ARARAT CHARTER SCHOOL

What ARARAT CHARTER SCHOOL does

Ararat Charter School (ACS) is a non-profit public charter school operating in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. It serves approximately 340 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 5th grade (TK/K-5), drawing applicants from across the State of California through a public lottery-based enrollment process. Founded in 2010 by Dr. Aida Tatiossian as Founding Principal, the school operates on two campuses — 6555 Sylmar Avenue (grades K and 1) and 13400 Erwin Street (grades 2-5) — and is the first public school to teach both Armenian and Spanish to all of its students as part of a culturally centered instructional approach. Demand substantially exceeds capacity: the school reports receiving roughly 600 applications for approximately 56 available seats annually, with a stated waitlist of approximately 600 students.

ACS delivers an integrated TK/K-5 academic program aligned with California state standards, comprising daily instruction in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies from classroom teachers, supplemented by specialist-led weekly classes in Music, Computer Science, Visual Art, Physical Education, and Armenian and Spanish language and culture. The school operates a Special Education Department providing Specialized Academic Instruction, Speech-Language Therapy, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Adaptive Physical Education, and behavior intervention, an APEX (Expanded Learning Opportunity Plan) for before/after-school enrichment, and mental health services through a partnership with Valley School Mental Health Clinic. Technology infrastructure is built entirely on commodity educational platforms — Google Classroom for assignment management, Zoom for virtual instruction, Google Docs/Slides/Jamboard for collaboration, and supplementary learning tools including Khan Academy, EPIC!, ReadWorks, Bookshare, and Art for Kids Hub. ACS holds WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) accreditation and has received Silver (2018, 2024) and Platinum (2020) industry awards.

ACS is funded as a public charter school under California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), receiving per-pupil state apportionment based on average daily attendance as its primary revenue source, supplemented by federal Title I/Title III funds and additional state and local grants including Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO/ELOP), ESSER III, Proposition 28 arts funding, and the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant. No tuition is charged to enrolled students. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer via the school's public website and online lottery application, with marketing driven primarily by community word-of-mouth within the Van Nuys and broader California Armenian community. Governance is provided by a 7-member Governing Board led by Chairperson Shakeh Avakian, with operations overseen by Founding Principal Dr. Aida Tatiossian and a Special Education Department led by SPED Administrator Daniel Lee.

Name

ARARAT CHARTER SCHOOL

Legal name

Ararat Charter School

Website

https://araratcharterschool.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ararat Charter School is a non-profit public charter school in Van Nuys, California, serving 340 TK-5 students through dual-language Armenian and Spanish immersion, specialist-led enrichment, and WASC-accredited programming, funded by California's per-pupil LCFF apportionment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-5 Public Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJACAB

Independent Charter Schools (Single-Site)

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Charter K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDAJACAI

Charter Language Immersion & Bilingual Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Charter K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDAJACAF

Charter Special Education & Inclusive Programs

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Charter K–12 Schools

Keywords

• Public charter school
• Bilingual language immersion
• Primary education services
• Special education programs
• Expanded learning opportunities

Headquarters

HQ city

Van Nuys

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding (LCFF): As a public charter school, ACS receives Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) per-pupil apportionment from the state of California based on average daily attendance. This is the primary source of operational funding.
2. Federal Title Funding: Federal categorical funds including Title I, Title III (for English learners), and other federal grants that support specific programs such as special education, English learner services, and school improvement initiatives.
3. State and Local Grants: Additional state and local funding including Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO/ELOP) grants, ESSER III funds, Proposition 28 arts funding, Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant, and LCAP-aligned expenditures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ararat Charter School operates a free, public TK/K-5 charter school providing integrated core academics (language arts, math, science, social studies), dual-language Armenian and Spanish immersion, specialist classes in Music, Computer Science, Visual Art, and Physical Education, Special Education services, the APEX Expanded Learning Opportunity Plan, and school-based Mental Health services. The school serves any California resident student via a public lottery enrollment process on two campuses in Van Nuys.

Product overview

Ararat Charter School is a TK/K-5 public charter school offering a comprehensive educational program on a split campus in Van Nuys, California. The school operates as a single unified educational institution with multiple integrated programs: core academic instruction in language arts, math, science, and social studies; dual bilingual language programs (Armenian and Spanish); specialist classes in Music, Computer Science, Visual Art, and Physical Education; Special Education services; the APEX Expanded Learning Opportunity Plan for extended learning; and Mental Health services. The school emphasizes cultural awareness, character development, and college/career readiness preparation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Core Academic Instruction (TK/K-5)

Quantifiable outcome

• School opened in 2010 with 120 students; currently serves 340 students with 600 on the waiting list
• +1 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

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LAUSD Special EducationcoreOthersArarat Charter School coordinates with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for special education services and resources. The school's Special Education Department provides services including Specialized Academic Instruction, Speech-Language Therapy, OT/PT, Adaptive Physical Education, and behavior intervention. LAUSD Special Education resources are referenced as official partner resources on the school's Special Education page.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Academia Avance: Public charter school in the Los Angeles area serving a similar urban, multicultural demographic. Comparable as a small LA charter school operating under California charter law with public funding.
• Celerity Charter Schools: California charter network operating multiple campuses in the LA area. Comparable as a regional charter school operator serving similar urban, multicultural student populations with public funding.
• Granada Hills Charter High School: Large independent charter school in the San Fernando Valley serving the same LA-area demographic. Comparable as a California public charter school serving community-anchored demand with lottery-based admissions, though it operates at the high school level.
• El Camino Real Charter High School: Independent charter high school in Woodland Hills, California. Comparable as a single-entity LA-area charter school operating under California charter law with lottery admissions and per-pupil funding.
• ICEF Public Schools: Charter school network operating multiple campuses in the Los Angeles area. Comparable as a multi-site LA charter organization serving similar urban, multicultural demographics with lottery-based enrollment.
• Para Los Niños: LA-based charter and social services organization serving low-income students and families. Comparable as a Los Angeles charter school operator with wraparound services and community-anchored programming.
• Citizens of the World Charter Schools: Charter school network with LA-area campuses focused on diverse, community-integrated education. Comparable as a California charter operator with social-justice-oriented curriculum and lottery-based enrollment.
• WISH Community School: LA-area public charter elementary school with a similar small-school, community-anchored model. Directly comparable as a K-8 charter serving LAUSD-area families through lottery-based enrollment.

Broad incumbents

• Aspire Public Schools: California-based charter school network with multiple Bay Area and Central Valley campuses. Comparable as a California charter operator with public per-pupil funding, though it operates at a much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• KIPP LA Schools: Major charter school network operating multiple LA-area campuses. Comparable as a large, established California charter operator with public funding, though it operates at greater scale and broader geographic reach than Ararat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ararat-charter-school

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 ARARAT CHARTER SCHOOL