What Collaborative for Educational Services does

The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) is a Massachusetts public nonprofit educational service agency founded in 1974 and headquartered at 97 Hawley Street, Northampton. Governed by representatives of its 37 member school districts in Hampshire and Franklin Counties, CES operates as a multi-program service platform delivering direct educational and support services to children and youth from birth through age 22, alongside professional development, consulting, and cooperative purchasing for its member districts and other New England clients. Its service portfolio spans three pillars: Professional Development (open-enrollment events, site-based learning, Professional Learning Communities, coaching, and an event portal handling tuition and graduate-credit processing); Consulting (curriculum, early childhood, English learner education, leadership, literacy, research and evaluation, special education, strategic planning, and technology in education, including AI literacy guidance and ISTE Certification delivery); and Children, Youth, and Families programs including HEC Academy and Mount Tom Academy alternative education settings, the CCATT assistive technology center, Special Education in Institutional Settings (SEIS), early childhood programs under the Massachusetts Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative, migrant education, STEM paid internships, and community health coalitions such as Healthy Hampshire and the SPIFFY Coalition.

CES employs 800+ staff across its program portfolio and reports serving 8,800+ individuals through direct programs and 6,900+ educators through professional development, with 166+ active consulting contracts. Revenue mechanics are diversified across four streams: government and member-district contracts (recurring subscriptions with the 37 member districts and Massachusetts state agencies including the Department of Youth Services and Department of Early Education and Care), federal and state grants (Title I, NSF via Project RAISE, state Health Policy Commission), professional development fees (events, courses, workshops, coaching), and cooperative purchasing (aggregated procurement for food, supplies, and audit services). The go-to-market is sales-led and direct: CES contracts directly with its member districts under long-standing governance relationships, bids for state and district-level engagements across New England, and runs open-enrollment PD events accessible to educators outside the membership. Distribution is regional (Pioneer Valley core, Massachusetts-wide, broader New England), with no global footprint claim.

Notable technical and program components include the CCATT assistive technology exploration center, the Center for Emerging Educational Practice as a resource hub, the AI in the Classroom program (advisory content emphasizing equity and academic integrity rather than proprietary AI), ISTE Certification delivery, and the CES Event Portal as transactional infrastructure. The organization has no disclosed revenue figures, no subsidiaries, no M&A history, and no venture funding; it is governed by an elected Board of Directors drawn from its member superintendents, with leadership transitioning from Todd H. Gazda (departed July 2025) through Interim Director Karen Reuter to Dr. Portia Bonner effective July 1, 2026.

Name

Collaborative for Educational Services

Legal name

Collaborative for Educational Services

Website

https://collaborative.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Collaborative for Educational Services is a Massachusetts public nonprofit educational service agency founded in 1974, governed by its 37 member school districts in Hampshire and Franklin Counties. It delivers professional development, consulting, direct educational and support services for children and youth (birth-22), and cooperative purchasing to districts and state agencies across New England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Education Staffing & Contracted Providers (Paras, Therapists, Specialists) (EDAJAKAL), Family-School Collaboration & Inclusion Planning Support (EDAKABAK), Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender (EDADALAF), Special Education / Intervention & Differentiated Instruction Content Development (EDAGAKAO)

Keywords

• Educational consulting services
• Professional development training
• Special education programs
• School district services
• Assistive technology support

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government/State Contracts: Contracts with Massachusetts state agencies and 37 member school districts for educational services, professional development, and consulting
2. Grants: Federal and state grants for specific programs including migrant education, early childhood, Department of Youth Services education, and community health initiatives
3. Professional Development Fees: Fees for professional development events, courses, workshops, coaching, and technical assistance
4. Cooperative Purchasing: Aggregated purchasing services for member districts including food, supplies, and audit services through competitive bidding processes

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Collaborative for Educational Services is a public nonprofit educational service agency that delivers professional development, consulting, and direct services for children, youth, and families to 37 member school districts and other public-sector clients across New England. Its offerings span birth-through-age-22 programs (early childhood, special education, alternative education, migrant education, assistive technology, STEM internships), educator professional development (events, courses, coaching, licensure), and consulting across curriculum, leadership, literacy, English learner education, research and evaluation, and technology in education. The organization is funded through state and district contracts, grants, professional development fees, and cooperative purchasing commissions.

Product overview

The Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) is a public nonprofit educational service agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and services. The organization operates on a multi-faceted model comprising: (1) Professional Development services providing open enrollment events, site-based learning, PLCs, coaching, and consulting; (2) Consulting Services spanning Curriculum, Early Childhood, English Learner Education, Leadership, Literacy, Research & Evaluation, Joy and Justice in Education, Special Education, Strategic Planning, and Technology in Education; (3) Children, Youth, and Families Programs including HEC Academy, Mount Tom Academy, CCATT Assistive Technology Center, SEIS, Early Childhood Programs, Migrant Education, and STEM Paid Internships; (4) the CES Event Portal for online registration and event management; and (5) the Center for Emerging Educational Practice as a resource hub. Programs serve 37 member school districts across Hampshire and Franklin Counties in Massachusetts, with services delivered directly to students (birth-22) and through professional development for educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CES: Primary abbreviation for Collaborative for Educational Services used throughout the organization's communications and branding.

