What Fond Du Lac School District does

Fond du Lac School District (FDLSD) is a public K-12 school district headquartered at 72 West Ninth Street in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, serving over 6,400 students across 14 schools within a 75-square-mile service area in Fond du Lac County. Established in 1839, the district is governed by a seven-member elected Board of Education and operates as a non-profit government entity under Wisconsin school funding structures. Its portfolio spans 4-year-old kindergarten through grade 12, including nine elementary schools, three middle schools, Fond du Lac High School, the STEM Academy charter school (grades 6-12), and Fondy Central alternative school, supplemented by Career Connections Academies (ACE, Healthcare, REM), youth apprenticeships, fine arts, athletics, and the Fondy CARES mental health program.

The district's technology stack is built on standard K-12 administrative platforms: Skyward Student Information System for the Family Access portal, ClassLink for single sign-on, Nutrislice for food service menus, BoardDocs for governance materials, and the ThrillShare Alert Notification Service for district communications. It employs approximately 850 staff, including 192 FDLSD alumni, across 1.5 million square feet of facilities. Specialized programs include English Learner services for students from 15+ native languages, Gifted and Talented programming, McKinney-Vento homeless student support, Driver Education, Afterschool Clubhouse, and the Summer Adventure Academy.

Revenue is generated primarily through Wisconsin state aid, local property taxes (with the lowest mill rate in the county at $5.43 per $1,000 of fair market value), and voter-approved operational referendums. The most recent referendum attempt (April 2025) for $10M annually failed, prompting a $7.5M budget restructuring that eliminated 70 staff positions; a revised $7.5M referendum is on the April 2026 ballot through 2029-30. Supplemental revenue comes from food service operations (Chartwells K12 partnership), facility rentals, community donations, and partnerships with Burlington and Adopt A Classroom.

Name

Fond Du Lac School District

Legal name

Fond du Lac School District

Website

https://fdlsd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1839

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Fond du Lac School District is a Wisconsin public K-12 district serving 6,400+ students across 14 schools with career academies, STEM charter, mental health, and free 4K programs funded by state aid, property taxes, and voter referendums.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Public High Schools (EDAJAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Middle Schools (EDAJAAAC), Public Magnet & Specialty Schools (STEM/Arts/IB/CTE) (EDAJAAAF), Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK)

Keywords

• K-12 public education
• Career academy programs
• Specialized student services
• STEM charter school
• Early childhood kindergarten

Headquarters

HQ city

Fond Du Lac

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Aid: Primary funding from Wisconsin state government based on student enrollment and categorical aids
2. Local Property Taxes: Revenue from local property taxes with mill rate of $5.43 per $1,000 of fair market value (lowest in Fond du Lac County)
3. Operational Referendum: Voter-approved operational funds allowing district to exceed state-imposed revenue limits; April 2026 referendum seeking $7.5 million annually through 2029-30 school year
4. Food Services: Food service operations through Chartwells K12 partnership; free and reduced lunch program administration
5. Donations and Community Support: Donations from community members and organizations supporting various programs and initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fond du Lac School District is a public K-12 school district that provides free education to over 6,400 students across 14 schools, including nine elementary, three middle, one high school, and the STEM Academy charter school. Core offerings include four-year-old kindergarten, career-focused academies (ACE, Healthcare, REM) with youth apprenticeships and post-secondary credits, fine arts, athletics, English Learner services, gifted and talented programming, and student support services including the Fondy CARES mental health program.

Product overview

The Fond du Lac School District operates as a comprehensive K-12 public education system offering a unified portfolio of educational programs and student services across 14 schools serving over 6,400 students. The core product is the general education curriculum spanning four-year-old kindergarten through 12th grade, supplemented by specialized programs including STEM Academy (charter school grades 6-12), Career Connections Academies (ACE, Healthcare, REM), Fine Arts, and Athletics. The district provides extensive student support services including Fondy CARES mental health program, school counseling, English Learner services, Gifted and Talented programming, and Summer Adventure Academy. Additional services include Driver Education, Afterschool Clubhouse, Fondy Food services (partnering with Chartwells K12), and community facility rentals including two theatres. The district utilizes Skyward Student Information System for family/student portal access and ClassLink for single sign-on authentication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEM Academy: Charter school for grades 6-12 that emphasizes project-based learning in science, technology, engineering and math
• Fondy CARES
• Fondy Food
• Summer Adventure Academy

