Lightbridge Academy^®

Children's Services • Year: 2026

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What Is Lightbridge Academy?

Lightbridge Academy is a franchise in the Children's Services category offering early learning and child care programs. It operates through brick-and-mortar Lightbridge Academy Centers (typically ~8,000–11,600 sq. ft.) serving infants, toddlers, preschool and kindergarten-age children and providing summer camps, before care, after care and back-up care to families (B2C). The franchise delivers services under the Lightbridge Academy System and Proprietary Marks, which include a proprietary design and layout, fixtures and furnishings, teaching methods, operational procedures, training and promotional programs.

Lightbridge Academy Franchise: Pros and Cons

The franchisor delivers 160 hours of initial training (top 10% in Children's Services) and a 100 training-and-support score, showing unusually strong pre-opening support, but its 16 corporate-owned locations (top 10%) - plus 43 signed-but-not-open outlets - suggest the company may prefer operating sites itself and slow franchise openings.

Pros

The 160 hours of initial training is well above what's typical in Children's Services (top 10%), showing the franchisor invests heavily in preparing new operators before opening.

A training-and-support score of 100 sits well above peers (top quarter), indicating the franchisor provides unusually strong structured resources and guidance to franchisees.

A stability score of 100, combined with zero disclosed lawsuits, terminations, non-renewals, or reacquired outlets (all well below typical), points to a legally clean, steady system with few formal disputes to date.

Cons

The 16 corporate-owned locations is well above what's typical in Children's Services (top 10%), which can signal the franchisor favors operating sites itself and warrants deeper investigation into their commitment to growing the franchise network.

There are 43 signed-but-not-open outlets, a figure well above typical (top 10%), which could indicate the franchisor is selling agreements faster than it can support openings or that there are delays in site approvals and buildouts-both of which can extend your time to revenue.

There is no mandatory ongoing training (an unusual absence-about 86.6% of peers require it), meaning you may face less enforced skill refresh and inconsistent operational support after opening.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

100

Excellent

Lightbridge Academy reported no material legal proceedings,

Territory Protection

43/100

NORMAL

Lightbridge Academy grants a protected, non-exclusive territory-mapped in the Franchise Agreement and limited to the Approved Location in dense urban markets. Territory is contingent on performance, and the franchisor retains right to develop or convert units and to use other marks or alternative channels, without a right of first refusal.

Training & Support

100

Excellent

The brand provides an extensive 160-hour training curriculum designed to prepare four staff members for launch. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness; on-site services carry additional fees, and travel and living expenses are the responsibility of the franchisee.

Franchisee Stability

100

Excellent

Lightbridge Academy earns an Excellent Stability Score. Three-year turnover of 0.00% is well below the typical Children's Services franchise (around 4%). Across the three-year span there were no exits: no terminations, no non-renewals, no franchisor buybacks, and no ceased operations.

The absence of recorded exits over the three-year span indicates consistent retention among the operators who reported. This pattern can reflect solid unit economics, careful franchisee selection, and active operator support from the franchisor. The system comprises about 38 franchised outlets in the most recent year, so prospective buyers should still verify performance by speaking with current franchisees and reviewing operational metrics. Ask to review unit-level financials, enrollment trends, staff retention, and local regulatory compliance to confirm consistent economics in your target market. Also request references across a range of tenures so you can see how operations hold up over time. For prospective franchisees, the picture so far is uniformly clean: every franchisee who came in stayed in.

Unit Growth Analysis

The chain showed accelerating expansion through 2025 (66 → 73 in 2024, +7 units / +10.6%; 73 → 81 in 2025, +8 units / +11.0%) but then experienced a sharp contraction in 2026 (81 → 61, −20 units / −24.7%). For investors this mixed picture-healthy unit additions through 2025 followed by a 35.7 percentage-point swing from +11.0% to −24.7%-is a warning sign that the franchise’s recent growth momentum has reversed and warrants investigation into mass closures, terminations or market issues before committing capital.

How Much Do Lightbridge Academy Franchise Owners Make?

Lightbridge Academy franchise locations reported median gross sales of $1,662,322 in 2026, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

N/A

Median Gross Sales:

$1,662,322

High Gross Sales:

$2,435,128

Low Gross Sales:

$666,679

Sample Size:

Audit Status:

Unaudited

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Franchised Mature Centers show a median gross revenue of 1,662,322 for the 2022 period reported, while affiliated/company-operated centers in earlier tables had different medians and ranges, indicating franchised locations are a primary revenue driver in the disclosed data.

Performance Variability Analysis: There is substantial variability across franchised Mature Centers in 2022, with reported highs of 2,435,128 and lows of 666,679, implying meaningful dispersion in center performance that prospective buyers should investigate.

Data Scope and Limitations: The 2022 figures cover January–September results for Mature Franchised Centers and do not include an average (mean) revenue or percent attaining average; expense line items and full-year 2021 P&L figures are available elsewhere in the Item 19 but the 2022 P&L details are not fully presented.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lightbridge Academy a good franchise to own?

Whether Lightbridge Academy is a good franchise depends on your goals, experience, and local market. Key factors from the 2026 FDD: Lightbridge Academy operates 61 locations, received a legal risk score of 100/100, a training and support score of 100/100. Financial performance data is disclosed in Item 19. Prospective franchisees should review the full Franchise Disclosure Document and consult with a franchise attorney before making any investment decision.

How long does it take to break even with a Lightbridge Academy franchise?

Break-even timelines for Lightbridge Academy franchises are not disclosed in the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Break-even periods vary significantly based on initial investment level, local market conditions, operating costs, and revenue ramp-up speed. Prospective franchisees should build a pro forma financial model using Item 7 cost estimates and, where available, Item 19 financial performance data from the FDD.

Is Lightbridge Academy a franchise or a corporate-owned business?

As of the 2026 FDD, Lightbridge Academy operates 45 franchised locations and 16 company-owned locations. Franchise opportunities are available through the franchisor's disclosure process.

Interested in Lightbridge Academy?

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