Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District

What Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District does

Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District is a New York State Special Act School District operating a K-12 public education program from a single campus at 226 Linda Avenue in Hawthorne, Westchester County, approximately 30 miles north of New York City. The district delivers specialized therapeutic day-school services to students with disabilities who are formally referred by local Committees on Special Education (CSEs) drawn from seven Hudson Valley counties (Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster) and the five boroughs of New York City. The student population spans classifications including Learning Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Other Health Impairment, Speech/Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, Intellectual Disabilities, and Emotional Disabilities, served across two co-located schools.

The district's service portfolio is anchored by Cedar Knolls Academy (K-8) and Linden Hill High School (9-12), supplemented by the Herschel Alt Westchester Day Treatment Center, which provides clinical therapy on the same campus. Operating programs include small-ratio classrooms (10:1:1 at CKA; 12:1:1 at Linden Hill), district-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) frameworks (C.L.A.S.S. at CKA; HIRED at Linden Hill), Therapeutic Crisis Intervention-trained staff, Pupil Personnel Services (psychologists, social workers, counselors, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists), Career and Technical Education (CTE) including carpentry, a CDOS credential pathway, and transition planning toward employment, military service, or college. The affiliated Cedar Knolls Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) established in July 2007, supplements tax-funded services with scholarships, professional development, and cultural enrichment programs. The underlying technology stack is standard K-12 educational tooling: Edlio CMS, Google Classroom, and Star Reading/Math assessments.

The district is a government/state entity, not a for-profit enterprise; it charges no tuition or fees. Funding flows from local property taxes, New York State education aid, and federal grants including Title I, ARP-ESSER, CRRSA, and the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014. The district is governed by an elected Board of Education and administered by Superintendent Raymond A. Raefski, with a documented headcount of approximately 56 staff. As a Special Act School District under NYS Commissioner Regulations (Part 100 and Part 200), the organization operates within a defined regulatory niche for specialized day-placement services that limits direct competition from conventional public schools.

Name

Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District

Legal name

Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District

Website

https://hcks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District is a New York State Special Act School District operating Cedar Knolls Academy (K-8) and Linden Hill High School (9-12), providing therapeutic special education day programs for students with disabilities referred by Committees on Special Education across seven Hudson Valley counties and New York City.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAAAH

Public Special Education Schools & Programs

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Public K–12 Schools & Districts

SECONDARYEDADABAA

Public School Districts (K–12)

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/School Districts, Local Education Authorities & Boards

SECONDARYEDAJABAI

Therapeutic/Behavioral & Residential Treatment K–12 Schools

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

SECONDARYEDADABAJ

District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health)

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/School Districts, Local Education Authorities & Boards

Keywords

• Special education services
• K-12 education programs
• Therapeutic day programs
• Special act school district
• Pupil personnel services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hawthorne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: Funded through local property taxes, New York State education funding, and federal grants including Title I, ARP-ESSER, CRRSA, and Smart Schools Bond Act. As a public school district (LEA), follows all NYS part 100 and part 200 Commissioner Regulations.
2. Federal and State Grants: Receives funding through Title I Fund Allocations, ARP-ESSER funds, CRRSA funds, and Smart Schools Bond Act for capital improvements and educational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District is a K-12 Special Act School District providing therapeutic day school programs for students with disabilities referred by local Committees on Special Education. It operates Cedar Knolls Academy (K-8) and Linden Hill High School (9-12) on a single Hawthorne, NY campus, with small class ratios, district-wide PBIS frameworks, integrated related services (speech, OT, counseling), and a CTE vocational track preparing students for Regents, local diploma, GED, or transition to employment, military, or college.

Product overview

Hawthorne Cedar Knolls Union Free School District is a K-12 Special Act School District providing a unified portfolio of special education day programs for students referred by their local Committees on Special Education. The district operates two core schools—Cedar Knolls Academy (K-8) and Linden Hill High School (9-12)—alongside the Herschel Alt Westchester Day Treatment Center, all situated on one campus in Hawthorne, NY. These programs are unified by district-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) frameworks (C.L.A.S.S. at CKA; HIRED at Linden Hill), integrated Pupil Personnel Services (psychologists, social workers, counselors, therapists), and vocational/CTE programming. The Cedar Knolls Foundation provides supplementary funding through charitable donations. The district serves students with disabilities including Learning Disabled, Multiple Disabled, Other Health Impaired, Speech & Language Impaired, Traumatic Brain Injury, Intellectually Disabled, and Emotionally Disabled populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cedar Knolls Academy: K-8 special education day program with elementary (K-6) and middle school (7-8) wings, serving students with various disabilities
• Linden Hill High School