Products and services

• K-12 General Education Comprehensive K-12 public education program serving over 6,400 students across 14 schools including nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one high school, STEM Academy (charter 6-12), and Fondy Central alternative school.
• 4-Year-Old Kindergarten (4K) Free four-year-old kindergarten program offered at multiple district and offsite locations (childcare centers, YMCA) with half-day and full-day options for families.
• STEM Academy (Charter School) Charter school for grades 6-12 emphasizing project-based learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics with a separate admissions process.
• Career Connections Academies Three academies at Fond du Lac High School (ACE, Healthcare, and REM) providing career pathways in architecture, construction, engineering, healthcare, and manufacturing with youth apprenticeships and post-secondary credits.
• Fine Arts Program Comprehensive fine arts education from elementary through high school including music (band, orchestra, choir), theater (musicals and plays), and visual art, with AP courses and advanced performance opportunities.
• Co-Curricular Athletics Athletic programs for middle and high school students promoting teamwork and development across sports including volleyball, football, basketball, golf, and more.
• Fondy CARES Mental Health Program School-based mental health program providing mental health screening (offered to 7th and 9th graders), counseling services, and partnerships with local mental health organizations to support student emotional well-being.
• Summer Adventure Academy Summer learning program for students in 4K through 12th grade offering courses in academics, enrichment, and skill development during summer months.
• Driver Education Driver education combining classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction with Wisconsin-certified teachers, available in-person at FDL High School or online, including permit testing and DMV coordination.
• Afterschool Clubhouse After-school child care and enrichment program providing supervision and educational activities for students outside regular school hours.
• Fondy Food Services School meal program partnering with Chartwells K12 to provide nutritious breakfast and lunch using fresh, locally sourced ingredients, with free and reduced lunch applications available.
• School Counseling Services Comprehensive school counseling at elementary, middle, and high school levels providing academic guidance, college/career planning, and social-emotional support.
• English Learner Services English language development program supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students speaking 15+ native languages, using WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework.
• Gifted and Talented Program Differentiated education program identifying and serving gifted and talented students with flexible and varied educational experiences to develop intellectual, academic, creative, and leadership abilities.
• Facility Use Program Community facility rental program allowing organizations to reserve school facilities including Goodrich Little Theatre and FHS Performing Arts Center for events and activities.
• District Theatres Two theatre facilities: Goodrich Little Theatre (72 W. 9th Street) for intimate productions and FHS Performing Arts Center (801 Campus Drive) for larger productions, with professional theatre management.

Quantifiable outcome

• District ranking improved from 375/421 to 175/421 in Wisconsin state report cards
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Chartwells K12coreOthersFood service partnership providing nutritious, fresh, locally sourced meals to students. Chartwells operates school cafeterias and provides menu planning, food preparation, and nutritional program management.
• ADVOCAPsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity action agency partnership for Head Start program at 4K full-day locations. ADVOCAP provides additional application process for qualifying families to access comprehensive early childhood services.
• Johnson Bus CompanycoreOthersTransportation provider for student bus services. First contact for transportation route inquiries and student behavior issues on buses.
• Marian UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost-secondary educational institution in Fond du Lac providing higher education opportunities and potential partnerships for student pathways.
• Moraine Park Technical CollegesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical college in the area offering career and technical education pathways, apprenticeships, and post-secondary credit opportunities for district students.
• BurlingtonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting classrooms and students through donations and classroom support programs.
• Adopt A ClassroomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational nonprofit providing classroom donations and educational resource support for district classrooms and students.
• Fond du Lac Education AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation association partnership for annual Friend of Education Award recognizing individuals or groups contributing to education excellence in the community.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Marian University (Fond du Lac): Local post-secondary partner that offers dual-credit and pathway programs to FDLSD students; comparable as an educational institution serving the same Fond du Lac community but operates at the higher-education level rather than K-12.
• Moraine Park Technical College: Regional technical college that partners with FDLSD on youth apprenticeships, career academies, and dual credit; an ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor but highly relevant to FDLSD's CTE strategy.

Direct peers

• Appleton Area School District: Comparable-sized Wisconsin public K-12 district in the Fox Valley region offering similar academic, athletic, and career-pathway programs; directly competes for open-enrollment students and shares the same state aid funding structure.
• West Bend School District: Mid-size Wisconsin public K-12 district located near Fond du Lac; competes for open-enrollment transfers and faces identical state aid, referendum, and report-card accountability dynamics.
• Kettle Moraine School District: Wisconsin public K-12 district known for its charter/lab-school models and STEM programming; directly comparable to FDLSD's STEM Academy charter and competes for families seeking project-based learning.
• Janesville School District: Wisconsin public K-12 district of similar enrollment scale, sharing state accountability and referendum dynamics; comparable career-pathway and dual-credit partnerships with regional technical colleges.
• Neenah Joint School District: Fox Valley public K-12 district competing directly for open-enrollment families and operating under the same Wisconsin funding and referenda framework; comparable program offerings and student demographics.
• Stevens Point Area School District: Mid-size Wisconsin public K-12 district operating under the same state funding, open-enrollment, and report-card framework; comparable size and program offerings including career academies.
• Oshkosh Area School District: Neighboring East-Central Wisconsin public K-12 district of similar scale, sharing state report card accountability, Wisconsin open-enrollment dynamics, and comparable demographic and English-learner populations.
• Sheboygan Area School District: East-Central Wisconsin public K-12 district of similar enrollment scale serving a city and surrounding area; competes for the same labor-market graduates and operates similar career/technical education pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FondySchools
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZqM5KLyo2aJTLtfen6V4wQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/fdl4k
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fond-du-lac-school-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondyschools

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 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 Fond Du Lac School District