Illuminate Education

What Illuminate Education does

Illuminate Education provides K-12 assessment and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) management software to public and charter school districts across all 50 US states, serving approximately 17 million students in 5,200 schools and districts. The platform integrates several core products: FastBridge (research-based universal screening and progress monitoring for reading, math, and social-emotional behavior, including the proprietary FAST Projection Line that delivers growth predictions in 6 data points), DnA (standards-based assessment creation and administration with instant scoring and formative feedback), eduCLIMBER (MTSS collaboration and whole-child data visualization), SchoolCity (assessment and data platform), Illuminate Content/Inspect, and CaseNEX (professional development). The platform ingests student data from dozens of SIS systems via APIs and supports SSO (SAML, LDAP, OAuth2), LTI 1.0/1.1, OneRoster, and Ed-Fi 2.5+ interoperability standards.

The company generates revenue primarily through district-level annual SaaS subscriptions negotiated on the basis of student enrollment, number of schools, and product selection. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; procurement is facilitated through direct enterprise sales, regional buying consortiums (Texas TIPS/ESC, California EdTech JPA, Michigan REMC SAVE, Arizona S.A.V.E.), and reseller partnerships. State-level approvals as universal screeners in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arizona provide additional demand-pull channels.

Illuminate was formed in 2018 through the consolidation of five leading K-12 education technology companies, followed by a 2019 merger with FastBridge Learning. The company is headquartered in Irvine, California (530 Technology Drive, Suite 100), employs 101-250 people, and is led by CEO Christine Willig. According to source data, Illuminate operates under Renaissance Learning following a 2021 acquisition, though structured ownership commentary in the input suggests no parent ownership is disclosed. The company has faced significant regulatory actions following a December 2021 cyberattack that exposed personal data of approximately 10.1 million current and former students, resulting in FTC enforcement orders and state-level settlements totaling millions of dollars.

Name

Illuminate Education

Legal name

Illuminate Education, inc.

Website

https://illuminateed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Illuminate Education provides K-12 assessment and MTSS management software to school districts across all 50 US states, serving 17 million students in 5,200 schools through products including FastBridge, DnA, eduCLIMBER, and SchoolCity, and operating under Renaissance Learning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Education Technology / Student Assessment Platform

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Survey, Formative Assessment & Classroom Response (Quizzes/Polls) Tools (EDAFADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classroom Assessment & Grading (Formative/Summative) (EDAJAFAC), Assessment, Testing & Analytics Platforms (Formative/Summative) (EDAJAMAC), Portfolio, Performance & Rubric-Based Assessment Platforms (EDAFADAL), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD)

Keywords

• K-12 assessment platform
• Universal screening software
• MTSS management tools
• Student data interoperability
• Education technology SaaS

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SaaS Platform Subscription (K-12 Assessment & MTSS): Illuminate Education generates revenue through annual subscription licensing of its K-12 assessment and MTSS management platforms to school districts and schools. Customers access products including FastBridge, DnA, eduCLIMBER, SchoolCity, and Illuminate Content through district-level subscriptions. Pricing is tied to district/student scale, with regional consortium purchasing agreements available. Revenue is recurring (annual subscriptions) with typical multi-year contract relationships with district customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Illuminate Education provides a K-12 student performance platform that combines comprehensive assessment administration with MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) management and data visualization tools for school districts. The integrated platform includes FastBridge (research-based universal screening and progress monitoring for academics and social-emotional behavior), DnA (standards-based assessment creation and administration), eduCLIMBER (MTSS collaboration and whole-child data visualization), SchoolCity (assessment platform), and Illuminate Content (standards-based assessment content), serving 17 million students across 5,200 schools and districts in all 50 U.S. states through annual district-level subscriptions.

Product overview

Illuminate Education offers a comprehensive education technology platform combining multiple integrated products for K-12 assessment and student performance management. The core portfolio includes FastBridge (research-based universal screening and progress monitoring for academics and SEB with computer adaptive tests and curriculum-based measures), DnA (standards-based assessment creation and administration with instant scoring and formative feedback), eduCLIMBER (MTSS collaboration and management with whole-child data visualizations), SchoolCity (assessment platform with universal screening and progress monitoring), and Illuminate Content/Inspect (standards-based assessment content). The platform serves over 17 million students across 5,200 schools and districts, emphasizing interoperability through Ed-Fi standards, LTI certification, and extensive API integrations with student information systems, learning management systems, and assessment tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FastBridge: Research-based K-12 universal screening and progress monitoring assessments for academics and social-emotional behavior (SEB) with intervention recommendations.
• DnA
• eduCLIMBER
• Illuminate Content
• SchoolCity
• CaseNEX

