The Goddard School Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a The Goddard School franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
The Goddard School discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it B.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Disclosed: 620 mature schools (18+ months open) and 37 new schools (≤18 months). Mean gross revenue $2.36M-$2.11M; EBITDA 26%-21%. Data unaudited, compiled from franchisee reports. No cherry-picked percentile representations.
What a The Goddard School franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $135,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 7% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 4% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 11% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $1,003,500 – $8,908,000 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
Royalty 7% gross receipts; marketing fee 4%; initial license $135K (reduced options: $60K existing franchisee, $115K veteran, $40K transfer). Multiple ancillary fees disclosed.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
The Goddard School system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 665 |
| Ceased operations | 1 |
| Closure rate | 0.2% of outlets |
One mature school closed in 2025 after 12+ months operation; represents <0.2% closure rate.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is The Goddard School worth it? — how it compares to 60 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 11% of sales | steeper than 80% of children's education & childcare franchises |
| Startup cost | from $1,003,500 | pricier than 83% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade B | more honest than 75% of children's education & childcare franchises |
| Closure rate | 0.2% of outlets | better than most (median 1.4%) |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 1 | more litigious than 65% of peers |
Benchmarked against every children's education & childcare franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a The Goddard School
The franchisor's framing: Disclosed: 620 mature schools (18+ months open) and 37 new schools (≤18 months). Mean gros… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
The Goddard School franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a The Goddard School franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $1,003,500–$8,908,000, including a $135,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do The Goddard School franchise owners make?
- Disclosed: 620 mature schools (18+ months open) and 37 new schools (≤18 months). Mean gross revenue $2.36M-$2.11M; EBITDA 26%-21%. Data unaudited, compiled from franchisee reports. No cherry-picked percentile representations. We grade this disclosure B for honesty.
- What are the The Goddard School franchise fees?
- The Goddard School's FDD discloses a $135,000 initial franchise fee, a 7% royalty on gross sales, a 4% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 11% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. Royalty 7% gross receipts; marketing fee 4%; initial license $135K (reduced options: $60K existing franchisee, $115K veteran, $40K transfer). Multiple ancillary fees disclosed.
- What is the The Goddard School franchise profit margin?
- The Goddard School does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: Disclosed: 620 mature schools (18+ months open) and 37 new schools (≤18 months). Mean gross revenue $2.36M-$2.11M; EBITDA 26%-21%. Data unaudited, compiled from franchisee reports. No cherry-picked percentile representations. Recurring fees alone take about 11% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the The Goddard School franchise failure rate?
- One mature school closed in 2025 after 12+ months operation; represents <0.2% closure rate.
- How many The Goddard School locations are there?
- The Goddard School's FDD reports 665 total outlets, with 1 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does The Goddard School have complaints or lawsuits?
- The Goddard School discloses 1 legal matter in Item 3 of its FDD. Item 3 covers the franchisor's litigation history, which is the closest thing to a public record of how it treats franchisees — read the case descriptions, not just the count.
- Is a The Goddard School franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. The Goddard School scores B on disclosure honesty, carries about 11% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 1 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
Own a The Goddard School? Add your real numbers (anonymous)
We publish only aggregated benchmarks — never your name. Contribute and we'll show you how your numbers compare.
Compare The Goddard School to similar franchises
See all franchises ranked by disclosure honesty →
Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with The Goddard School or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.