Second Step
Second Step is a PreK-12 social-emotional learning curriculum platform operated by nonprofit Committee for Children, delivering digital lessons, videos, and professional learning to 45,000+ U.S. schools via district-wide and site-specific subscriptions with specialized units for bullying prevention, child protection, and digital well-being.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Second Step does
Second Step is a PreK-12 social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum program operated by Committee for Children, a Washington-state nonprofit headquartered in Tukwila. The platform delivers age-appropriate lessons, videos, classroom activities, professional learning modules, and an administrative Leader Dashboard across Elementary (K-5), Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12), and Early Learning (PreK), with specialized units for Bullying Prevention, Child Protection, Digital Well-Being, Out-of-School Time, and Mind Yeti mindfulness. Programs are used in 45,000+ schools and are backed by 40+ years of independent research with claimed outcome metrics including 6 percentile-point gains in academic motivation, 14 percentile-point reductions in out-of-school suspensions, and 11 percentile-point gains in school climate, with cited independent research of an $11 return per $1 invested. In October 2025, Second Step expanded its portfolio with Second Step SEL for Adults, a standalone digital subscription targeting the adult educator workforce.
Second Step generates revenue primarily through annual digital subscription licenses sold on either a Site-Specific or district-wide basis, supplemented by one-time purchases of physical Classroom Kits (K-5 and individual middle school grades) and Professional Development Workshops sold as either 90-minute remote sessions or half-day on-site sessions. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the company accepts Title I and other educational funding sources, and new subscription licenses can be cancelled within 30 days. Go-to-market combines a five-representative regional field sales force covering all U.S. states, D.C., territories, and Canada, with inside-sales/self-serve channels (e-commerce storefront at store.secondstep.org, support portal), and a channel partnership with ERB Learning for the private school segment. The company is privately held as a nonprofit, has no disclosed funding rounds or external capital events, and reports a headcount of 51-100. Recent strategic activity has centered on product expansion (SEL for Adults, Digital Well-Being Unit, license v2026 update with Site-Specific tier) and geographic coverage build-out rather than M&A or capital raises.
Second Step firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Second Step
- Legal name
- Committee for Children
- Website
- https://secondstep.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Second Step is a PreK-12 social-emotional learning curriculum platform operated by nonprofit Committee for Children, delivering digital lessons, videos, and professional learning to 45,000+ U.S. schools via district-wide and site-specific subscriptions with specialized units for bullying prevention, child protection, and digital well-being.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Second Step industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Emotional Regulation Programs (EDAMAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Student Safety, Wellbeing & SEL Technology (Monitoring, Reporting) (EDAJAMAJ), Classroom-Based SEL Curriculum & Lessons (Preschool/Pre-K) (EDACAOAA), Digital/Interactive SEL Apps & Media for Early Childhood (EDACAOAL), Teacher/Provider SEL Coaching & Implementation Training (ECE) (EDACAOAH)
Keywords
Where Second Step is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Second Step business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Digital Subscription Licenses: Annual or periodic subscription-based access to digital curriculum, lessons, videos, activities, professional learning, and administrative dashboard. Licensed on a site-specific or district-wide basis.
- Classroom Kits: Physical curriculum kits available for Kindergarten through Grade 5, and individual middle school grades (6-8). One-time purchase with perpetual license terms.
- Professional Development Workshops: Remote workshops (approximately 90 minutes, up to 30 participants) and on-site workshops (half-day, 4 hours) available for additional fees. Remote workshops sold individually; on-site sold per half-day.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Site-specific digital subscription for individual schools |
| Subscription | Annual | District-wide digital subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Remote professional development workshops |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | On-site professional development workshops |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Well-Being Specialized Unit |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Second Step product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Second Step provides an evidence-based, PreK–12 social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum licensed to K-12 schools and districts via annual digital subscriptions, with separate site-specific and district-wide licensing tiers. The offering includes age-appropriate digital lessons, videos, classroom activities, professional learning modules, and a Leader Dashboard, supplemented by physical classroom kits and specialized units covering bullying prevention, child protection, and digital well-being. The company also sells paid professional development workshops (remote and on-site) to support implementation fidelity.
Product overview
Second Step is a PreK–12 social-emotional learning (SEL) platform offered by Committee for Children. The core offering is the Second Step K-12 Digital Curriculum, a unified platform-plus-modules architecture comprising grade-banded programs: Second Step Elementary Digital Program (K–5), Second Step Middle School (6–8), and Second Step High School (9–12), all built on a foundation of evidence-based human skills instruction. The portfolio includes specialized add-on units: Digital Well-Being Unit, Bullying Prevention Unit (K–5), Child Protection Unit (PreK–5), Second Step Early Learning (PreK), Elementary Classroom Kits (K–5), Out-of-School Time (K–5), and Mind Yeti mindfulness sessions. A separate adult-focused product, Second Step SEL for Adults, provides professional learning for educators. The platform is supplemented by the Second Step Leader Dashboard for administrative tracking, Professional Development services (Remote and On-Site Workshops), and a Resource Library of research, assessments, and blog content. Programs are licensed via subscription (Site-Specific or districtwide) and are used in 45,000+ schools across the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mind Yeti: A mindfulness and social-emotional learning program offered by Committee for Children alongside Second Step programs.
