Jonathan Alder Local School District

What Jonathan Alder Local School District does

Jonathan Alder Local School District is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Plain City, Ohio, operating five schools—Jonathan Alder High School (grades 9-12), Jonathan Alder Junior High School (7-8), Canaan Middle School (5-6), Monroe Elementary School (K-4), and Plain City Elementary School (K-4)—and serving approximately 2,500 students across the Plain City and Madison County area. The district delivers a comprehensive educational program spanning academic instruction, college and career readiness, military pathway preparation, athletics, performing arts, agricultural education, and specialized programs such as the E.L.E.V.A.T.E. Pre-Apprenticeship and Junior Achievement Finance Park financial literacy curriculum, while achieving a Performance Index of 95.9 against an Ohio state average of 91.8 and spending $14,803 per student versus a state average of $16,069.

The district's technology backbone is built primarily on third-party SaaS integrations rather than proprietary systems: an Apptegy-hosted website serves as the digital hub, with Stopfinder powering transportation tracking, FinalForms handling online enrollment, Thrillshare managing calendars, Smore distributing building newsletters, BoardDocs supporting board governance, My Payments Plus processing cafeteria payments, and PublicSchoolWorks providing safety incident reporting. An AI chatbot named 'Jonnie' (via AlwaysOn) provides multilingual parent and student support on the district website, representing the district's primary AI capability. The district also maintains dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications.

As a government entity, Jonathan Alder is funded through per-pupil state allocations, local property taxes, and federal grants (including National School Lunch and Breakfast Program reimbursements), with no direct tuition charged to resident families. Governance rests with an elected five-member Board of Education led by President Erica Detweiler, Vice President Bruce Hooley, and members Bill McCartney, Steve Votaw, and Sonia Walker, with operational leadership provided by Superintendent James Miller, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent Carla Quick, and Treasurer Mark Ingles. The district has earned recognitions including the 2024 Purple Star School designation, 2024 STaRs Award for Open and Transparent Government, Auditor of State Award with Distinction for FY 2023, and a 4.5-star overall rating on its public website.

Name

Jonathan Alder Local School District

Legal name

Jonathan Alder Local School District

Website

https://alder.k12.oh.us

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Jonathan Alder Local School District is a public K-12 school district in Plain City, Ohio, operating five schools serving approximately 2,500 students with above-average academic outcomes and below-average per-pupil spending, funded by state allocations, local property taxes, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Pre-apprenticeship programs
• Athletics programs
• Food services

Headquarters

HQ city

Plain City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil State Funding: Public school district funded primarily through per-pupil state and local funding; district spends approximately $14,803 per student while achieving above-average Performance Index of 95.9
2. Property Tax Revenue: District funded through local property taxes; community has supported bond issues and earned income tax renewals
3. School Meals Program: National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs requiring compliance with federal nutrition standards

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Jonathan Alder Local School District operates public K-12 schools serving approximately 2,500 students across five school buildings (Jonathan Alder High School, Jonathan Alder Junior High, Canaan Middle School, Monroe Elementary, and Plain City Elementary). The district delivers academic instruction, college, career and military readiness programming, athletics, food services, transportation, and specialized programs such as the E.L.E.V.A.T.E. pre-apprenticeship track.

