Wallace Stegner Academy
Wallace Stegner Academy is a nonprofit, tuition-free public charter school network operating five campuses along Utah's Wasatch Front and serving more than 3,000 K-12 students with a college-preparatory curriculum, publicly funded through per-pupil state allocations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSalt Lake City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Wallace Stegner Academy does
Wallace Stegner Academy is a nonprofit public charter school network operating five tuition-free campuses along Utah's Wasatch Front (Salt Lake City K-8, West Valley City K-8, Kearns K-6, Kearns High School 7-12, and Sunset K-8), serving more than 3,000 students in grades K-12. The school is publicly funded through Utah per-pupil state allocations, augmented by participation in the USDA National School Lunch Program and modest transaction revenue from a school store selling uniforms and branded apparel; no tuition or student fees are charged. Its core product is a college-preparatory K-12 curriculum with rigorous daily instruction in ELA, Math, and Science, supplemented by a Harry Potter-style six-house system (Altruismo, Amistad, Isibindi, Nukumori, Protos, Rêveur) that creates cross-grade community, mandatory service hours at the high school level, AP courses, advisory periods, and an after-school tutoring program running from 3:30-4:30.
The network's underlying technology stack is largely operational rather than proprietary: it uses Frogtummy for parent portal, lottery enrollment, carpool management, communications, and e-commerce; the Utah State Board of Education UsOE-DCS parent portal; and standard payment systems for the school lunch program. The proprietary layer is pedagogical rather than technological, built around structured literacy and discussion techniques (Turn & Talk, Stand & Talk, Speak in Complete Sentences), daily science instruction starting in kindergarten, and a teacher professional-development engine that delivers over 100 in-class training sessions per teacher per year compared to the 1-2 sessions typical in traditional public schools. The network supports this with the highest starting teacher salary in Utah at $74,000 (with a $10,000 premium for Special Ed, Secondary Math, and Secondary Science).
Customer acquisition is a direct-to-consumer enrollment motion: families apply through an online lottery system that opens December 1 annually, with sibling and re-enrollee preference, and can attend weekly Thursday tours or parent information nights at any of the five campuses. The school is led by Co-CEOs and Co-Founders Anthony Sudweeks and Adam Gerlach, supported by a tiered leadership structure (K-4 and 5-10 Heads of Schools, campus Principals) and a Board of Directors chaired by Sarah Vaughan. Wallace Stegner has been recognized as Utah's top-performing Title I charter school, was named 2025 Charter School of the Year and a 2025 National ESEA Distinguished School, and was previously awarded 2020 Charter School of the Year.
Wallace Stegner Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wallace Stegner Academy
- Legal name
- Wallace Stegner Academy
- Website
- https://wsacharter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Wallace Stegner Academy is a nonprofit, tuition-free public charter school network operating five campuses along Utah's Wasatch Front and serving more than 3,000 K-12 students with a college-preparatory curriculum, publicly funded through per-pupil state allocations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wallace Stegner Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 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)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK)
Keywords
Where Wallace Stegner Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Salt Lake City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Wallace Stegner Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Per-Pupil State Funding: Public charter school funded primarily through per-pupil state education allocations. Wallace Stegner Academy is a free public school with no tuition charged to students.
- USDA School Lunch Program: Participates in Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Food Service Program under USDA guidelines, providing meals to students.
- School Store / Uniform Sales: Operates a school store selling uniforms and gear to students. Revenue from sale of school branded apparel and uniforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Free K-12 Education |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wallace Stegner Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wallace Stegner Academy is a free, tuition-free public charter school network operating five campuses across the Wasatch Front in Utah, serving students in grades K-12 with a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. The school offers daily science instruction starting in kindergarten, personalized math and reading instruction, a Harry Potter-style House Program for cross-grade community building, after-school tutoring, AP courses, and electives, with the stated mission of ensuring every student attends and graduates from at least a four-year college.
Product overview
Wallace Stegner Academy is a free public charter school network operating five campuses across Utah (Salt Lake City K-8, West Valley K-8, Kearns K-6, Kearns High School 7-12, and Sunset K-8) serving students in grades K-12. The school offers a unified college preparatory educational program built around rigorous academics, daily science instruction, and structured literacy practices. Key components include a Harry Potter-style House Program that creates cross-grade communities and leadership opportunities, an after-school tutoring program for academic support, AP courses for college preparation, and a $74,000 starting teacher salary program with extensive professional development. The school integrates a Parent Portal for family engagement and participates in the National School Lunch Program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- House System: Harry Potter-style house program with six houses: Altruismo, Amistad, Isibindi, Nukumori, Protos, and Rêveur, creating a school family that celebrates character, leadership, kindness, and teamwork.
