hour for one student with sibling discounts and half-hour options. Late pickup charges of $1.00 per minute past 6:00pm.
• Hot Lunch Program Optional hot lunch program using local restaurants. Families order via online portal (tlcslunch.com, registration code TLCS1234) by noon the day before. Additional $1.50 late charge for morning-of orders placed after 9:00am. Payment via debit or credit card.

Quantifiable outcome

• Expected Student Outcomes framework measuring Faith (Biblical worldview, Christlike character, service), Academics (proficiency, critical thinking, STEAM competence), and Character (self-awareness, conflict resolution, healthy lifestyle)

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McGraw Hill EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationMcGraw Hill provides textbooks and digital learning platforms for the school's Spanish curriculum (Asi se Dice) and other educational materials. Students and families access McGraw Hill's online platforms through the school's learning management system.
• RenaissancecoreTechnology or IntegrationRenaissance provides educational technology solutions including assessment and curriculum platforms used by the school to support student learning and progress tracking.
• Savvas Learning CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationSavvas provides the middle school mathematics curriculum (enVision Mathematics Common Core, copyright 2020) and science textbooks through their digital platform Savvas Realize. The school utilizes their comprehensive math and science programs aligned with California Standards.
• GradelinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationGradelink is the school's student information system (SIS) used for grades, attendance, and parent communication. The school integrates Gradelink for daily administrative operations and parent/student portal access.
• Houghton Mifflin HarcourtcoreTechnology or IntegrationHoughton Mifflin Harcourt provides the middle school English curriculum (Into Literature, copyright 2022) used in grades 6-8 for language arts instruction.
• Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)coreTechnology or IntegrationIEW provides the middle school writing curriculum (copyright 2015) focusing on structural writing skill development and excellence in writing instruction.
• Benchmark Education CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationBenchmark Education provides the elementary language arts curriculum (Benchmark Advance, copyright 2021) for grades K-5, aligned with California Standards.
• Mystery SciencecoreTechnology or IntegrationMystery Science provides the elementary science curriculum with engaging, mystery-based lessons aligned with science standards. The curriculum is updated annually.
• Impact Publications (CA Social Studies)coreTechnology or IntegrationImpact Publications provides elementary social studies curriculum (Impact CA Social Studies for grades 2, 3, 5 and Impact National Edition for grades 1, 4) aligned with California Standards.
• Positive ActioncoreTechnology or IntegrationPositive Action provides Bible curriculum materials for middle school (6th/7th grades) including Route 66 curriculum (copyright 2019), aligned with Christian education standards.
• FAST (Financial Aid through School)coreOthersFAST is a third-party service used by the school to determine financial aid eligibility for families seeking tuition assistance. The school partners with FAST to process need-based tuition assistance applications.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle provides calendar and collaboration tools used by the school. The school maintains a Google Calendar for events and uses Google Sites for classroom pages and online learning resources.
• Twin Lakes Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwin Lakes Baptist Church is the founding organization of Twin Lakes Christian School (d.b.a. Twin Lakes Christian School). The church originally established the school in 1979 and continues to provide institutional support and connection. The school admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin.
• Door of Faith OrphanageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDoor of Faith Orphanage in La Misión, Baja California is the destination for the 7th grade Mexico Mission Trip. Students spend a week at the orphanage engaged in service learning and mission work, providing a completely unplugged week of selfless service.
• Campus by the SeaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampus by the Sea on Catalina Island hosts the 6th grade annual science camp, providing an outdoor education facility where students experience hands-on science learning in a natural setting.
• Rock-N-WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRock-N-Water provides outdoor adventure activities (river rafting, canyoneering, rock climbing) on the American River for the 8th grade graduation trip, offering an epic long weekend of adventure and team-building.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Pacific Christian School: Independent Christian elementary school in the greater Monterey Bay area serving a similar demographic of faith-seeking families. Comparable in mission and community positioning though operating on a smaller scale.
• Castilleja School: Independent private school in Palo Alto known for academic excellence and enrichment. Comparable as a high-tuition private Bay Area K-12 alternative, though single-sex and not religion-aligned.

Direct peers

• Valley Christian Schools: Larger private Christian K-12 system in San Jose, California. Directly comparable as a faith-based, ACSI/WASC-affiliated institution serving Bay Area families with a similar Christ-centered academic and enrichment model, though at much larger scale than TLCS.
• Baymonte Christian School: Private Christian K-8 school in Scotts Valley, just minutes from TLCS. Directly comparable mission, grade range, and tuition band, making it the closest geographic competitor for Santa Cruz County Christian families.
• Trinity Christian School (Bay Area): Faith-based K-8 school in the Bay Area offering a Christ-centered academic program with comparable tuition band and ACSI-aligned curriculum. Comparable mission and target demographic, though located in a different sub-region.
• Santa Cruz Christian School: Faith-based K-8 school in the Santa Cruz area competing directly with TLCS for the same regional Christian family demographic. Operates a similar low student-to-teacher model with Biblical worldview integration.

Broad incumbents

• Stratford School: Large private K-8 school operator across multiple Bay Area campuses with rigorous academic and enrichment programs. Comparable private K-8 tuition band and STEAM/enrichment emphasis, though secular and broader in program structure.
• Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton: Catholic K-12 independent school in Atherton with strong academic reputation and faith-based mission. Directly comparable as a faith-based private K-12 institution in the Bay Area, though larger and at higher price point.
• Challenger School: Multi-campus private K-8 school in the Bay Area emphasizing strong academics and enrichment. Competes for the same K-8 private tuition-paying demographic in the broader Bay Area, though without faith-based mission.
• Harker School: Elite private K-12 school in San Jose with rigorous academic and enrichment offerings. Comparable as a high-tuition private K-8 option in the Bay Area, though not faith-based and at a much higher price point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wix
• Instagraminstagram.com/wix
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/twin-lakes-christian-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Twin Lakes Christian School