Product overview

Jonathan Alder Local School District operates as a unified educational institution serving approximately 2,500 students across five schools: Jonathan Alder High School (9-12), Jonathan Alder Junior High (7-8), Canaan Middle School (5-6), Monroe Elementary School (K-4), and Plain City Elementary School (K-4). The district's primary digital presence is the website built on the Apptegy platform, which serves as a central hub integrating various services including online enrollment through FinalForms, athletics management, food services with online meal payments via My Payments Plus, transportation scheduling through Stopfinder, and district communications via Thrillshare calendars and Smore newsletters. The district also offers specialized programs such as the E.L.E.V.A.T.E. pre-apprenticeship program for career readiness and participates in National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. The district maintains a 4.5-star overall rating with a Performance Index of 95.9, exceeding state averages while operating below per-pupil spending averages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jonathan Alder High School Public high school serving grades 9-12 at 9200 US Route 42 S, Plain City, Ohio, offering college preparatory programs, athletics, performing arts, and career pathways including agricultural education and health sciences.
• Jonathan Alder Junior High School Middle school serving grades 7-8 at 6440 Kilbury-Huber Rd, Plain City, Ohio, offering academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
• Canaan Middle School Middle school serving grades 5-6 at 7055 US Route 42 S, Plain City, Ohio, featuring the annual 6th grade camp program and academic enrichment activities.
• Monroe Elementary School Elementary school serving grades K-4 at 5000 Ohio 38, London, Ohio, featuring a House System for student engagement and special programs including the BUGmobile STEM initiative.
• Plain City Elementary School Elementary school serving grades K-4 at 580 S Chillicothe St, Plain City, Ohio, offering academic programs and extracurricular activities.
• JAHS Athletics Athletic programs at Jonathan Alder High School and Junior High, competing in the Central Buckeye Conference under OHSAA governance, offering fall, winter, and spring sports with dedicated facilities.
• District Food Services National School Lunch and Breakfast Program participation with healthy meal standards compliant with federal nutrition guidelines, featuring interactive online menus and online meal payment through My Payments Plus.
• District Transportation Services School bus transportation with route information accessible via the Stopfinder app, including bus driver recruitment and day care stop coordination.
• Kindergarten Enrollment System Online registration platform for kindergarten enrollment (Pioneers Class of 2039) with online forms via FinalForms, eligibility for children 5 years old by August 20, 2026.
• E.L.E.V.A.T.E. Pre-Apprenticeship Program Pre-apprenticeship program for high school juniors and seniors providing real-world workplace experience, academic credit, and professional certifications through industry partnerships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Performance Index of 95.9 exceeds state average of 91.8 while spending $1,266 less per student
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StopfindercoreTechnology or IntegrationAll-in-one transportation tracking app partnership allowing parents to view and share student bus schedules. Soft roll-out implementation with email invitations for registration.
• Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoverning body for high school athletics ensuring compliance with state athletic regulations and post-season tournament participation.
• Central Buckeye ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference membership for middle school and high school athletic programs providing competitive scheduling and league standings.
• Alder Athletic BoosterscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerParent-organized booster club supporting athletic programs through fundraising and volunteer coordination.
• Memorial Sports MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFree sports physicals provided through partnership for student athletes.
• Junior Achievement (Finance Park)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing 7th grade students with real-life financial literacy simulations at Finance Park, applying classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios.
• Industry Leaders (E.L.E.V.A.T.E. Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partnerships providing students hands-on workplace experience, professional certifications, and career pathway exploration through the E.L.E.V.A.T.E. pre-apprenticeship program for juniors and seniors.
• Fairbanks SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural education partnership where Fairbanks students taught JAHS Ag Cohort and Club students competition practices and shared FFA experiences.
• The Ohio State University (BUGmobile)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU BUGmobile visited Monroe Elementary for hands-on entomology education with live insects for 3rd and 4th graders.
• Health Care Collaborative of Central OhiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummit partnership providing freshman health career cohort and Project Lead the Way biomedical students hands-on medical career exploration at Ohio Expo Center.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dublin City Schools: Substantially larger, high-performing suburban Columbus district; serves as the upper-bound benchmark Jonathan Alder families and teachers compare against, particularly on academic outcomes and teacher compensation.
• Olentangy Local School District: Largest and fastest-growing central Ohio suburban district; reference point for the open-enrollment threat to mid-size districts like Jonathan Alder and for program/technology depth expectations.
• Hilliard City Schools: Large suburban Columbus district with overlapping athletic conference footprint; benchmark peer for parent choice and competitive positioning within the central Ohio market.

Direct peers

• London City School District: Adjacent Madison County district of comparable size (~1,400 students) and demographic profile; competes directly with Jonathan Alder for open-enrollment students within the same commuting area.
• Tecumseh Local Schools: Clark County district of comparable size and suburban profile within commuting distance of Plain City; competes for open-enrollment students with comparable academic and athletic programming.
• Bellefontaine City Schools: Logan County district at similar scale and demographic profile; operates K-12 across multiple buildings with a comparable focus on college and career readiness for a similar community type.
• Fairbanks Local School District: Neighboring Ohio local school district with a similar rural-to-suburban profile; explicitly partnered with Jonathan Alder for agricultural education and FFA exchange, indicating directly comparable curriculum and student-body characteristics.
• Marysville Exempted Village School District: Nearby Union County district serving a similar suburban-to-rural Plain City / Marysville corridor; comparable college, career, and military readiness orientation and similar district structure (multiple school buildings, K-12 span).
• Westfall Local School District: Pickaway County district of comparable enrollment size and rural-suburban mix; overlapping career-readiness and agricultural education offerings make it a close functional peer.
• Jefferson Local School District: Madison County-area local district of similar size and demographic profile; directly comparable as a small public K-12 system competing for the same regional student population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AlderHS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3-lT3P9uD-lCYflx24GHvQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/AlderSchools
• Instagraminstagram.com/alderschools/?hl=en

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Jonathan Alder Local School District