Products and services

• Professional Development Open enrollment events, tailored site-based learning, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), coaching, and consulting for districts, schools, and individual educators to improve educator and student performance. Serves member school districts, state agencies, and individual education professionals.
• Consulting Services Capacity-building consulting for schools, districts, and educators across Curriculum, Early Childhood, English Learner Education, Leadership, Literacy, Research and Evaluation, Joy and Justice in Education, Special Education, Strategic Planning, and Technology in Education. Targets districts and education organizations seeking research-based instructional practice support.
• Children, Youth, and Families Programs Direct cost-effective educational and support services for vulnerable children, youth, and families (birth-22), including programs for students with unique needs plus parent and family resources. Delivered through contracts with school districts, state agencies (including Department of Youth Services), and grants.
• HEC Academy Alternative learning program for students requiring alternative educational settings, offering individualized instruction and support. Recognized as a 2025 Massachusetts Green Team Program Grand Prize Winner.
• Mount Tom Academy Alternative learning program run by CES and hosted by Holyoke Community College, providing educational services for students requiring alternative learning environments.
• CCATT – Collaborative Center for Assistive Technology and Training Assistive technology center where educators, students, and families explore, test, and match assistive technology equipment, products, and materials to their communication needs.
• SEIS – Special Education in Institutional Settings Special education services provided within institutional settings, including long-standing partnerships with the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services for juvenile justice education.
• Early Childhood Programs Early childhood education programs including Early Childhood Professional Development, Parent/Child Programs (CFCE), Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, and Strong Foundations for Young Children. Supports the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) statewide grant.
• Migrant Education Program Federally and state-funded services supporting migratory children and youth to overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, and other factors inhibiting school success.
• STEM Paid Internship Program Paid STEM internships for high school students in Hampshire and Hampden counties, providing experience and connections in STEM fields.
• Cooperative Purchasing Aggregated cooperative purchasing agreements for member districts covering food, supplies, and audit services through competitive bidding. Generates commission-based revenue from the aggregated procurement process.
• CES Event Portal Online event registration and management platform enabling users to register for professional development events, manage contact information, and pay tuition and graduate credits.
• Center for Emerging Educational Practice Resource hub supporting PreK-12 educators and administrators, particularly in small and mid-sized districts, focused on emerging educational practices.
• ISTE Certification Certification program for educators on technology integration and digital age teaching standards.
• Healthy Hampshire Regional community health initiative addressing community health needs through collaborative partnerships and programs, including the Hampshire County Food Policy Council.
• SPIFFY Coalition Strategic Planning Initiative for Families and Youth coalition using data-driven prevention efforts with a health equity lens to reduce youth substance use and build healthy communities.
• Literacy Center Specialized literacy services providing support for students with reading and writing needs within special education settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,800+ individuals received direct service from CES programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sandwich Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026CES Early Childhood Department (CES-ECD) partners with Sandwich Public Schools through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), a statewide grant program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), to strengthen early education.
• Cooley Dickinson Health CareminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Initial partner in establishing Hampshire County Food Policy Council, securing $555,555 grant from state Health Policy Commission's Moving Massachusetts Upstream Investment Program.
• Hilltown Community Health CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in establishing Hampshire County Food Policy Council and addressing regional food insecurity.
• University of MassachusettscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2015UMass partnered with CES and Commonwealth Corporation on Project RAISE (Reclaiming Access to Inquiry-based Science), a $3 million NSF grant to bring new science curriculum to youth in Massachusetts Department of Youth Services settings.
• Commonwealth CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2015Partnered with CES and University of Massachusetts on Project RAISE for science curriculum development in Department of Youth Services educational programs.
• Holyoke Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCES partnered with Holyoke Public Schools to manage Dean Technical High School to address chronic low student achievement scores.
• Massachusetts Department of Youth ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership providing educational services to youth in the state's juvenile justice system, including arts programs and technology-enhanced learning.
• Holyoke Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts HEC Academy and Mount Tom Academy alternative education programs at their campus locations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WestEd: Nonprofit education research, development, and service agency serving schools, districts, and states. Closely mirrors CES's mix of PD, consulting, evaluation, and direct services with regional offices and similar federal grant capture.
• Education Development Center: National nonprofit providing K-12 professional development, research, and direct educational services. Highly comparable to CES as a multi-service education nonprofit combining PD, consulting, and direct programs for vulnerable youth.
• The Education Cooperative (TEC): Massachusetts educational collaborative serving member districts south of Boston with similar PD, special education, and cooperative purchasing services. The closest geographic and structural peer to CES's collaborative model.
• Battelle for Kids: Nonprofit focused on educator effectiveness, leadership development, and district consulting. Mirrors CES's PD, leadership consulting, and educator capacity-building offerings.
• Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy: Massachusetts-based nonprofit producing education research, evaluation, and policy work for state and district clients. Comparable to CES's Research & Evaluation consulting practice and statewide policy engagement.
• Mass Insight Education & Research: Boston-based nonprofit providing school turnaround, PD, and consulting to MA districts and state agencies. Overlaps with CES's consulting practice, leadership development, and district capacity-building offerings.
• CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology): Nonprofit focused on inclusive education, Universal Design for Learning, and assistive technology. Directly comparable to CES's CCATT, Special Education Services, and Literacy Center programs serving students with disabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Hanover Research: Subscription-based research and consulting firm serving K-12 districts. Comparable to CES's consulting and research offerings but with a for-profit, scaled, subscription-driven model.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): Large nonprofit research and consulting organization serving K-12, higher ed, and workforce clients nationally. Comparable to CES in research/evaluation and consulting but at much larger scale and broader scope.

Regional players

• Capital Region BOCES (NY): New York Boards of Cooperative Educational Services providing shared PD, special education, and cooperative purchasing to member districts. The structural equivalent of Massachusetts educational collaboratives like CES, operating outside the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/learnwithces
• Facebookfacebook.com/collaborative.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/collaborative-for-educational-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/learn_with_ces

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Collaborative for Educational Services