Consortium On Reading Excellence

What Consortium On Reading Excellence does

Consortium On Reading Excellence, doing business as CORE Learning, is a private nonprofit K-12 professional learning organization founded in 1995 in Oakland, California, by Linda Diamond and former California Superintendent Bill Honig. The company provides evidence-based literacy and mathematics professional learning services to school districts, educators, and administrators across 25 U.S. states, reaching approximately 2.8 million students through 152+ district partnerships and a network of 200+ educational consultants. Its portfolio spans structured on-site services (Literacy Coaching, Early Literacy Planning, Rise in Math, Math Coaching, Math Academy, Adolescent Literacy Solutions), a recurring-revenue online platform (Online Language & Literacy Academy, or OL&LA), IDA-accredited coursework (Elementary Reading Academy), publisher-aligned programs (SIPPS), and a bookstore of proprietary publications led by the Teaching Reading Sourcebook (3rd Edition), rated Exemplary by the National Council for Teacher Quality.

CORE's underlying technology consists of evidence-based instructional frameworks grounded in the Science of Reading, Structured Literacy, and Active Math Learning, combined with an online LMS-style platform (OL&LA) delivering asynchronous microlearning modules with optional live virtual support and coaching. CORE does not publish instructional materials or align with a single textbook publisher, which enables impartial curriculum selection guidance—a key differentiator from publisher-affiliated PD providers. Revenue is generated through three streams: district professional-services contracts (dominant), OL&LA subscription pricing (growing), and one-time publication sales through its e-commerce bookstore ($18.95-$158 per title).

Since 2017 CORE has operated as a subsidiary of Pivot Learning, and in 2022 merged with UnboundEd as part of the same consolidated nonprofit entity, extending combined offerings for high-need schools. The 2024 appointment of Dr. Dale Webster as President signals a strategic-growth mandate. CORE's go-to-market combines enterprise field sales to district leadership (Superintendents, Curriculum Directors), channel partnerships with publishers, content marketing through webinars, white papers, and an Academic Quarterly newsletter, and events such as SXSW EDU 2025. Pricing for professional services and OL&LA is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Consortium On Reading Excellence

Legal name

CORE, Inc.

Website

https://corelearn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CORE Learning is a private nonprofit K-12 professional learning organization providing evidence-based literacy and math training, coaching, and curriculum implementation services to school districts and educators across 25 U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Teacher Professional Learning Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Literacy Foundations (Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension) Platforms (EDAFAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Remedial Reading & Literacy Intervention (EDANAJAA), Reading & Literacy Centers (Phonics, Comprehension, Writing) (EDANAHAD), Reading Comprehension & Close Reading Enrichment (EDAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Teacher professional development
• K-12 literacy instruction
• Structured literacy training
• Mathematics professional learning
• Educator coaching services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Learning Services: CORE provides on-site and virtual professional development, coaching, and implementation support to school districts. Revenue is generated through service contracts with districts for literacy and math professional learning programs.
2. Online Course Subscriptions: The Online Language & Literacy Academy (OL&LA) provides structured literacy professional development through a cohort-based online learning model with Elementary and Secondary tracks.
3. Publication Sales: Sale of educational books and resources including the Teaching Reading Sourcebook, Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures, and Vocabulary Handbook. Books are sold through the company bookstore with prices ranging from $39.95 to $99.00.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Consortium On Reading Excellence (CORE Learning) delivers evidence-based professional learning services for K-12 educators and school districts, focused on literacy and math instruction. Core offerings include on-site and virtual coaching, structured workshops, implementation support, and an online academy (OL&LA), supplemented by published reference books such as the Teaching Reading Sourcebook. All services are grounded in the Science of Reading, Structured Literacy, and Active Math Learning methodologies.

