What Westland School does

Westland School is an independent, non-profit K-6 progressive school founded in 1949 and located on a 2-acre hillside campus at 16200 Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles. The school serves approximately 130 students from 100 families using a two-teacher-per-classroom model for 22 students per class, employing roughly 20-30 staff led by Head of School Melinda Tsapatsaris, Assistant Head of School Rasheda Carroll, and Director of Finance Carole Barber. Its pedagogical core is a social-studies-integrated, hands-on curriculum that connects math, language arts, science, art, music, and woodworking through project-based learning rooted in student questions, supported by specialist classes in arts, woodworking, gardening, printing, and dance. The environment is explicitly non-competitive, with no grades, and emphasizes cooperative learning, diversity, equity, inclusion, and democratic citizenship.

The school's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on a required parent participation program in which families sign contracts committing to committee work, work hours, Spring Fair service, and Hot Lunch teams, alongside admission events, an Open House, and a website-driven admission funnel (Begin Your Westland Journey, Path to Westland). Its revenue model blends recurring tuition (offered via a Flexible Tuition financial aid program that intentionally subsidizes a diverse student body) with a multi-channel fundraising architecture: Annual Giving, Winter Fundraiser, CharityBuzz online auctions, Raise-the-Paddle discretionary appeals, and community events such as the Westland Fair. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees in which parents and teachers are voting members, reflecting its democratic mission. It holds strategic partnerships with VISIONS, Inc. (DEI consulting for 7+ years) and the Progressive Education Network (annual professional development), and its archives are housed at California State Northridge's Special Collections Department. Westland does not disclose specific tuition figures or financial results and operates as a private, non-profit educational institution with no parent company or external investment ownership.

Name

Westland School

Legal name

Westland School

Website

https://westlandschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Westland School is an independent, non-profit K-6 progressive school founded in 1949 in Los Angeles, serving about 130 students from 100 families through a hands-on, social-studies-integrated curriculum with required parent participation and diversified fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-6 Progressive Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Progressive K-6 education
• Independent elementary school
• Social studies curriculum
• Alternative primary education
• Private primary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue source; tuition covers portion of educational costs but does not cover full cost per child. School supplements with fundraising to bridge the gap.
2. Annual Giving: Annual fundraising campaign typically kicks off in Fall (October) and can last the entire fiscal year. Makes up most of the fundraising goal ('the Gap' in the budget). All community members including alumni, grandparents, former staff are invited.
3. Winter Fundraiser: Takes place before Spring Break, usually involves a party with ticket sales covering costs plus items for sale and auction at the event. Current community members usually participate.
4. Online Auctions via CharityBuzz: Partnership with CharityBuzz for online auction platform where community members donate professional services (pitch meetings, acting lessons) or high-end items (sports memorabilia, collectibles, couture) for international online auction.
5. Raise-the-Paddle: As-needed fundraising for immediate unbudgeted projects such as chicken coop refurbishment, new play structure, or elaborate science equipment.
6. Community Events: Book Sales, Farmers' Markets, and annual Westland Fair help support the budget. All community members including alumni, grandparents, former staff invited to participate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Westland School is an independent K-6 progressive school offering a hands-on, social studies–integrated curriculum that connects math, language arts, science, art, music, and woodworking. Instruction is delivered in a two-teacher classroom model (22 students per class) with specialist classes in arts, science, woodworking, gardening, printing, and dance, plus an after-school program and a required parent participation component. The school serves approximately 130 students from 100 families on a two-acre hillside campus in West Los Angeles.

Product overview

Westland School is an independent K-6 progressive school founded in 1949, offering a social-studies-integrated curriculum with specialist classes (arts, science, woodworking, gardening, printing, dance), an after-school program, and a required parent participation program. The school serves 130 students with a two-teacher classroom model for 22 students, emphasizing cooperative learning, democratic principles, and community involvement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-6 Progressive Education Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Children develop into joyful, present, curious, helpful, and hardworking individuals who know how to use their minds and hearts well, make meaningful connections, and ask questions that inspire future learning.
• +1 more outcomes

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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CharityBuzzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestland has partnered with CharityBuzz, an online auction company. People in the Westland community can donate their professional services (such as pitch meetings or acting lessons) or high-end items (sports memorabilia, collectibles, couture clothes or accessories) for sale on this international online auction platform to support school fundraising.
• VISIONS, Inc.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerVISIONS, Inc. is a consulting firm committed to supporting nonprofits and corporations to grow their equity and inclusion practices. They have worked with Westland for over 7 years, providing personalized workshops for all staff on multiculturalism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Senior Consultants Terry Berman and Jim Turner have facilitated cross-racial facilitation partnerships.
• California State NorthridgeminorOthersWestland's archives are housed at California State Northridge's Special Collections Department. The Archival Committee composed of parents and staff accessed these archives to produce commemorative materials for the 75th anniversary.
• Progressive Education Network (PEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestland staff attended the 2022 PEN National Conference in Seattle where they learned alongside progressive educators from across the country. The school typically takes 1-2 professional development days per year for PEN conference attendance, with teachers participating in workshops, field trips, and panels on progressive education, democracy, and social justice.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• PS1 Pluralistic School: Independent K-6 school in Santa Monica with a progressive, pluralistic approach and strong parent involvement. Comparable grade span, philosophy, and LA Westside market positioning.
• Turning Point School: Independent progressive K-8 school in Culver City emphasizing social justice, experiential learning, and parent partnership. Directly comparable educational philosophy, age range, and greater-Los Angeles footprint.
• Wesley School: Independent K-8 school in North Hollywood offering progressive education with hands-on, arts-integrated curriculum and parent participation. Comparable in age span, progressive methodology, and SoCal independent school positioning.
• The Center for Early Education: Independent elementary school in West Hollywood serving grades K-6 with a progressive, developmentally focused curriculum and active parent community. Directly comparable age range, philosophy, and LA family market.
• Crossroads School: Independent K-12 school in Santa Monica with a progressive, student-centered philosophy and strong community engagement model. Closely comparable to Westland in mission, methodology, and LA Westside family demographic.
• Wildwood School: Independent K-12 progressive school in West Los Angeles with an emphasis on progressive pedagogy, experiential learning, and equity. Highly comparable in mission, methodology, and service area to Westland.

Broad incumbents

• The Archer School for Girls: Independent 6-12 girls' school in Brentwood with progressive, mission-driven culture and equity focus. Comparable LA Westside market, progressive ethos, and family demographic, though single-gender and older grade range.
• Campbell Hall: Larger independent K-12 Episcopal school in North Hollywood/Studio City with progressive elements and strong arts/community programs. Broader scope than Westland but overlapping LA independent school market and family demographic.
• Harvard-Westlake School: Premier independent K-12 school with two campuses in the LA area. A larger, more established incumbent competing for the same affluent LA families, though with a more traditional rather than progressive focus.

Others

• Progressive Education Network (PEN): National association of progressive schools of which Westland is an active member. Not a competitor but a peer institution ecosystem and professional development network Westland participates in annually.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/westlandschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Westland School