Products and services

• FastBridge Comprehensive K-12 assessment solution providing research-based universal screening and progress monitoring for academics (reading, math) and social-emotional behavior (SEB) with built-in intervention recommendations. Includes computer adaptive tests (aReading, aMath), curriculum-based measures (CBMreading, earlyReading), and SEB assessments (SAEBRS) for K-12 school districts.
• DnA (Data and Assessment) Standards-based assessment creation and administration platform with instant scoring, formative feedback, interactive reporting, and targeted activities. Provides a publicly available API for clients and other EdTech vendors to retrieve student assessment results.
• eduCLIMBER MTSS collaboration and management platform providing whole-child data visualizations and built-in tools for essential MTSS practices, including student need identification and intervention effectiveness tracking for K-12 educators.
• SchoolCity Assessment platform enabling universal screening, curriculum-based measures, computer adaptive tests, reports, progress monitoring, reading and math assessments, and social-emotional behavior assessment for K-12 districts and schools.
• Illuminate Content (Inspect) Standards and skills-based content and assessments providing a complete set of tools to understand each student's academic and social-emotional behavior learning and needs.
• CaseNEX Professional development course offerings for educators including online and asynchronous courses to enhance skills, maintain certifications, and earn university credits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Math achievement losses of 3-4 months in grades 5-8 identified through FastBridge fall 2020 screening data
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration42 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

