WATTS LEARNING CENTER INC

What WATTS LEARNING CENTER INC does

Watts Learning Center Inc is a California nonprofit corporation that operates a network of two public charter schools in South Los Angeles: Watts Learning Center Charter Elementary School (K-5, founded 1997) and Watts Learning Center Charter Middle School (6-8, founded 2007). The organization serves children from inner-city low-income families in the Watts area, with a stated whole-child educational philosophy that emphasizes nurturing heart, mind, and spirit alongside academic preparation. Its educational approach is delivered through 'The Watts Learning Center Way,' an inquiry-based, project-oriented methodology that pairs classroom learning with community-based research, supplemented by programs such as Passport to the World for global cultural exposure.

The business model is that of a public charter school: tuition is not charged, and revenue is generated through per-pupil allocations from the State of California based on average daily attendance, supplemented by federal Title I funding and philanthropic donations. Enrollment is governed by California's lottery-based public charter admission system. Operations are administered through an Edlio-powered website and rely on third-party SaaS tools (PowerSchool for student information, ParentSquare for family communications, Achieve 3000 for differentiated literacy). The organization is governed by a community-oriented board of directors, has no parent company, no venture or private equity involvement, and no disclosed revenue figures; it was co-founded by Mrs. Sandra K. Fisher (who passed away in November 2025) and Eugene Fisher, who currently serves as Board President, with Errica Dotson as Executive Director.

Name

WATTS LEARNING CENTER INC

Legal name

Watts Learning Center

Website

https://wattslearningcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Watts Learning Center Inc operates two public charter schools (K-5 and 6-8) in South Los Angeles, serving low-income families through lottery enrollment with per-pupil state funding and a community-based whole-child educational model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Public Charter School Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

Keywords

• K-8 charter school
• Public education
• Elementary education
• Middle school education
• Nonprofit charter schools

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Funding: Public charter schools receive per-pupil funding from the state of California based on average daily attendance. This is the primary revenue source for operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Watts Learning Center Inc operates a network of two free public charter schools in South Los Angeles — a K-5 elementary school (founded 1997) and a 6-8 middle school (founded 2007). The schools deliver free K-8 education to children from inner-city low-income families, funded by California per-pupil allocations, with a whole-child approach emphasizing heart, mind, and spirit development through the proprietary "Watts Learning Center Way" methodology and programs such as Passport to the World.

