Underwood Public School District

What Underwood Public School District does

Underwood Public School District operates as Independent School District #550, a publicly funded K-12 school district located at 100 Southern Avenue East in Underwood, Minnesota (Otter Tail County). The district serves students from preschool through 12th grade within its geographic catchment, supplemented by early childhood programming (ECFE and Preschool for ages 3-4), community education (driver's education, fitness center, adult classes), and postsecondary pathways via PSEO dual enrollment with M-State Fergus Falls and concurrent enrollment. It is governed by a six-member elected school board with overlapping four-year terms and operates from a single facility.

The district's technology stack is a conventional K-12 SaaS portfolio: a 1:1 Chromebook program paired with Google Workspace for Education, Synergy Student Information System accessed through the Region 1 Education District cooperative, Clever single sign-on, Renaissance Place (Accelerated Reader), Frontline Absence Management, Apptegy-powered website and Thrillshare-powered mobile app, SchoolPay for fee and meal payments, and ParentVue/StudentVue gradebook portals. Curriculum includes core academics, CTE pathways (Business Education, Industrial Arts, carpentry), fine arts, and a wide extracurricular slate (BPA, National Honor Society, Interact, Knowledge Bowl, Speech, Envirothon, Personal Finance Challenge, Yearbook), with athletics competing in the Little Eight Conference. A Special Education Cooperative with neighboring districts delivers IEP and 504 services.

Revenue is derived from Minnesota state education funding formulas, federal grants (Title I, Title IX, IDEA), local property taxes (referenced in Truth In Taxation filings), student activity fees ($65 standard, $105 football, $100 weightlifting, capped at $400 per family annually for 2025-26), community education participant fees, and federal meal reimbursement under the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs (K-12 meals free as of SY 2025-26). The go-to-market model is direct-to-family enrollment within district boundaries, supported by an open-enrollment page, a mobile app on iOS and Android, district social channels (Facebook, X @Rockets550), community events, and local media (PRTV). No AI/ML capabilities are developed or disclosed.

Name

Underwood Public School District

Legal name

Underwood Independent School District #550

Website

https://underwood.k12.mn.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Underwood Public School District is an Independent School District (#550) in Underwood, Minnesota, providing PreK-12 education, early childhood and community education programs, and postsecondary dual-enrollment pathways to families within its district boundaries, funded by state, federal, and local property tax revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN), Subsidy & Funding Compliance (CCDF/child care assistance program requirements) (EDACAKAN), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA), Community & Adult Education (Municipal/Community Schools) (EDAAAEAB)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Early childhood education
• Community education services
• Postsecondary dual enrollment
• Extracurricular student activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Underwood

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public School District Funding (State & Federal): Revenue from Minnesota state school funding formulas and federal education grants including Title I, Title IX, and IDEA/special education funding.
2. Local Property Tax Revenue: District generates revenue through local property taxes (referenced in Truth In Taxation documents and school board financial reports).
3. Student Activity & Athletic Fees: Fees charged for student participation in athletics and activities including football ($105), all other athletic and fine arts fees ($65), and weightlifting ($100), with a family maximum cap of $400. These fees are approved annually by the school board.
4. Community Education (Community Ed) Fees: Community Education programs including ECFE, preschool, driver's education, and after-school care generate fee revenue from participants.
5. Meal Program Revenue: Federal meal reimbursement revenue for the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. Current pricing structure shows free meals for K-12 students as of SY 2025-2026, funded through federal reimbursement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Underwood Public School District delivers publicly funded PreK-12 education to children and youth residing within its Minnesota district boundaries, including early childhood programs (ECFE and preschool), core academic instruction, vocational/CTE pathways, special education, mental health support, and a broad slate of athletics and student activities. It also operates a community education division that provides ECFE, preschool, driver's education, and a community fitness center to district families and adult residents. Revenue is derived primarily from state and federal education funding, local property taxes, activity fees, community education fees, and federal meal reimbursements.

