Lowell Joint School District

What Lowell Joint School District does

Lowell Joint School District (LJSD) is a California public K-8 school district operating 7 campuses — six elementary schools (El Portal, Jordan, Macy, Meadow Green, Olita, and one additional site) and one intermediate school (Rancho-Starbuck) — serving students from preschool through 8th grade across the Whittier and La Habra communities spanning Orange and Los Angeles Counties. The district delivers core academics alongside specialized programs including STEAM Innovation Labs, a Spanish-English Dual Immersion pathway, the Quest gifted and talented program, Visual and Performing Arts (Arts for All under Prop 28), and preschool and Learning Link early childhood services for children from birth to age 5.

LJSD's service portfolio extends beyond the standard school day through the PowerSource afterschool program, funded by California Department of Education's Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) and available at no cost to all TK-6th grade students, and through student support services such as the in-house C.A.R.E. counseling program and a partnership with Hazel Health for teletherapy. Operating infrastructure relies on a Google Workspace-centric technology ecosystem supplemented by Microsoft 365 SSO, Aeries as the Student Information System, ParentSquare for district-wide parent communications, Clever as a student portal, PowerSchool for boundary/school locator, MySchoolBucks for preschool tuition payments, and Learning Genie for preschool digital attendance and health screening.

As a government entity, LJSD does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF/LCAP), local property taxes, federal Title I and other categorical grants, state ELOP and Prop 28 appropriations, voter-approved Measure LL and Measure P bond proceeds for facilities, and supplemental grants such as those from First 5 Orange County. Tuition-based preschool ($550/month part-day, $850/month full-day) and fee-for-service programs represent the only direct family-paid revenue, while the bulk of operations are publicly funded. The district is governed by an elected five-member Board of Trustees and led educationally by an Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services and a Director of Educational Services.

Name

Lowell Joint School District

Legal name

Lowell Joint School District

Website

https://ljsd.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Lowell Joint School District is a California public K-8 district operating 7 schools serving preschool through 8th grade students in Whittier and La Habra. Funded through state LCFF, bonds, and grants, it delivers core academics, preschool, free universal afterschool, mental health, and arts programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-8 Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

District Enrollment, Zoning & School Choice Administration (EDADABAL)

Keywords

• Public K-8 education
• Early childhood education
• After-school programs
• Special education services
• Student support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Whittier

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lowell Joint School District is a public K-8 school district serving students from preschool through 8th grade across six elementary schools and one intermediate school in the Whittier and La Habra, California area. The district delivers core academic instruction, specialized programs (STEAM Innovation Labs, Dual Immersion, Quest gifted education), extended learning (PowerSource afterschool program funded by California state ELOP), preschool and early learning services, and student support services including counseling (C.A.R.E.), mental health (Hazel Health), and arts education (Prop 28 Arts for All).

Product overview

Lowell Joint School District operates as a TK-8 elementary school district serving students from preschool through 8th grade across six elementary schools and one intermediate school. The district's product portfolio consists of educational programs and support services organized around three core areas: (1) Core Academic Programs including STEAM Innovation Labs, Dual Immersion, and Quest (gifted education); (2) Extended Learning including PowerSource after-school program (TK-6th grade) and preschool education (ages 3-5); and (3) Student Support Services including C.A.R.E. counseling, Hazel Health teletherapy, and Learning Link family engagement. The Arts for All program, funded through Prop 28, integrates arts and music throughout the curriculum. All programs emphasize the district's commitment to 21st Century Skills, character education, and family-community partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PowerSource: After-school program available at all elementary schools providing extended learning and childcare services
• Arts for All
• C.A.R.E. (Counseling and Resource Enhancement)
• LJ Youth Theatre
• Learning Link

