Mount Zion Community Unit School District

What Mount Zion Community Unit School District does

Mt. Zion Community Unit School District #3 is a public K-12 school district located in Mt. Zion, Illinois, approximately nine miles southeast of Decatur in Macon County. The district operates five schools (McGaughey Grade School for PreK-1, Mt. Zion Grade School for grades 2-3, Mt. Zion Intermediate School for grades 4-6, Mt. Zion Junior High School for grades 7-8, and Mt. Zion High School) serving approximately 2,450 students across a 68-square-mile boundary with a resident population exceeding 14,000. It is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education and administered by Superintendent Dr. Travis Roundcount, supported by Associate Superintendent Brian Rhoades and a leadership team across transportation, technology, special education, facilities, and BASAP. The district employs 150 certified staff and 110 educational support personnel.

The district's core offering is comprehensive PreK-12 education spanning core academics, gifted programming, music, art, band, vocal music, foreign language (Spanish), vocational programs, work co-op, dual credit college courses through articulation agreements with Millikin University and Richland Community College, and Advanced Placement classes. Its technology infrastructure includes a fiber-optic wide-area network backbone, a 1:1 Chromebook program across all grade levels, the Skyward student information system, and the recently adopted ParentSquare unified communications platform. Auxiliary service lines include the Before and After School Program (BASAP) for childcare, summer school programs, a school lunch program, community Fieldhouse access, and student broadcasting via Braves TV.

The district's revenue model is primarily funded through local property taxes on district residents, supplemented by per-pupil state aid from the Illinois State Board of Education, federal Title I and other grants, modest student fees (instructional fees of $85-$100 annually, athletic fees, Chromebook protection at $25/year, BASAP at $35-$80/week), food service transactions, and facility rental income. The affiliated Mt. Zion Foundation for Quality Education, a non-profit tax-exempt organization governed by volunteer trustees, has distributed over $2 million in grants across 33 years for literacy, STEM, arts, vocational equipment, and student well-being initiatives. All services are delivered directly to enrolled families through in-district schools and online registration; out-of-district tuition students may apply through the superintendent's office.

Name

Mount Zion Community Unit School District

Legal name

Mt. Zion Community Unit School District #3

Website

https://mtzschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1840

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mt. Zion Community Unit School District #3 is a public K-12 district operating five schools serving approximately 2,450 students across a 68-square-mile area in Macon County, Illinois, funded primarily by local property taxes and state aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Before after school care
• Educational technology programs
• Student transportation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Zion

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, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Local Property Tax Revenue: The primary source of funding for the district is local property taxes collected from residents within the 68-square-mile district area.
2. State Aid and Federal Funding: The district receives per-pupil funding from the Illinois State Board of Education and federal grants including Title I programs.
3. Foundation Donations and Grants: The Mt. Zion Foundation for Quality Education, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization, generates and distributes financial resources to enrich educational programs. Over $2 million has been provided to the district over 33 years.
4. Student Fees: Instructional fees, athletic fees, Chromebook protection plan fees, parking permits, and Drivers Ed fees are collected from families as part of registration.
5. Food Service Program: The district operates a school lunch program with free and reduced lunch eligibility, including a Summer Meal Program.
6. Facility Rental and Community Use Fees: The Field House is open for community use with passes and insurance forms required; community nights are offered weekly for walking and basketball.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mt. Zion Community Unit School District #3 is a public K-12 school district that delivers pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education to approximately 2,450 students across five schools (McGaughey Elementary, Mt. Zion Grade School, Mt. Zion Intermediate School, Mt. Zion Junior High School, and Mt. Zion High School) in Mt. Zion, Illinois. The district provides a comprehensive academic program with technology-integrated curriculum, college preparatory offerings (AP and dual credit), performing arts, athletics, vocational programs, and supplemental services including before/after school care (BASAP), summer school, food service, and community facility access.

