Show Me Kc Schools
Show Me KC Schools is a Kansas City nonprofit that provides free school-search tools, one-on-one navigation, events, and the SchoolAppKC common application to help families compare K-12 and pre-K options across the KC metro and, as of 2024, statewide Missouri.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNorth Kansas City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Show Me Kc Schools does
Show Me KC Schools is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2014 by Tricia Johnson and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. The organization provides tools, guidance, and events to help families navigate and compare K-12 school options within the Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) district boundaries and surrounding metro area. Core offerings include an online school directory of 89+ K-12 schools and 29 preschools, the SchoolAppKC common application platform (serving 16-20+ charter schools), one-on-one navigator support delivered in-person, by phone, or video conference, an annual City School Fair, School Saturday open house events, a podcast, a video library, and a printed School Guide KC distributed at libraries and community centers. All services are provided free of charge to families.
The underlying technology consists of a web-based platform with a searchable school directory, supplemental content modules (podcast, video library, micro-surveys), and the SchoolAppKC common application system that streamlines charter school admissions. In 2024 the board voted to expand services statewide to Missouri under the Show Me MO Schools brand, with active launch in St. Louis (February 2025) and exploration in Boone County. The organization is led by Executive Director Leslie Kohlmeyer and staffed by 7 employees (4 full-time, 3 part-time).
The business model is donation-based: services to families are free, and the organization is funded through individual donations (e.g., $10/month recurring support) and foundation grants, including historical fiscal sponsorship from the Kauffman Foundation for SchoolSmartKC research. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer, with awareness driven by the website, community partnerships (libraries, SchoolSmart, RevED, Parent Leadership Training Institute, Turn the Page KC), events, and content marketing. The primary customer segment is families with school-aged children in the KC metro area, with a secondary segment focused on pre-K and early childhood education seekers.
Show Me Kc Schools firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Show Me Kc Schools
- Legal name
- Show Me KC Schools
- Website
- https://showmekcschools.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Show Me KC Schools is a Kansas City nonprofit that provides free school-search tools, one-on-one navigation, events, and the SchoolAppKC common application to help families compare K-12 and pre-K options across the KC metro and, as of 2024, statewide Missouri.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Show Me Kc Schools industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 school choice navigation and family advisory services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)
Keywords
Where Show Me Kc Schools is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Kansas City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Show Me Kc Schools business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the nonprofit mission. The organization states that $10 a month allows them to connect with caregivers from over 20 families and provide support as they search for schools.
- Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including the Kauffman Foundation (fiscal sponsor for SchoolSmartKC collaboration), and other funders supporting educational equity initiatives in Kansas City.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free Services for Families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Show Me Kc Schools product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Show Me KC Schools provides a comprehensive school choice navigation platform serving Kansas City-area families with K-12 and preschool options. Its core offering is an online school directory and search tool that allows families to research, compare, and apply to public district, public charter, private, and faith-based schools within KCPS boundaries. The platform is paired with one-on-one navigator support, a common charter school application (SchoolAppKC), and annual events including the City School Fair and School Saturday open house, all provided free of charge to families.
Product overview
Show Me KC Schools is a nonprofit organization that operates a comprehensive school choice navigation platform serving the Kansas City Metro area. The core offering consists of an online School Search Tool that enables families to research and compare schools within KCPS boundaries. This platform is augmented by complementary services including SchoolAppKC (a common charter school application system), One-on-One Navigation support, the City School Fair, School Saturday events, a Podcast series, Video Library, and the School Guide KC publication. Additional resources include Virtual Tours, Micro Surveys for family feedback, and the Show Me Spirit merchandise platform. Together, these products form an integrated ecosystem guiding families through the complete school search, research, experience, and application process.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SchoolAppKC: A special project of Show Me KC Schools in partnership with local Kansas City organizations, designed to streamline the charter school application process for families in KCPS boundaries. It brings together 16 charter schools with one common application.
- ShowMeSpirit
Products and services
- School Search Tool Online school directory enabling families to search and compare 89+ K-12 schools and 29 preschools by grade level, school type, focus area, academics, and logistics within the Kansas City Public Schools boundaries.
- SchoolAppKC Common application system for charter schools in Kansas City that allows families to apply to multiple charter schools with a single application, streamlining the school choice process.
- One-on-One School Navigation Individual school navigation support provided by trained navigators who help families find the right school fit through in-person meetings or telephone and video conferences.
- City School Fair Annual school fair held in November at the Kansas City Public Library, bringing together district, charter, private, and faith-based schools under one roof so families can learn about 50+ school options in a single event.
- School Saturday Annual citywide open house where families visit participating schools for tours, student performances, and hands-on program demonstrations, with Spanish translators available at some schools.
- Show Me KC Schools Podcast Podcast series available on YouTube, Apple Podcast, and Spotify that discusses the education landscape in Kansas City, navigating school options, and features conversations with school leaders and relevant local topics.
- Video Library Collection of educational videos including webinars, a 5-part Finding a School series, a 4-part Educational Philosophies series, and a Welcome to Show Me KC Schools introduction.
- School Guide KC Print and PDF guide distributed at libraries and community centers that contains comprehensive school options information and workbook materials for organizing the school search.