Products and services

• PowerSource Afterschool Program After-school enrichment program available at all elementary schools, offering academic support, arts, sports, and childcare services for TK-6th grade students. Funded through California state ELOP with scholarship eligibility for all LJSD students.
• LJSD Preschool Program Comprehensive preschool program for children ages 3-5, including both state-funded CSPP and tuition-based options. Multi-age classrooms follow California Preschool Learning Foundations with GLAD strategies infused for English language acquisition.
• STEAM Innovation Labs Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics enrichment labs for TK-6th grade students, integrating innovation into core curriculum.
• Dual Immersion Program Language acquisition program offering bilingual education to develop fluency in both English and Spanish for participating students.
• Quest Program Gifted and talented education program designed to challenge high-achieving students with advanced curriculum and enrichment activities.
• Arts for All (Prop 28) Comprehensive arts and music program supported through California Proposition 28 funding, focused on student engagement, school community building, and connecting students with positive mentors.
• Learning Link Interactive center for parents/guardians and children newborn to five years old, offering developmentally appropriate activities and family support for school readiness.
• C.A.R.E. (Counseling and Resource Enhancement) Comprehensive counseling program providing individual and group counseling, classroom guidance, and preventive interventions supporting academic, personal, social, and emotional development for Preschool through 8th grade.
• Hazel Health Services Online therapy and mental health services for students, providing teletherapy visits at school or home with guardian consent, staffed by licensed therapists specializing in child and teen development.
• LJSD Early Learning Department Early childhood education services for ages birth to 6 years, encompassing preschool, Learning Link, and school readiness programs with focus on play-based learning.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hazel HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHazel Health provides online therapy visits for LJSD students, available at school or at home with guardian consent. The partnership offers mental health services including individual therapy, crisis support, and ongoing counseling. Services are provided at no out-of-pocket cost to families, with Hazel billing insurance when available. The program includes 90+ areas of clinical expertise and 40% of providers are bilingual.
• First 5 Orange CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst 5 Orange County awarded LJSD a grant to enhance early childhood programs and resources for families with children ages newborn to five. The partnership supports the Early Development Index (EDI) data collection, kindergarten readiness programs, and connects families to developmental services through Help Me Grow. First 5 OC provides Kid Builders mobile app with activities in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
• California Department of Education (State ELOP Funding)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia state funding through the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) enables LJSD to provide free PowerSource afterschool program to all TK-6th grade students. The funding covers program operations, staffing, and materials, reducing burden on families for before/after school care.
• Orange County Department of Education - McKinney-VentominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level partnership for homeless student services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The county liaison (Jeanne Awrey) supports enrollment and services for students experiencing homelessness, including transportation to school of origin, free meals, and access to all school programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Inspire Charter Schools: Large California-based charter network offering independent study and homeschool alternatives that compete with public K-8 districts like LJSD for the same TK-8 family segment, particularly in the Whittier/La Habra region.

Broad incumbents

• Capistrano Unified School District: Larger K-12 California district that operates similarly differentiated programs (STEAM, Dual Immersion, Visual & Performing Arts) and serves as a benchmark for mid-size SoCal districts pursuing program-driven enrollment strategies.
• Fullerton Joint Union High School District: Receives all LJSD 8th-grade graduates who continue into public high school. Compares on feeder-pipeline alignment and academic preparation outcomes, particularly for STEAM and Dual Immersion pathways.
• Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District: Larger K-12 unified district covering the broader Whittier/La Habra corridor. Receives the same LCFF funding and offers a fuller K-12 pathway that competes for families considering whether to stay in LJSD through 8th grade or transfer.

Direct peers

• East Whittier City School District: K-5 district bordering Lowell Joint to the east with comparable suburban Whittier demographics and the same state funding structure. Operates similar specialized programs and competes for the same transfer-pool families.
• Fullerton School District: K-8 district in nearby Fullerton with similar size, programmatic focus on STEAM and Dual Immersion, and the same Orange County/Los Angeles County service area dynamics.
• South Whittier School District: Adjacent K-6 district in unincorporated Whittier area with similar demographics and a comparable student support services footprint (counseling, McKinney-Vento, EL programs).
• La Habra City School District: K-6 district sharing the same La Habra service area as one of Lowell Joint's elementary schools (Olita). Compares directly on size, demographics, and program offerings in the same attendance geography.
• Little Lake City School District: K-6 district in neighboring Santa Fe Springs, sharing similar size, urban-suburban demographics, and California state funding model. Operates comparable preschool and special education programs.
• Whittier City School District: Immediately adjacent K-6 public school district serving Whittier. Operates with similar demographics, California LCFF funding model, and overlapping attendance boundaries, making it the closest direct peer for retention and inter-district transfer competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LJSDPowerSource
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/lowell-joint-school-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/ljsd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Lowell Joint School District