Product overview

Underwood Public School District offers a comprehensive PK-12 educational program serving students from preschool through high school graduation. The district provides early childhood programming through ECFE and Preschool, K-12 academic instruction with vocational opportunities through Business Education and CTE departments, and postsecondary enrollment options (PSEO). Student support services include counseling, social work, special education, and mental health resources. Beyond academics, the district offers extensive student activities including athletics, BPA, National Honor Society, Interact, Knowledge Bowl, and Speech. The district also operates community education programs and a community fitness center. Technology integration includes a 1:1 Chromebook initiative, ParentVue/StudentVue gradebook access, and mobile app functionality through Thrillshare.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) ECFE offers classes for families with children from birth to kindergarten entry, where parents and children learn together. The program strengthens early learning while nurturing parent-child connections.
• Preschool Program Preschool program for three- and four-year-olds (by September 1). Classes run September to May with half-day options for three-year-olds and full-day for four-year-olds, preparing students for kindergarten readiness.
• K-12 Academic Education Comprehensive K-12 academic instruction requiring 25.5 graduation credits for SY 2025, covering core subjects (English, Math, Science, Social Studies), electives, and vocational opportunities through Business Education and CTE departments for grades K-12.
• Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) Program allowing 10th-12th grade students to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously by enrolling in courses at M-State Fergus Falls and other Minnesota postsecondary institutions, offered both on campus and online.
• Student Activities and Athletics Program Comprehensive student activities program including BPA (Business Professionals of America), National Honor Society, Interact club, Knowledge Bowl, Speech, Envirothon, Personal Finance Challenge, Yearbook, and athletic sports for enrolled students.
• Community Education Programs Community education programs coordinated by Director Brian Hovland, including fitness center access, driver's education, community events, and lifelong learning opportunities for community members.
• Community Fitness Center School fitness center open to the community with summer and school-year hours, including equipment access and fitness programming for community members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8 students qualified for BPA State competition (2026)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ottertail Coaches, LLCminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOttertail Coaches, LLC operates as the school bus transportation provider for Underwood School District. They recruit and employ school bus drivers to safely transport students along designated routes. The company actively recruits drivers and directs applicants to their employment portal.
• M-State Fergus Falls (Minnesota State Community and Technical College)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerM-State Fergus Falls serves as the primary postsecondary partner for Underwood's PSEO (Postsecondary Enrollment Options) program and concurrent enrollment program. High school students can earn both high school and college credit by taking M-State courses on campus or online. The district also participates in M-State's Concurrent Enrollment Program.
• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnderwood High School's carpentry students participate in building a Habitat for Humanity home each year as a hands-on vocational learning experience. Students gain real-world construction skills while contributing to affordable housing in the community.
• Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA)minorOthersUnderwood School District is a member of MSBA. Student artwork has been featured in the MSBA Journal. The district participates in MSBA programming and the association provides governance support and resources for school board operations.
• Region 1 Education District CooperativecoreTechnology or IntegrationUnderwood participates in the Region 1 Education District cooperative which provides shared technology platforms including Synergy Student Information System, SmartER (substitute management), and Frontline Absence Management systems for member districts in northwestern Minnesota.
• Special Education CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnderwood School District participates in a Special Education Cooperative with neighboring districts to share special education services, staff, and resources, providing comprehensive special education programming for students with IEPs and 504 plans.
• Little Eight ConferenceminorOthersUnderwood School District is a member of the Little Eight Conference for athletic competition. The conference organizes and schedules athletic events for member schools across various sports including basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, track, and golf.
• Rotary International (Interact Sponsor)minorOthersThe Underwood Interact student organization is sponsored by Rotary International. Interact is a student-led volunteer organization dedicated to building leadership skills through community service and school involvement, affiliated with the global Rotary network.
• Youth FrontiersminorOthersYouth Frontiers organization delivered a Kindness Retreat for 5th and 6th grade students, providing character education programming focused on teaching acts of kindness and their impact on individuals and communities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Rothsay Public School: Rothsay Public School is a very small rural western Minnesota K-8/PK-12 district operating with similarly constrained staffing and offering a comparable athletic and community education profile to Underwood.
• Battle Lake Public School: Battle Lake Public School is a small rural Otter Tail County K-12 district with a similar small-staff, single-building profile and shared participation in Little Eight Conference athletics, making it a structurally analogous peer to Underwood.
• New York Mills Public Schools: New York Mills Public Schools is a small rural Otter Tail County K-12 district with a comparable enrollment footprint and similar programming mix including CTE, athletics, and early childhood education.
• Henning Public School: Henning Public School is a small rural Minnesota K-12 district in Otter Tail County with a comparable enrollment profile and similar reliance on state aid and local property taxes, providing a near-identical operating model peer.
• Pelican Rapids Public Schools: Pelican Rapids Public Schools is a similarly sized western Minnesota K-12 district serving Otter Tail-adjacent communities with comparable PK-12, ECFE, preschool, and community education offerings, operating under the same state funding formulas as Underwood.
• Perham Public Schools: Perham Public Schools is a comparable rural Minnesota K-12 district in the Lakes Country region, serving a similar PK-12 footprint with comparable athletic conference participation (Little Eight) and overlapping community education programming, making it a directly comparable district peer.

Regional players

• Fergus Falls Public Schools: Fergus Falls Public Schools is a larger central-Minnesota district in Otter Tail County that hosts M-State, the primary PSEO partner for Underwood. It serves as the closest regional K-12 hub and a natural comparison point for programming depth and competitive positioning.

Others

• PowerSchool: PowerSchool is a leading K-12 student information system and education technology vendor serving thousands of U.S. school districts; it competes in the SIS category where Underwood uses Synergy via Region 1, and serves as an adjacent ecosystem participant.
• Frontline Education: Frontline Education is a K-12 operations platform vendor providing absence management, HR, and recruiting tools to school districts; Underwood uses Frontline Absence Management via Region 1, making it a relevant adjacent vendor in the same ecosystem.
• Apptegy: Apptegy is a K-12 communication and website platform vendor powering district websites, mobile apps, and parent engagement tools; Underwood's website is built on Apptegy, making it a directly adjacent technology peer in the district's ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Rockets550
• Facebookfacebook.com/Underwood-Public-School-113945648694703

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 Underwood Public School District