Products and services
- Second Step K-12 Digital Curriculum Comprehensive PreK-12 digital curriculum for social-emotional learning, covering behavior, belonging, and readiness to learn through age-appropriate lessons, videos, and classroom activities. Licensed to schools and districts on an annual subscription basis.
- Second Step Elementary Digital Program Digital SEL curriculum for elementary grades (K-5) featuring structured lessons on empathy, problem-solving, and emotion regulation, with educator supports including videos and step-by-step guidance.
- Second Step Middle School
Quantifiable outcome
- Schools using Second Step Elementary digital program saw a 6-percentile-point gain in academic motivation compared to non-implementing schools
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Second Step
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Second Step technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Second Step partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ERB Learning (Educational Records Bureau)minorPrivate school customers are directed to contact ERB Learning for Second Step program purchases and support. This channel partnership provides access to the private school market segment through an established education reseller.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Second Step competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 7 Mindsets: 7 Mindsets provides K-12 SEL curriculum and educator training focused on mindset and social-emotional skills — directly comparable to Second Step's grade-banded digital programs and PD services.
- CharacterStrong: CharacterStrong provides K-12 SEL and character education curriculum with staff training and tiered support — directly overlapping with Second Step's grade-banded programs and professional development workshops.
- Panorama Education: Panorama Education provides a K-12 student success platform including SEL curriculum, surveys, and MTSS-aligned intervention tools to schools and districts — directly competing with Second Step's Leader Dashboard and district-wide offering.
- Move This World: Move This World delivers video-based SEL curriculum and professional development to K-12 schools and districts — competing directly with Second Step's digital lessons, videos, and PD workshops.
- Rethink Ed: Rethink Ed offers K-12 SEL, mental health, and behavior management curriculum and professional development to schools — directly overlapping with Second Step's specialized units (bullying prevention, child protection) and PD offerings.
- EVERFI: EVERFI delivers K-12 digital SEL, character education, and wellness curricula to schools and districts with subscription licensing — directly comparable to Second Step's grade-banded digital curriculum and PD model.
- Aperture Education: Aperture Education offers the DESSA SEL assessment and intervention platform used by K-12 districts — directly competing with Second Step's MTSS-aligned tiered interventions and Leader Dashboard analytics.
Broad incumbents
- Nearpod: Nearpod (part of Renaissance Learning) is a broad K-12 instructional platform that has expanded into SEL and wellbeing content — overlapping with Second Step's digital curriculum delivery while serving a much wider K-12 use case.
- Discovery Education: Discovery Education is a broad K-12 digital curriculum provider with SEL and social-emotional resources embedded in its platform — competing with Second Step at the district-wide content level as a larger incumbent.
Others
- CASEL: CASEL is the leading nonprofit research and advocacy organization for SEL, setting the framework districts use when evaluating SEL programs like Second Step — an ecosystem influencer rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Second Step social profiles
Digital presenceSecond Step financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Second Step leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Second Step funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Second Step M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Second Step
What does Second Step do?
Second Step provides an evidence-based, PreK–12 social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum licensed to K-12 schools and districts via annual digital subscriptions, with separate site-specific and district-wide licensing tiers. The offering includes age-appropriate digital lessons, videos, classroom activities, professional learning modules, and a Leader Dashboard, supplemented by physical classroom kits and specialized units covering bullying prevention, child protection, and digital well-being. The company also sells paid professional development workshops (remote and on-site) to support implementation fidelity.
Is Second Step a public or private company?
Second Step is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Second Step founded?
Second Step was founded in 2012. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Second Step based?
Second Step is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Second Step make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Digital Subscription Licenses are the primary driver. The others are classroom Kits and professional Development Workshops.
Who are Second Step's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 7 Mindsets, CharacterStrong, Panorama Education, Move This World, Rethink Ed, EVERFI and Aperture Education. Broad incumbents are Nearpod and Discovery Education. CASEL is listed as an others.
Does Second Step have an API?
No public API is recorded for Second Step.
What industry is Second Step in?
Second Step's product category is K-12 Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAIAC, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Emotional Regulation Programs, with a secondary code of EDAJAMAJ, Student Safety, Wellbeing & SEL Technology (Monitoring, Reporting). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.