Products and services
- Wallace Stegner Academy K-12 Education
- Kearns High School 7-12 Program
- Harry Potter-Style House Program
- After-School Tutoring Program
- National School Lunch Program
- Kearns High School Academic Courses
- School Store and Uniform Sales
Quantifiable outcome
- #1 in state test scores in ELA, Math and Science among 20 nearby schools
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Wallace Stegner Academy
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Wallace Stegner Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Wallace Stegner Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Wallace Stegner Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KIPP Public Schools: National nonprofit charter network operating college-preparatory public schools in underserved communities. Operates a similar multi-campus, K-12 college-prep charter model with extended hours, structured culture, and a focus on college matriculation, making it the most directly comparable peer to Wallace Stegner Academy.
- IDEA Public Schools: Large national charter network serving predominantly low-income students with a college-prep mission. Comparable to Wallace Stegner in Title I status, college-prep focus, and demonstrated success in producing strong academic outcomes for underserved populations.
- American Preparatory Academy: Utah-based charter school network serving K-12 students with a college-preparatory focus. One of the original Utah charter operators and a direct competitor for enrollment on the Wasatch Front; Co-CEO Anthony Sudweeks previously taught at American Preparatory Academy before founding Wallace Stegner.
- Success Academy Charter Schools: High-performing New York City-based charter network consistently ranked #1 in state test scores in New York. Closely comparable to Wallace Stegner in its positioning as a top-ranked charter on standardized assessments and its strong results for low-income students.
- Harmony Public Schools: Texas-based charter network with a STEM-focused college-preparatory K-12 model. Comparable to Wallace Stegner in operating multi-campus charter networks serving predominantly Title I populations with rigorous college-prep curricula.
- BASIS Charter Schools: College-preparatory charter network known for elite academic outcomes, rigorous curriculum, and STEM emphasis. Comparable to Wallace Stegner in its K-12 college-prep focus and consistent top-tier academic rankings, though BASIS operates in multiple states and targets a broader geographic footprint.
- Great Hearts Academies: Nonprofit charter management organization operating classical, college-preparatory K-12 academies. Comparable to Wallace Stegner in its multi-campus college-prep charter model, strong culture component, and focus on academic excellence, though Great Hearts uses a classical curriculum framework.
Broad incumbents
- National Heritage Academies: For-profit charter management organization operating K-8 schools across multiple states. A broader incumbent in the charter management space with comparable K-8 college-prep offerings, though it operates as a for-profit CMO rather than a single nonprofit network.
- Utah State Board of Education: State agency that charters and funds public schools in Utah, including district schools that compete with Wallace Stegner for students. Relevant as the authorizing body and primary funding source, and as the broader incumbent education system Wallace Stegner competes against on the Wasatch Front.
Emerging players
- Ascent Classical Academies: Growing charter network with a classical, college-preparatory K-12 mission. Comparable to Wallace Stegner in its rigorous academic focus and culture-led model, though smaller and in earlier stages of growth.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wallace Stegner Academy social profiles
Digital presenceWallace Stegner Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wallace Stegner Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Wallace Stegner Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wallace Stegner Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wallace Stegner Academy
What does Wallace Stegner Academy do?
Wallace Stegner Academy is a free, tuition-free public charter school network operating five campuses across the Wasatch Front in Utah, serving students in grades K-12 with a rigorous college-preparatory curriculum. The school offers daily science instruction starting in kindergarten, personalized math and reading instruction, a Harry Potter-style House Program for cross-grade community building, after-school tutoring, AP courses, and electives, with the stated mission of ensuring every student attends and graduates from at least a four-year college.
Is Wallace Stegner Academy a public or private company?
Wallace Stegner Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Wallace Stegner Academy founded?
Wallace Stegner Academy was founded in 2016. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Wallace Stegner Academy based?
Wallace Stegner Academy is headquartered in Salt Lake City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wallace Stegner Academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Per-Pupil State Funding is the primary driver. The others are USDA School Lunch Program and school Store / Uniform Sales.
Who are Wallace Stegner Academy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KIPP Public Schools, IDEA Public Schools, American Preparatory Academy, Success Academy Charter Schools, Harmony Public Schools, BASIS Charter Schools and Great Hearts Academies. Broad incumbents are National Heritage Academies and Utah State Board of Education. Ascent Classical Academies is listed as an emerging player.
Does Wallace Stegner Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wallace Stegner Academy.
What industry is Wallace Stegner Academy in?
Wallace Stegner Academy's product category is K-12 Charter School Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJACAJ, Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJACAK, Charter Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.