Product overview

Mt. Zion Community Unit School District is a public K-12 school district operating five schools serving approximately 2,450 students. The district offers a comprehensive educational program including core academic instruction, technology integration through a 1:1 Chromebook program, before/after school care (BASAP), summer school programs, athletics, and student broadcasting (Braves TV). The district maintains a technology-forward environment with fiber optic network infrastructure and supports community facilities including the Fieldhouse. The Mt. Zion Foundation for Quality Education provides supplementary funding for enhanced educational programs, STEM initiatives, and student support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PreK-12 Education Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2 million in Foundation funding provided to the district over 33 years for educational enrichment projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Richland Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichland Community College in Decatur, IL serves as a dual credit partner where high school students can enroll in college courses prior to graduation and receive dual credit. Additionally, 70 students are bused daily to the Richland Community College campus for technical and vocational programs.
• Heartland Technical AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Technical Academy in Decatur serves as a vocational education partner where Mt. Zion students (approximately 70 daily) are bused to participate in technical and career-focused programs. Students access grades through TeacherEase portal.
• FinalsitecoreTechnology or IntegrationThe district's website (mtzschools.org) is powered by Finalsite, a provider of educational website and communications platforms. Finalsite provides the website infrastructure, content management, and communication tools used across the district.
• M-P Special Education ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district participates in the M-P Special Education consortium to provide special education services. The consortium offers parent resources for special education support and services.
• University of Illinois (Champaign)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the universities within the 50-mile radius of Mt. Zion serving the district's college-bound students. Students can pursue higher education at this institution after graduation.
• Eastern Illinois University (Charleston)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the universities within the 50-mile radius of Mt. Zion serving the district's college-bound students.
• Illinois State University (Normal)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the universities within the 50-mile radius of Mt. Zion serving the district's college-bound students.
• Millikin University (Decatur)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMillikin University in Decatur is located within 50 miles of Mt. Zion and serves as a higher education option for district graduates. The district has articulation arrangements supporting student transitions.
• Village of Mt. ZionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Village of Mt. Zion is the local municipality. The school district and village work together on community development and shared services.
• Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe district leverages the Student Data Privacy Consortium (SDPC), a collaborative of schools, districts, and state agencies addressing data privacy concerns. Through SDPC, the district enters into Data Privacy Agreements (DPAs) with third-party vendors who handle student data, ensuring compliance with SOPPA.
• Macon County Health DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe district's school nurses monitor for contagious diseases and report findings to the Macon County Health Department. The health department also provides vaccination information and school immunization reports.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Shelbyville Community Unit School District #4: Rural Illinois public K-12 unit district of similar enrollment scale. Comparable in funding structure (property tax + state aid), grade configuration, and athletic conference dynamics.
• Warrensburg-Latham Community Unit School District #11: Public K-12 unit district operating in Macon County, IL. Directly comparable rural Illinois district serving a similar small-community student population with overlapping athletic conference membership.
• Mahomet-Seymour Community Unit School District #3: Public K-12 unit district in Champaign County, IL of similar scale. Often cited among comparable high-performing rural/suburban Illinois districts, with parallel awards recognition from ISBE.
• Taylorville Community Unit School District #3: Public K-12 unit district in Christian County, IL with similar small-town enrollment scale and rural-anchored revenue model. Comparable in size and athletic conference placement to Mt. Zion.
• Lincoln Community Unit School District #27: Public K-12 unit district in Logan County, IL serving a similarly sized small-town population. Directly comparable in grade configuration, funding composition, and Illinois public school operational profile.
• Decatur Public Schools District 61: Larger public K-12 district headquartered nine miles from Mt. Zion in the same Macon County. Serves as the urban district peer that Mt. Zion families sometimes feed into or from, with overlapping feeder relationships to area universities and technical academies.
• Argenta-Oreana Community Unit School District #1: Adjacent public K-12 unit district in Macon County, IL serving a similar small rural community. Closest geographic peer with comparable enrollment scale, funding model, and service area dynamics to Mt. Zion.
• Maroa-Forsyth Community Unit School District #2: Neighboring public K-12 unit district in Macon County, IL. Highly comparable in scale, rural community profile, and operating structure to Mt. Zion CUSD #3.

Broad incumbents

• Stride Inc (formerly K12 Inc): Public company providing online K-12 education as an alternative or supplement to traditional public school districts. Represents a broader incumbent in the K-12 education space that competes for some out-of-district and homeschool families.
• Connections Academy (Pearson): Pearson-operated online public K-12 charter program that competes for non-traditional and out-of-district families seeking alternatives to traditional brick-and-mortar public school districts like Mt. Zion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MtZionSchools
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/BravesTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/mtzschools

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Mount Zion Community Unit School District