Texas Leadership

What Texas Leadership does

Texas Leadership, legally operated through TLC Academy (a Texas non-profit corporation), is a network of tuition-free public charter schools serving over 4,000 K-12 students across five Texas campuses in San Angelo, Midland, Abilene, Arlington, and Cedar Hill. Founded in 2009 as the first public charter school in San Angelo under Founder and CEO Dr. Walt Landers, the organization evolved from Angelo Christian School (1973) and TLC Academy (1997/2005), receiving its open-enrollment charter from the Texas Education Agency in 2008. The district operates as a Title I public charter with year-round open enrollment and a 'B' accountability rating from TEA (July 2025), supported by 500+ employees across teaching, special education, athletics, nutrition, and operations roles.

The core product is a K-12 academic and leadership program built around the Leader in Me curriculum (7 Habits of Highly Effective People), augmented with Career and Technical Education pathways across nine clusters, UIL athletics, special education (with dyslexia and Section 504 support), English Learner services, McKinney-Vento homeless assistance, and homeschool UIL participation. The technology stack is composed entirely of third-party platforms: PowerSchool for SIS and enrollment, IXL for adaptive Math/ELA learning, STOPit for anonymous safety reporting, NutriSlice for meal menus, SmartTAG for student ID, Hometown Ticketing for athletics, and the Standard Response Protocol framework from the Texas State School Safety Center. No proprietary technology or in-house AI is developed.

The business model is public charter school funding: primary revenue is per-pupil state allocations tied to average daily attendance, supplemented by federal Title I Part A ($1,168,552 annually), Title III funds ($12,885), special education IDEA allocations, and CTE weighted funding. Secondary revenue comes from transactional meal sales (K-12 breakfast $2.75 / lunch $4.00; adult meals higher; free meals at CEP campuses Arlington and Cedar Hill) and uniform sales (youth polos $14.50, adult $17.50). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through five physical campuses and a PowerSchool online enrollment portal with year-round application processing, supported by campus tours, parent referrals, and digital channels (website, Facebook, campus-specific sites).

Name

Texas Leadership

Legal name

TLC Academy

Website

https://texasleadership.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Texas Leadership is a non-profit network of five tuition-free public charter schools in Texas (San Angelo, Midland, Abilene, Arlington, Cedar Hill) serving over 4,000 K-12 students through the Leader in Me leadership curriculum, CTE pathways, and UIL athletics, funded primarily by state per-pupil allocations and federal Title programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Charter School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Charter school education
• K-12 public education
• Leadership development program
• Tuition-free schooling
• Career technical education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Angelo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

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. Per-Pupil State Funding: Public charter schools in Texas receive state tax revenue based on average daily attendance (ADA) for each enrolled student. As a tuition-free institution, the primary revenue stream comes from per-pupil state funding allocations.
2. Title I Part A Funding: Federal ESSA program providing supplemental funds for schools serving economically disadvantaged students. Texas Leadership receives $1,168,552 annually to fund additional resources, paraprofessionals, interventionists, instructional coaches, professional development, and instructional materials.
3. Title III Funding: Federal funding for language instruction programs serving English learners and immigrant students. Texas Leadership receives $12,885 annually for supplemental instructional supports and family engagement.
4. Meal Sales: Revenue from student and adult meal purchases. Students K-12 pay $2.75 breakfast / $4.00 lunch; adults pay $3.50 breakfast / $5.25 lunch. Reduced-price meals available at $0.30 breakfast / $0.40 lunch.
5. Uniform Sales: Sales of branded uniform shirts and spirit wear. Youth polos $14.50, Adult polos $17.50. Available through campus purchase or online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Texas Leadership Public Schools is a network of tuition-free, open-enrollment public charter schools operating five campuses in Texas (San Angelo, Midland, Abilene, Arlington, Cedar Hill) that deliver K-12 education to over 4,000 students. The district integrates the Leader in Me leadership development curriculum with academic instruction and supplements core academics with UIL athletics, Career and Technical Education pathways, Special Education, English Learners support, and child nutrition services. As a Title I district under TLC Academy, it serves families seeking school-of-choice options outside traditional ISD attendance zones.