34 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 1EdTech ConsortiumcoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminate is a Contributing Member to 1EdTech and officially LTI 1.0, LTI 1.1, and LTI Outcomes Service Certified. The company utilizes 1EdTech Question & Test Interoperability (QTI) technology for assessment item types and One Roster export solution for seamless student roster and grade data exchange with SIS systems. Illuminate is exploring CASE standard interoperability in partnership with 1EdTech.
• Apex LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced November 17, 2020 enables educators to connect Illuminate assessment results with Apex Learning digital curriculum (Math and ELA), correlating learning gap assessments to digital curriculum for individualized learning pathways. Particularly relevant for addressing COVID-19 learning gaps for grades 6-12.
• ASCDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced December 9, 2020 expanded Illuminate's CaseNEX professional development course offerings with ASCD resources, including the ASCD Activate Professional Learning Library. ASCD is a renowned educational leadership association with 113,573 members across 129 countries. Courses accessible to educators starting in 2021.
• TurnitinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced December 2, 2020 provides teachers with knowledge and resources to help discourage cheating and promote quality formative assessment creation and delivery in a distance learning environment.
• Google for EducationcoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminate is a Google for Education Premier Partner, committed to integrating Illuminate products into the Google ecosystem including full support for Google Cloud, Google Classroom, and G Suite. Illuminate works alongside Google's team to provide solutions for Educators, Students, and Parents.
• Ed-Fi AlliancecoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminate partnered with the Dell Foundation to develop the ability for standard assessment data originating within DnA to be made available to providers utilizing the Ed-Fi 2.5 and higher standards. Illuminate also utilizes Ed-Fi standards to incorporate SIS data from Ed-Fi certified systems such as the Michigan Data Hubs.
• Canvas (Instructure)coreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Instructure's LMS, Canvas, can utilize Illuminate's DnA and SchoolCity online assessments and receive student scores in Canvas gradebook using the LTI standard and Canvas API for DnA. Automatic single sign-on (SSO) is supported, and the eSD automated file export consumes staff, student, and roster data along with assignment and score data.
• Schoology (PowerSchool)coreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Schoology LMS can utilize Illuminate's DnA and SchoolCity online assessments and receive student scores in Schoology gradebook using the LTI standard. Automatic SSO to DnA and SchoolCity for staff and students is supported. The eSD OneRoster API consumes staff, student, and roster data along with assignment and score data.
• BlackboardcoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Blackboard LMS can utilize Illuminate's DnA API to populate data within the application. The eSD API is utilized in Blackboard to consume staff, student, roster, and other data. Using the LTI standard, users can launch DnA or SchoolCity online assessments and receive student scores in the Blackboard gradebook.
• Brightspace (D2L)coreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Brightspace D2L LMS can utilize Illuminate's DnA and SchoolCity online assessments and receive student scores in Brightspace gradebook using the LTI standard. Automatic SSO to DnA and SchoolCity for staff and students is supported.
• MoodlecoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Moodle LMS can utilize Illuminate's DnA and SchoolCity online assessments and receive student scores in Moodle gradebook using the LTI standard. Automatic SSO to DnA and SchoolCity for staff and students is supported.
• PowerSchoolcoreTechnology or IntegrationDistricts control and manage a process to transfer data from PowerSchool to Illuminate. Illuminate also has a process to ingest PowerSchool content (assessments or items) and to send/receive roster data.
• SkywardcoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Skyward can control and manage data transfer to Illuminate. Users can push assessment grades into the Skyward gradebook. Users can launch DnA online assessments and receive student scores in the Skyward gradebook. SSO between Skyward SMS, DnA, SchoolCity, and FastBridge is also supported.
• Infinite CampuscoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Infinite Campus LMS can launch Illuminate's DnA online assessments within Campus and receive student scores in Infinite Campus's gradebook using the LTI standard. For SchoolCity users, Push to Points-Based Gradebook via Infinite Campus API and OneRoster API are supported.
• Aeries (Pacific Data Images)coreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Aeries SIS can utilize Illuminate's DnA API to populate data within its application. API is utilized to consume staff, student, roster, and other data. Users can launch DnA online assessments and receive student scores in the Aeries gradebook. SSO to Illuminate for staff and students is also supported.
• Synergy (Edupoint)coreTechnology or IntegrationDistricts control and manage a process to transfer data from Synergy to Illuminate. Users can push assessment grades directly to the Synergy gradebook using Synergy API.
• ClevercoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Clever can utilize SSO to SchoolCity and FastBridge for a seamless experience. Clever roster data can be sent/received. Clever also utilizes Illuminate's API to populate data in its application.
• ClassLinkcoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of ClassLink can utilize SSO to DnA, SchoolCity, IDE, and ISE for staff and students. Additionally, ClassLink Roster is available for SchoolCity.
• Rapid IdentitycoreTechnology or IntegrationUsers of Rapid Identity can utilize SSO to DnA, SchoolCity, IDE, and ISE for staff and students. Additionally, Rapid Identity Roster is available for SchoolCity.
• NWEAcoreTechnology or IntegrationIlluminate provides a means to automatically import NWEA MAP results directly into Illuminate DnA, enabling educators to view MAP data alongside Illuminate assessment data.
• Renaissance LearningcoreTechnology or IntegrationRenaissance Learning utilizes Illuminate's API to populate data in its application. In addition, Illuminate users can import Renaissance Learning assessments. (Note: Renaissance Learning acquired Illuminate Education in 2021, creating a parent-subsidiary relationship with deep product integration.)
• Move This WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMove This World works in partnership with Illuminate Education to help educators provide explicit instruction and regular practice of social emotional skills in response to the data they gather in the classroom. The multimedia curriculum supports and strengthens students through instruction aligned with CASEL's five core competencies.
• Choose LoveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChoose Love and Illuminate Education's partnership provides schools with a holistic and comprehensive social-emotional solution. The SAEBRS assessment (part of FastBridge) enables schools to easily identify students that need additional social-emotional support, while Choose Love character education program teaches students, educators, and staff how to choose love in any circumstance.
• EmpowerUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpowerU and Illuminate Education's partnership provides schools with a holistic and comprehensive social-emotional solution. The SAEBRS (part of FastBridge K-12 assessment) enables schools to identify students needing social-emotional support, and EmpowerU delivers vital support with an evidence-based, proven solution.
• SWIFT Education CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIlluminate joined forces with the SWIFT Education Center — the nation's leader in equity-based MTSS — to build system-wide capacity at all levels to promote academic and behavior supports and improve outcomes for all students. Paired with Illuminate's data and workflow tools, SWIFT's technical assistance and professional development provides a transformative approach to sustainable MTSS implementation.
• Kelvin EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKelvin Education's Pulse surveys (providing regular check-ins with students, faculty/staff, and parents) can be uploaded into Illuminate's eduCLIMBER, enabling staff to analyze responses over time against key performance indicators and district strategic plans.
• University of Virginia (PALS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough a partnership with the University of Virginia, Illuminate offers PALS (PALS-PreK, PALS-K, PALS Plus, PALS español K/1-3) — six literacy assessments covering preschool through grade 8 — to school districts.
• Region 1 ESC Buying Consortium (TX)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegion One Buying Consortium member schools and districts in Texas can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP by using this consortium contract.
• Region 10 ESC Buying Consortium (TX)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegion 10 'EdTech' Buying Consortium member schools and districts in Texas can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP.
• Region 7 ESC Buying Consortium (TX)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegion 7 Buying Consortium member schools and districts in Texas can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP.
• Region 8 ESC/TIPS Buying Consortium (TX)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegion 8/TIPS Buying Consortium member schools and districts in Texas can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP.
• EdTech JPA (CA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEdTech JPA member schools and districts in California can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP by using this consortium contract.
• REMC SAVE (MI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorREMC SAVE member schools and districts in Michigan can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP by using this consortium contract.
• S.A.V.E. Buying Consortium (AZ)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorS.A.V.E. member schools and districts can purchase Illuminate products without going through an RFP process by using this consortium contract.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Illuminate Education