Product overview

Watts Learning Center Inc operates as a network of public charter schools in South Los Angeles, consisting of two core institutions: Watts Learning Center Charter Elementary School (K-5, founded 1997) and Watts Learning Center Charter Middle School (6-8, founded 2007). The organization is built around 'The Watts Learning Center Way' educational methodology and supports programs like Passport to the World. The schools utilize external educational technology platforms including PowerSchool for student information management, Achieve 3000 for differentiated literacy instruction, and ParentSquare for family communication. The network is administered through an Edlio-powered website.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Watts Learning Center Charter Elementary School A free public charter elementary school serving students in grades K-5 in South Los Angeles, founded in 1997, focused on academic excellence, whole-child development, and community engagement. Tuition-free, funded by per-pupil state allocation.
• Watts Learning Center Charter Middle School A free public charter middle school serving students in grades 6-8 in South Los Angeles, founded in 2007, extending the Watts Learning Center educational model to secondary education with college preparation focus. Tuition-free, funded by per-pupil state allocation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 30 years of continuous operation serving South Los Angeles families
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hope CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012'Hope Comes to Watts' program initiated over 6 years ago by Board Member Darell Schregardus. Over 50 aspiring educators from Hope College participate in a 3-week teaching experience at WLC annually, working alongside mentor teachers to support classroom learning and participate in after-school programs.
• Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWLCAC hosts student research presentations and exhibitions. Provides community resources including MudTown Farms, civil rights museum, gang reduction programs, and workforce development. Long-standing relationship with shared mission of community advancement.
• California State University, Dominguez Hills School of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides in-kind consultation with teachers to plan community projects. Offers access to CSUDH resources including student tours and campus programs. Dr. Jennifer Stacy assists with K-3 Literacy and Early Childhood curriculum development.
• Amanda FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free spay/neuter services for pets of low-income households in LA, including Watts area. Offers educational visits to schools about responsible pet ownership.
• County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (Ted Watkins Memorial Park)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWLC can reserve sports facilities including baseball/soccer fields, gym, and flag football areas. Partners on Parks After Dark anti-violence programs and youth activities.
• County of Los Angeles Department of Public HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports student investigations around public health concerns. Provides expertise in root cause analysis, data collection, and environmental health education including Veterinary Public Health Program.
• Leadership for Urban Renewal Network (LURN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides expertise on community development, local lawmaking, and strategies for addressing poverty in urban areas. Helps organizations develop and implement community improvement strategies.
• Los Angeles Housing AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates community development programs. Provides expertise in community redevelopment, design features for affordable housing, and facilitating planning sessions with teachers.
• Los Angeles Unified School District (Local District South)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides parent engagement workshops, fosters growth mindset and UC A-G college preparation requirements. Supports community partnership development and school climate improvement.
• National Action Network (NAN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil rights organization provides social justice expertise, community mobilization, and advocacy for community advancement. Western Regional Director is Reverend K.W. Tullos.
• Physicians for Social Responsibility, Los AngelesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides environmental health and justice expertise. Offers guided tours in Watts for student research on environmental concerns, land use planning, and community advocacy training.
• The Prudential Insurance Company of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial literacy education for students and families. Expertise in developing tools for analyzing income/expenses, retirement planning, and college funding education.
• Still Waters Vibrations Enrichment NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides expertise on Watts community history and traditions. Facilitates authentic student projects including Watts Writers Workshop and community celebrations. Runs Doby Boys Youth Program at WLC.
• Watts Gang Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization addressing gang-related issues and providing support for at-risk youth in the Watts community.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Aspire Public Schools: California-based charter network operating college-preparatory public schools from elementary through high school, with several campuses in the greater Los Angeles area. Comparable as a multi-site California K-12 charter operator.
• Larchmont Charter School: Independent LA-area public charter school serving K-8 with strong parent engagement and community-based programs. Comparable as a community-embedded LA K-8 charter operator.
• BrightStar Schools: LA-based charter operator running multiple K-12 campuses serving underserved communities in South and East Los Angeles. Highly comparable as a small multi-site LA charter network serving similar populations.
• KIPP SoCal Public Schools: Southern California regional affiliate of the national KIPP charter network, operating multiple schools spanning K-8 with a college-preparatory focus in underserved LA communities. Comparable as a multi-site K-8 charter operator serving similar populations.
• Citizens of the World Charter Schools: LA-based K-8 charter network operating multiple campuses in diverse LA neighborhoods with a community-oriented, progressive education model. Comparable as a multi-site LA K-8 charter with strong community-engagement orientation.
• Magnolia Public Schools: Southern California charter network operating multiple K-12 campuses serving diverse, predominantly low-income student populations. Comparable as a multi-site California charter operator with similar demographics.
• Alliance College-Ready Public Schools: LA-based charter network operating predominantly middle and high schools serving similar urban, low-income populations. Directly comparable as a multi-site LA-area charter school operator with similar student demographics.
• Camino Nuevo Charter Academy: LA-based charter school network operating multiple campuses including K-8 schools in central and South Los Angeles serving primarily Latino, low-income families. Direct peer as a multi-site LA charter with similar mission.
• Green Dot Public Schools: One of the largest charter management organizations in Los Angeles, operating multiple public charter high schools and middle schools serving similar inner-city communities. Highly comparable as a multi-site LA charter network serving low-income families.
• Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Public Schools: LA-based charter management organization operating multiple K-12 charter schools in South Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Direct geographic and demographic peer for WLC's charter network model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watts-learning-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 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 WATTS LEARNING CENTER INC