- Show Me Spirit Special-project platform that supports schools by enabling easy ordering of branded school spirit wear merchandise.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 8000 families served annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Show Me Kc Schools
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Show Me Kc Schools technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Show Me Kc Schools partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- National School Choice Awareness FoundationcoreCollaborative partnership for city-wide open house events during National School Choice Week. Show Me KC Schools organizes local events in Kansas City as part of the national awareness campaign featuring 28,000+ events across America.
- Kansas City Public LibrarycoreAnnual partnership for the City School Fair held at the downtown Central Library location. The library serves as the venue and partner in spreading awareness about school options.
- SchoolAppKC Partner SchoolscoreConsortium of 20+ charter schools (including Académie Lafayette, Academy for Integrated Arts, Brookside Charter, Crossroads Charter Schools, KIPP, and others) participating in the common application system developed by Show Me KC Schools.
- SchoolSmartKCcoreEndorsing community partner that works to improve educational outcomes in Kansas City and supports Show Me KC Schools as an important resource for families.
- RevEDcoreCommunity partner organization working to improve educational outcomes and endorsing Show Me KC Schools as an important step toward accessible education.
- Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI)coreCommunity partner focused on parent leadership development that collaborates with Show Me KC Schools to empower families in education decisions.
- Turn the Page KCcoreCommunity partner working to improve educational outcomes in Kansas City, collaborating with Show Me KC Schools on family engagement initiatives.
- Local Partners in St. LouisminorPartnership with local organizations in St. Louis to launch a common application system for St. Louis families as part of the 2024 expansion to serve the entire state of Missouri.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Show Me Kc Schools competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Niche: National K-12 school search and comparison platform serving families with reviews, rankings, and data. Overlaps with Show Me KC Schools' school directory and search functionality but operates nationally with community-driven reviews rather than curated local navigation.
- SchoolDigger: School comparison and data platform providing rankings, test scores, and profiles for K-12 schools nationwide. Comparable as an information intermediary for school choice decisions, operating at larger scale but with less human navigation support.
- GreatSchools: The largest national nonprofit providing K-12 school information and ratings to families. Comparable to Show Me KC Schools in providing parent-facing school comparison content, but operates nationally with significantly greater scale and a broader (less locally curated) data set.
Direct peers
- SchoolMint: School enrollment and lottery management platform used by charter schools and districts to streamline applications. Directly comparable to Show Me KC Schools' SchoolAppKC common application functionality, though SchoolMint is a venture-backed for-profit serving schools as B2B customers.
- EdNavigator: School navigation and family support service that provides one-on-one guidance to families navigating school choice. Directly comparable in mission and service model to Show Me KC Schools' one-on-one navigation service, though geographically distinct (originally focused on New Orleans/Chicago).
Emerging players
- EdSource: Nonprofit education news and information organization covering California school choice and policy. Adjacent peer as an educational information nonprofit whose content informs family decision-making, though focused on a different state and policy journalism rather than direct navigation.
- National School Choice Awareness Foundation: Partner organization that runs National School Choice Week with 28,000+ events nationwide. Comparable in promoting school choice awareness and is already a documented partner of Show Me KC Schools; differs in operating at national awareness rather than local navigation.
Regional players
- KIPP Foundation: National charter school network with a KIPP St. Louis affiliate (one of the schools listed in Show Me KC Schools' directory). Comparable as a school choice ecosystem participant and partner relationship, though KIPP operates schools directly rather than serving as a neutral navigator.
Others
- Parents Across America: National parent advocacy network focused on public education and equitable school choice. Tangentially comparable to Show Me KC Schools as a parent voice in school choice, though more advocacy-oriented and less focused on neutral navigation services.
- Turn the Page KC: Kansas City-based education-focused community partner collaborating with Show Me KC Schools. An ecosystem partner and enabling organization rather than direct competitor, but operates in the same local education-improvement space.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Show Me Kc Schools social profiles
Digital presenceShow Me Kc Schools financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Show Me Kc Schools leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Show Me Kc Schools subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Show Me Kc Schools funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Show Me Kc Schools 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 Show Me Kc Schools
What does Show Me Kc Schools do?
Show Me KC Schools provides a comprehensive school choice navigation platform serving Kansas City-area families with K-12 and preschool options. Its core offering is an online school directory and search tool that allows families to research, compare, and apply to public district, public charter, private, and faith-based schools within KCPS boundaries. The platform is paired with one-on-one navigator support, a common charter school application (SchoolAppKC), and annual events including the City School Fair and School Saturday open house, all provided free of charge to families.
Is Show Me Kc Schools a public or private company?
Show Me Kc Schools is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Show Me Kc Schools founded?
Show Me Kc Schools was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Show Me Kc Schools based?
Show Me Kc Schools is headquartered in North Kansas City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Show Me Kc Schools make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants.
Who are Show Me Kc Schools's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Niche, SchoolDigger and GreatSchools. Direct peers are SchoolMint and EdNavigator. Emerging players are EdSource and National School Choice Awareness Foundation. KIPP Foundation is listed as a regional player. Others are Parents Across America and Turn the Page KC.
Does Show Me Kc Schools have an API?
No public API is recorded for Show Me Kc Schools.
What industry is Show Me Kc Schools in?
Show Me Kc Schools's product category is K-12 school choice navigation and family advisory services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAK, Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.