Products and services

• Cedar Knolls Academy (CKA) A K-8 special education day program serving children in kindergarten through eighth grade, featuring a K-6 elementary wing and a 7th-8th grade middle school floor. Provides small class sizes (10:1:1 ratio), a therapeutic environment grounded in DBT practices, the district-wide C.L.A.S.S. PBIS framework, and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI)-trained staff for students with learning disabilities, multiple disabilities, other health impairments, speech/language impairments, traumatic brain injury, intellectual disabilities, and emotional disabilities.
• Linden Hill High School A 9-12 high school day program for students providing academic, social, emotional, and behavioral support. Features small 12:1:1 class ratios, the district-wide PBIS HIRED behavior management and career readiness system, a vocational program with a CTE Carpentry class, a CDOS certificate pathway, and preparation for NYS Regents, local diploma, or GED. Students can earn credits for target behaviors, with credits convertible to certificates, school store access, field trips, and special meals.
• Herschel Alt Westchester Day Treatment Center An alternative to residential placement for emotionally disturbed youngsters ages 6 to 21, providing a full range of treatment services including individual, family, and group therapy, medication management, individualized education curricula, remedial training, and vocational preparation. The on-site special education school operates within the Hawthorne Cedar Knolls UFSD campus in coordination with Cedar Knolls Academy and Linden Hill High School.
• Pupil Personnel Services A multidisciplinary team of related service providers including School Psychologists, School Social Workers, School Counselors, Speech Language Pathologists, and Occupational Therapists responsible for meeting IEP mandates and delivering integrated support across both Cedar Knolls Academy and Linden Hill High School.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students can earn up to 5 credits per period and 40 credits per day through HIRED program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cedar Knolls Foundation Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2007Non-profit organization established in July 2007 dedicated to enhancing lives of underserved students through cultural activities, artistic expression, scholastic tutoring, and enriching experiences. Provides professional development, scholarships, and staff training support. Shares address (226 Linda Avenue) with the district.
• Herschel Alt Westchester Day Treatment CentercoreOthersLocated on grounds of Hawthorne Cedar Knolls UFSD, provides alternative to residential placement for emotionally disturbed youngsters ages 6-21. Offers individual, family, and group therapy, medication management, individualized education curricula, remedial training, and vocational preparation. Special education school on-site operates within Cedar Knolls Academy and Linden Hill schools.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Green Chimneys: Therapeutic special education school and residential treatment center in Brewster, NY serving children with behavioral, emotional, and learning challenges. Directly comparable operating model combining PBIS-style frameworks, animal-assisted therapy, and CTE/vocational programming in a Hudson Valley setting.
• Abbott House: New York-based nonprofit providing residential treatment, special education, and community-based services for youth with emotional and behavioral challenges. Comparable integrated therapeutic/educational service model in the Hudson Valley/NYC region.
• The Children's Village: Residential treatment and special education provider in Dobbs Ferry, NY serving emotionally disturbed children and youth. Directly comparable in serving high-acuity youth with emotional/behavioral needs via integrated therapeutic and educational services in the Westchester/Hudson Valley region.
• Anderson Center for Autism: Special education and residential services provider in Staatsburg, NY serving students with autism and developmental disabilities. Comparable therapeutic special education model with NYS-approved private school (853) status and individualized instruction similar to HCKUFSD's day programs.
• Wildwood Programs: Special education provider in upstate New York serving students with autism and developmental disabilities through school, residential, and community-based programs. Comparable individualized special education approach serving referred students via NYS-approved private school programs.
• Henry Viscardi Center / Viscardi School: Special education school on Long Island, NY serving students with severe physical disabilities and complex needs. Comparable specialized day school model with integrated related services (therapies, counseling) and transition/vocational programming.
• JCCA (formerly Jewish Child Care Association): New York-based child welfare and special education agency providing residential treatment, day school, and therapeutic services for children with emotional and behavioral challenges. Comparable integrated clinical/educational model serving referred students across the NY region.

Broad incumbents

• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: National nonprofit operating residential special education schools and behavioral health services across multiple states. Operates at greater scale but shares therapeutic special education model with vocational/transition services for high-acuity youth populations.
• NYC District 75 (NYC Department of Education): NYC DOE citywide special education district serving students with significant disabilities across five boroughs. Comparable Special Act-style citywide special education service system with standardized IEP-driven referrals, but operates at vastly greater scale within NYC public schools.

Regional players

• Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES: Regional BOCES in NY providing cooperative special education and career/technical services to component school districts in the Hudson Valley. Comparable regional special education service delivery model, though structured as a BOCES rather than a Special Act School District.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hawthorne-cedar-knolls-union-free-school-district

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

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