What The Harris School does

The Harris School is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit therapeutic day school founded in 1997 in Houston, Texas, by a group of child psychiatrists and named in honor of Dr. Hunter Harris. It serves approximately 60–90 students enrolled in PreK3 through 6th grade (ages roughly 3–12) who present with social, emotional, or behavioral challenges such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ODD, mood disorders, and sensory-processing difficulties. The school blends a TEKS-aligned academic curriculum with integrated social-emotional learning (delivered through the Character Strong program and project-based learning), a 1:5 staff-to-student ratio, and on-site licensed mental-health professionals (LCSW-S, LPC, LMSW) serving as Family Consultants who provide weekly individual and group meetings, intake support, and outside-provider coordination.

The core products are the Therapeutic Education Program, the Academic Program, the Character Strong SEL curriculum module, the Family Consulting Services, and a Summer Camp available only to currently enrolled students. Technology is human-delivered: clinical staff, sensory integration techniques, collaborative problem solving, and social skills groups form the differentiators, while the 'technology stack' is essentially the TEKS curriculum plus the Character Strong third-party SEL framework. The business model combines a $40,900 annual tuition (with annual, bi-annual, or monthly payment plans via TADS), one-time application ($525), materials ($720), and registration ($1,500) fees, a $550/week summer program, and roughly $1M in annual private donations and fundraising (including the 'Build Our Burrow' capital campaign) that bridges the gap between tuition revenue and full operating costs. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a structured six-step rolling-admissions process (inquiry, tour, application, intake meeting, classroom visit, enrollment) and word-of-mouth/parent referrals through the alumni community and third-party review platforms.

Name

The Harris School

Legal name

The Harris School

Website

https://www.theharrisschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Harris School is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit therapeutic day school serving PreK3 through 6th grade students with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges, combining TEKS-aligned academics with licensed-clinician-delivered SEL programming at a 1:5 staff-to-student ratio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education / Therapeutic K-6 Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

School-Based SEL Curriculum & Instructional Programs (EDAKAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

School Counseling Services (EDAJAIAA), School Counseling Services (Individual & Group) (EDAKAMAB), School Psychology Services & Psychoeducational Support (EDAKAMAC)

Keywords

• Therapeutic education
• Special needs schooling
• Social emotional learning
• Behavioral health education
• Nonprofit private school

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition of $40,900 for the academic year, with various payment plans available through TADS tuition management company (annual, bi-annual, or monthly options).
2. Summer Program: $550 per week summer camp program available exclusively to currently enrolled students during summer hours (Mon-Fri 9am-2pm).
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supporting scholarships and bridging the gap between tuition and full operational costs. Accepts recurring gifts, planned giving (bequests, trusts, gift annuities), and company matching programs.
4. Application and Registration Fees: Application fee of $525 (non-refundable), materials fee of $720 (non-refundable), and registration fee of $1,500 (non-refundable) charged at registration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Harris School provides a therapeutic educational program for PreK3 through 6th grade students with social, emotional, or behavioral challenges, blending TEKS-aligned academics with clinical therapeutic support delivered by licensed mental health professionals. The school serves families at a single Houston campus with a 1:5 staff-to-student ratio, individualized learning plans, and a Character Strong SEL curriculum. Annual tuition is $40,900, supplemented by donations to bridge the gap to full operational costs.

Product overview

The Harris School is a nonprofit therapeutic school offering a unified educational program for PreK3 through 6th grade students with social, emotional, or behavioral challenges. The core offering combines therapeutic support (family consultants, sensory integration, collaborative problem solving, social skills groups) with a TEKS-aligned academic curriculum featuring the Character Strong social-emotional learning program. The school operates during the school year (8:15 am - 3:30 pm) and offers a summer camp program exclusively for enrolled students. Tuition is $40,900 annually with various payment plans available through TADS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Education Program Therapeutic educational program for PreK3 through 6th grade students with social, emotional, or behavioral challenges, combining individualized learning plans, family consultants, sensory integration, collaborative problem solving, and social skills groups. Delivered at the single Houston campus during the school year.
• Academic Program (TEKS-Aligned) TEKS-aligned core academic curriculum for PreK3 through 6th grade with individualized instruction, project-based learning, and creative enrichment in art, music therapy, and physical education, supported by a 1:5 staff-to-student ratio.
• Character Strong SEL Curriculum Research-based social-emotional learning curriculum that develops empathy, resilience, and strong relationships, integrated throughout the school day with staff coaching students in real-time application.
• Summer Camp Program Summer camp program available exclusively to currently enrolled students, operating Monday–Friday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm at $550 per week.
• Family Consulting Services Licensed mental health professionals (LCSW-S, LPC, LMSW) providing weekly individual and group meetings, provider outreach, and intake support for enrolled families as part of the therapeutic program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rolling admissions process with most applications reviewed within 2-3 weeks
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Vanguard School: Houston-area private school for students with learning differences, including dyslexia, ADHD, and social-emotional challenges. Direct geographic peer with comparable mission, grade range, and tuition model.
• Eagle Hill School: Private schools in Massachusetts and Connecticut serving students with language-based learning differences, ADHD, and social-emotional challenges. Comparable model of integrated clinical support with small class sizes, though at higher tuition points.
• The New School of Houston: Houston-based nonprofit serving students with learning differences through small-group, individualized instruction. Most direct geographic and mission peer to The Harris School, operating in the same metro with a similar therapeutic-academic blend.
• The Kildonan School: New York-based school serving students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences, including ADHD and social-emotional needs. Comparable therapeutic-academic model with small classes and individualized instruction.
• The Forman School: Connecticut-based college-prep school specifically for students with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning differences. Comparable mission, integrated clinical-academic approach, and small student-to-staff ratios.
• The Lab School of Washington: DC-based nonprofit school serving students with learning disabilities including ADHD and social-emotional needs, founded in 1967. Closely comparable mission and clinical-academic integration model, though at a national profile and older student age range.
• The Hallowell School: School programs affiliated with Dr. Ned Hallowell's ADHD and social-emotional coaching methodology, serving students with attention and emotional challenges. Comparable clinical-academic integration model with a strong SEL focus.

Broad incumbents

• The Monarch School (San Diego): San Diego nonprofit K-12 school for students with learning differences, serving a wider age range and broader set of diagnoses. Comparable therapeutic-academic model with a Neurosequential Model integration and a significantly larger operation.
• Wediko Children's Services: Boston-area nonprofit providing residential and day school programs for children with emotional, behavioral, and learning challenges. Comparable clinical-academic model with a broader (residential and clinical) service offering.

Regional players

• Heart House Houston: Houston-area nonprofit serving at-risk and refugee children with academic enrichment and SEL programming. Comparable regional mission and student demographic focus, though serves a different acuity level than THS's therapeutic model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 The Harris School