Wake Preparatory Academy

What Wake Preparatory Academy does

Wake Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Pre-K through 12th grade students in Franklin County, North Carolina, including the communities of Wake Forest, Louisburg, Youngsville, and Franklinton. The school was approved by the State Board of Education in July 2019, opened for the 2022-23 academic year, and was granted a 10-year charter renewal in March 2026—the longest available term from the NC Office of Charter Schools. Founder Hilda Alston Parlér leads the organization alongside Director K-6 Heather Brame and Director 7-12 Krista Wyman, with Charter One, LLC serving as the contracted Education Management Organization for back-office operations.

The school's core academic program combines Direct Instruction with Project-Based Learning aligned to North Carolina standards, layered with the proprietary R.A.I.S.E. leadership curriculum (Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, Excellence) integrated across all grade levels through weekly lessons and a Leadership Portfolio system. Its technology stack comprises Canvas (LMS), Infinite Campus (student information system), Lexia (English language development), Chromebooks, SchoolMint (enrollment), and security infrastructure including facial recognition cameras. Specialized offerings include the Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program from 2nd grade, Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Career & College Promise dual enrollment through Snow College, Johnston Community College, Cape Fear Community College, and Wake Tech, Career & Technical Education, and full Exceptional Children, Section 504, ELL, and McKinney-Vento support services. The athletics program spans 19 sports across fall, winter, spring, and year-round seasons.

Wake Prep is funded primarily through NC per-pupil state funding and federal Title I allocations, with no access to local property tax revenue or voter-approved overrides. Optional revenue includes uniform fees, athletics travel, and tuition-based Pre-K and before/after school care delivered through partners (Little Leaders and The Academy/Academy Care). School performance improved to a C grade (64%) in 2024 from C (62%) in 2023, with third-grade reading proficiency at 48% in 2023-24.

Name

Wake Preparatory Academy

Legal name

Wake Preparatory Academy

Website

https://wakeprep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wake Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Franklin County, North Carolina, serving Pre-K through 12th grade students. It operates a leadership-focused academic program with AP, dual enrollment, and special education offerings, funded primarily by state per-pupil allocations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public 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)

Keywords

• K-12 public charter school
• Tuition-free education
• Leadership curriculum
• College preparatory courses
• Gifted education program

Headquarters

HQ city

Wake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding: As a North Carolina public charter school, Wake Prep receives state funding on a per-pupil basis. The school does not receive local property tax funding or voter-approved overrides available to traditional public school districts. This funding covers core educational operations.
2. Title I Funding: Federal Title I funding provides additional financial support based on the number of children from low-income families, used to hire qualified teachers, provide after-school programs, and purchase educational technology and software.
3. Activity and Optional Fees: Families pay for uniforms, extracurricular travel, and optional programs. Financial arrangements can be made for families needing assistance with these costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wake Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school operating a single campus in Wake Forest, NC, serving Pre-K through 12th grade students from Franklin County. Its core offering combines rigorous Direct Instruction with Project-Based Learning, an integrated R.A.I.S.E. leadership curriculum (Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, Excellence), and a full suite of advanced academics including AP, Honors, AIG, CCP dual enrollment, and CTE programs, alongside an athletics program spanning 19 sports.

Product overview

Wake Preparatory Academy is a K-12 tuition-free public charter school offering a comprehensive educational program from Pre-K through 12th grade. The core academic program combines Direct Instruction with Project-Based Learning, supplemented by the proprietary R.A.I.S.E. Leadership curriculum. The school provides differentiated programs including an Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program beginning in 2nd grade, Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors courses, and Career & College Promise (CCP) dual enrollment through partnerships with Snow College, Johnston Community College, Cape Fear Community College, and Wake Tech. Athletic offerings span 19 sports across Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons plus year-round programs. Specialized support services include Exceptional Children (EC), English Language Learners (ELL), Section 504 accommodations, McKinney-Vento homeless assistance, and Title 1 intervention programs. The school operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization serving Franklin County families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Core Academic Program Tuition-free public charter school core academic program serving Pre-K through 12th grade, offering rigorous academics combining Direct Instruction with Project-Based Learning, aligned to North Carolina standards with personalized education.
• Pre-K Program Quality Pre-K program for early childhood education operating on a first-come, first-served basis for children meeting age requirements, serving as an entry point to the Wake Prep community.
• Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Program Gifted education program beginning in 2nd grade using pull-out and cluster grouping models, providing differentiated instruction with Webb's Depth of Knowledge curriculum and enrichment activities for academically or intellectually gifted students in grades 2-12.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Courses College Board-aligned AP courses following the College Board course of study, preparing students for AP exams; scores of 3 or better may earn college credit. Courses weighted on a 5.0 scale.
• Honors Courses Accelerated and enriched courses available to students with teacher, parent, and administrative approval. Weighted on a 4.5 scale.
• Career & College Promise (CCP) Dual Enrollment College-level courses through partnerships with Snow College, Johnston Community College, Cape Fear Community College, and Wake Tech allowing students to earn college credit while satisfying high school graduation requirements. Protected under the NC Comprehensive Articulation Agreement.
• Career & Technical Education (CTE) Programs Technical skills and training programs through Wake Tech Community College partnerships with state certification upon completion of program semesters and passing state exams.
• R.A.I.S.E. Leadership Program Proprietary leadership curriculum based on principles from Stephen Covey, James Kouzes, Barry Posner, John Maxwell, and Vince Lombardi, integrating Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, and Excellence values through weekly lessons across all grade levels.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletics program including Fall (Cross Country, Football, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball, Girls Flag Football), Winter (Basketball, Swim, Wrestling), Spring (Baseball, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field), and Year-Round (Cheerleading, Dance) sports.
• Exceptional Children (EC) Program Special education services providing individualized support for K-12 students with disabilities in accordance with North Carolina policies and federal law.
• English Language Learners (ELL) Program Multilingual learner support using WIDA screener and WIDA ACCESS for ELLs annual testing, with Lexia program for K-6 and specialized courses for grades 7-12.
• Before & After School Care K-6 before and after school care services provided through partnership with The Academy (Innovation Learning).