Product overview

Texas Leadership Public Schools is a network of tuition-free public charter schools operating under TLC Academy as an open-enrollment charter. The district spans five campuses (San Angelo, Midland, Abilene, Arlington, and Cedar Hill) serving over 4,000 students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Core offerings include academic education integrated with the Leader in Me leadership curriculum, competitive UIL athletics programs, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways. Special programs include Special Education, English Learners, McKinney-Vento homeless assistance, and homeschool participation (via Trinity Leadership brand for Arlington/Cedar Hill). Supporting services include child nutrition through Elior K12, district-wide bus transportation, and STOPit safety reporting. The district operates as a Title I district with a 'B' accountability rating from TEA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Texas Leadership Public Schools (K-12 Charter School Network) Tuition-free public charter school network delivering K-12 education across five Texas campuses (San Angelo, Midland, Abilene, Arlington, Cedar Hill) under open-enrollment charter status granted by the Texas Education Agency. Serves over 4,000 students with academic instruction, leadership development, athletics, and comprehensive student support services.
• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Secondary CTE programs providing connections with post-secondary education, industry partnerships, and business connections across nine program areas: Transportation, Health Science, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Education and Training, Human Services, Information Technology, Business Marketing, and Arts and AV Communications. Targeted at high school students preparing for college, career, and military readiness.
• UIL Athletics Program UIL athletic programs including 11-man Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Track and Field, Tennis, Cross Country, Cheerleading, and Golf offered to students across all five Texas Leadership campuses. Open to homeschool students via the UIL Homeschool Participation pathway.
• Special Education Services Specialized services and interventions for students with exceptional needs, including dyslexia support, Section 504 accommodations, ARD committee processes, and IEP development. Directed by Special Education Director Stephanie Higgins (M.Ed). Serves families of students with disabilities across all five campuses.
• Leader in Me Program Whole-child leadership development program integrated into the school curriculum from kindergarten through 12th grade, teaching students the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and fostering leadership characteristics. Delivered in partnership with the Leader in Me organization.
• UIL Homeschool Participation Program Program allowing homeschooled students to participate in UIL Academics and Athletics as members of Texas Leadership district teams, enabled by Texas House Bill 547 and Senate Bill 401. Provides homeschool students access to organized competition pathways.
• Summer Learning Programs Structured summer programs designed to combat summer learning loss and provide enrichment activities in STEM, arts, sports, and academics. Available to enrolled students across the district.
• Child Nutrition Services Meal services provided in partnership with Elior K12, offering two-entree options with fresh fruits and vegetables and participation in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Arlington and Cedar Hill campuses participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) providing free meals to all enrolled students.
• District Transportation Services Bus transportation services across all Texas Leadership campuses with campus-specific transportation request forms and Friday early dismissal schedule. Supports student access to school facilities.
• Uniform and Spirit Store Sales of branded Texas Leadership uniform shirts and spirit wear. Youth polos priced at $14.50 and adult polos at $17.50. Available through campus purchase or the TLPS Online Store with school logo. Free campus shipping until September 30 and $10 flat-rate home shipping.
• English Learners Program ESL and English language instruction programs supporting English Learners with TELPAS and LPAC processes. Funded by federal Title III allocations ($12,885 annually) and coordinated by the Federal & State Programs Coordinator.
• McKinney-Vento Program Homeless assistance program providing immediate enrollment, transportation to school of origin, and services for families and students experiencing displacement or loss of housing, in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Quantifiable outcome

• Received 'B' accountability rating from Texas Education Agency, indicating above-average performance with strengths in student achievement and growth
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Elior K12coreOthersElior K12 is the food service partner providing meals across Texas Leadership campuses. The partnership delivers a two-entrée option menu with fresh fruits and vegetables, with students allowed free second portions of produce. Elior supports the district's participation in National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
• STOPit SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationSTOPit app enables students to anonymously report concerns including cyberbullying, threats of violence, and self-harm. The platform includes DOCUMENTit backend management for administrators with investigative tools and secure messaging capabilities.
• Leader in MecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive leadership development program integrated into the school curriculum, teaching students the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and fostering leadership characteristics from kindergarten through graduation.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent information system providing parent portal for real-time grades, attendance, and teacher communications. Also handles enrollment registration and document management. District code: QZJQ.
• IXL LearningcoreTechnology or IntegrationAdaptive learning platform providing personalized academic activities in Math and ELA. Includes Real-Time Diagnostic for grade-level proficiency assessment and automatic adjustment of question difficulty based on student performance.
• Texas State School Safety CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper of Standard Response Protocol (SRP) safety framework implemented district-wide, providing standardized emergency response procedures for Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter situations.
• National Online SafetyminorOthersProvides social media safety guides and resources for families, including information about social media pressure, mental health impacts, and online dangers facing children.
• Texas Education Agency (TEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState regulatory agency that grants and oversees open-enrollment charter status. Establishes academic accountability standards, testing requirements, and accountability ratings including the district's B rating.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Heritage Academies: Large charter management organization operating public charter schools across multiple states. Broader incumbent offering similar K-12 charter services with nationally scaled charter management expertise.
• Charter Schools USA: Major for-profit charter management organization serving K-12 across multiple states. Comparable multi-campus charter operator with similar tuition-free public school model, though operating at national scale.

Direct peers

• Legacy Traditional Schools: Tuition-free public charter school network with multiple campuses focused on traditional academics and character education. Comparable multi-campus charter model with explicit leadership/character development curriculum.
• BASIS Charter Schools: Public charter school network with Texas campuses serving K-12 with rigorous academic focus. Comparable tuition-free charter model with multiple Texas campuses and similar student demographic targeting.
• ResponsiveEd: Texas-based charter management organization operating multiple tuition-free public charter school networks across the state. Closely comparable as a multi-campus Texas charter operator with K-12 programs.
• KIPP Texas Public Schools: Network of tuition-free public charter schools across Texas and the DFW/Houston/Austin metros. Directly comparable multi-campus charter model serving K-12 with college-prep focus and similar value proposition of leadership/college readiness.
• IDEA Public Schools: One of the largest Texas charter networks with K-12 campuses focused on college readiness. Same operational model (tuition-free charter, multi-campus, TEA-authorized) and comparable student segments, though significantly larger in scale.
• Uplift Education: DFW-based public charter school network with K-12 campuses serving similar demographics. Operates tuition-free charter schools in the same Texas metropolitan markets (including Arlington area) as Texas Leadership's Trinity Leadership campuses.
• Harmony Public Schools: Texas-based public charter school network serving K-12 with STEM focus. Compares directly to Texas Leadership as a multi-campus Texas charter network offering tuition-free public education to thousands of students under TEA oversight.
• Great Hearts Academies: Tuition-free public charter network with K-12 campuses in Texas (including DFW area). Comparable classical leadership-focused curriculum approach and similar multi-campus Texas charter model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TLCA.SA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Texas Leadership