Quantifiable outcome

• 10-year charter renewal (longest term available) from North Carolina Office of Charter Schools
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Charter One (Education Management Organization)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWPA contracts with Charter One, LLC for administrative and support services including Human Resources, IT, Finance & Accounting, Student Information Systems, Professional Development, Marketing, Transportation, and Food Services. Charter One is accountable to the WPA Board of Directors.
• Snow CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWPA partners with Snow College for Career & College Promise (CCP) and Dual Enrollment (DE) courses, allowing high school students to earn college credit while satisfying high school graduation requirements.
• Johnston Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCP and DE partnership allowing students to take college-level courses through Johnston CC at no cost, with credits transferable under NC Comprehensive Articulation Agreement.
• Cape Fear Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCP and DE partnership providing additional college credit opportunities for WPA high school students.
• Wake Tech Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWPA partners with Wake Tech for Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs, providing students with advanced skills and training through hands-on learning with certified teachers and professionals.
• Academy Care (The Academy)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAcademy Care provides before and after school care services for K-6 students at WPA through partnership with Innovation Learning.
• Little Leaders (Pre-K Program)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLittle Leaders provides tuition-based Pre-K and Pre-K programs for young children as an entry point to the WPA community.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Stride (formerly K12 Inc.): Stride is a large online and blended-learning education provider offering K-12 curriculum and instruction; a broad incumbent in the alternative K-12 space whose offerings could compete for the same families considering Wake Prep.
• Academica: Academica is a charter school management organization that operates and supports numerous Florida-based public charter schools under an EMO model, structurally analogous to Charter One's role with Wake Prep.
• Charter Schools USA: CSUSA is one of the largest US charter school management organizations, providing EMO services comparable to Charter One's role at Wake Prep and operating schools with similar tuition-free, college-prep positioning.
• National Heritage Academies: NHA is a charter management organization that operates public charter schools under EMO-style contracts, similar to how Charter One supports Wake Prep's back-office operations.

Direct peers

• KIPP Foundation (KIPP Schools): KIPP is the largest US nonprofit charter network operating tuition-free public K-12 schools with college-prep curricula and a values/culture-driven model, structurally comparable to Wake Prep as a public charter operator.
• Uncommon Schools: Uncommon Schools runs a network of high-performing, college-prep public charter schools with a strong character-education layer, comparable in mission, structure, and tuition-free public charter status to Wake Prep.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Success Academy operates a network of tuition-free public charter schools with rigorous academics, selective enrollment, and strong parent engagement — directly comparable to Wake Prep's charter, college-prep positioning.
• IDEA Public Schools: IDEA is a large, growing nonprofit K-12 public charter network with a college-preparatory mission, AP coursework, and a values-based culture; comparable to Wake Prep in mission and operating model.
• BASIS Charter Schools: BASIS runs a network of K-12 tuition-free public charter schools with an explicit college-preparatory focus, including AP coursework, honors tracks, and high academic expectations — closely matching Wake Prep's AP, Honors, AIG, and dual-enrollment model.

Regional players

• East Wake Academy: East Wake Academy is a North Carolina public charter school serving families in eastern Wake County with a tuition-free K-12 model — a regional peer operating in the same charter market as Wake Prep.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WPAElementary
• Instagraminstagram.com/wpaelementary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wakepreparatoryacademy

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Wake Preparatory Academy