Product overview

CORE Learning (Consortium On Reading Excellence) is an evidence-based professional learning organization that offers a platform of services and published resources for K-12 literacy and math education. The core offerings consist of CORE Literacy Services and CORE Math Services, which include coaching, implementation support, and structured professional learning programs. The literacy portfolio includes the Online Language & Literacy Academy (OL&LA), Elementary Reading Academy (ERA), Adolescent Literacy Solutions, Literacy Coaching & Site Implementation Support, Early Literacy Planning & Implementation Collaboration (ELPIC), and Publisher-Approved Professional Learning. The math portfolio includes Rise in Math, Math Coaching, and Math Academy. Supporting these service offerings are published resources including the Teaching Reading Sourcebook (3rd Edition), Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures (Revised 2nd Edition), Vocabulary Handbook, and the Spend Some Time with 1 to 9 math activity series. The company operates primarily as a professional learning services provider rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CORE Literacy Services Professional learning services that provide K-12 educators with the tools to implement evidence-based literacy instruction and high-quality ELA materials aligned to the science of reading. Includes coaching, workshops, and ongoing implementation support.
• CORE Math Services Professional learning services that transform K-12 mathematics programs so students develop understanding, skills, and reasoning abilities through the Active Math Learning approach. Includes coaching, academies, and inquiry-based learning support.
• Online Language & Literacy Academy (OL&LA) Online professional learning platform supporting K-12 educators in implementing Structured Literacy through asynchronous self-paced modules with optional live virtual support and coaching.
• Elementary Reading Academy (ERA) International Dyslexia Association (IDA) accredited course for K-5 teachers providing fundamental knowledge in effective, standards-aligned, and evidence-based reading practices based on the science of reading and Structured Literacy.
• Adolescent Literacy Solutions Two-part workshop series for middle and high school educators covering vocabulary, comprehension, decoding instruction, and fluency development based on the science of reading.
• Literacy Coaching & Site Implementation Support Coaching and embedded support services to advance literacy and learning goals through collaborative planning, classroom teacher coaching, lesson study, multi-tiered systems of support, and executive coaching.
• Early Literacy Planning & Implementation Collaboration (ELPIC) School team support providing tools and skills to develop plans to improve early literacy through evidence-based reading practices, root cause analysis, and the creation of Literacy Action Blueprints.
• Publisher-Approved Professional Learning Curriculum-aligned professional learning partnerships with publishers, including SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) and Third Quest intervention programs.
• Rise in Math Coaching and inquiry-based professional learning model preparing educators to create active learning classrooms through workshops, coaching, instructional rounds, and professional learning communities.
• Math Instructional Coaching One-on-one or small group coaching services for math educators to build deeper understanding of instructional materials and implement effective instructional techniques through dialogical and directive coaching approaches.
• Math Academy Professional learning for elementary and middle school educators combining content and evidence-based practices through one-day or four-day training sessions focused on mathematical big ideas.
• Teaching Reading Sourcebook, 3rd Edition Comprehensive reference about reading instruction rated Exemplary by the National Council for Teacher Quality (NCTQ), organized according to elements of explicit instruction covering phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary development, fluency, and comprehension with sample lesson models.
• Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures, Revised 2nd Edition Comprehensive collection of tests for assessment of skills related to reading, helping identify reading difficulties, determine next instructional steps, and monitor progress throughout instruction.
• Vocabulary Handbook Reference resource for vocabulary instruction supporting educators in developing vocabulary knowledge in students.
• Spend Some Time with 1 to 9: K-8 Supplemental math activities for K-8 students designed to build fluency and number sense through problem sets exploring mathematical relationships.
• Spend Some Time with 1 to 9: 6-12 Mathematical challenges for grades 6-12 focused on increasing number sense and fluency through structured activities.
• CORE Sourcebook Package Bundled package combining the Teaching Reading Sourcebook and Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures at a discounted price.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94.3% of Math Academy participants felt prepared to implement learnings and next steps
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• UnboundEdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022CORE and Pivot Learning merged with UnboundEd in 2022 to expand offerings and drive changes in instruction, especially in highest-need schools. Together, CORE and UnboundEd are committed to improving education and raising achievement for vulnerable students.
• Pivot LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017In 2017, CORE became a subsidiary of Pivot Learning, the largest and most experienced non-profit technical assistance provider for school districts in California. This partnership expanded CORE's reach and capabilities in providing technical assistance to districts.
• Center for the Collaborative ClassroomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCORE partners with the Center for the Collaborative Classroom to provide professional development for SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words), a research-based foundational skills program.
• UnboundEdflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCORE and UnboundEd partner on events including SXSW EDU 2025, collaborating on professional learning content and initiatives to strengthen literacy education.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Renaissance Learning: Renaissance offers Star Assessments, Accelerated Reader, and Lalilo alongside professional learning for educators. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with CORE in literacy assessment-driven PD and school improvement services.
• Amplify: Amplify is a large K-12 curriculum and assessment company whose mCLASS and Amplify ELA offerings include bundled professional development. As a broader incumbent with embedded PD, it competes with CORE for district literacy contracts.
• NWEA: NWEA provides MAP Growth assessments and associated professional learning for school improvement. As a broad incumbent in K-12 measurement and PD, it competes with CORE for district-level improvement and literacy/math coaching engagements.
• Curriculum Associates: Curriculum Associates provides iReady assessment and printed/digital curriculum with associated professional learning services. It competes with CORE for district literacy and math PD budgets through bundled solutions.

Direct peers

• Fountas & Pinnell Literacy: Fountas & Pinnell (Heinemann) offers literacy professional development, assessment, and instructional systems for K-12 educators. It is a direct competitor to CORE in literacy coaching, professional learning, and Structured Literacy-aligned training.
• Really Great Reading: Really Great Reading provides structured literacy interventions, assessments, and professional development for K-12 educators. It overlaps with CORE in phonics-based reading intervention training and educator coaching.
• Benchmark Education Company: Benchmark Education provides K-5 literacy curriculum and professional development services to school districts. It competes with CORE in literacy PD and teacher training, particularly around evidence-based reading instruction.
• Lexia Learning: Lexia Learning (a Cambium company) provides evidence-based literacy professional learning paired with its Lexia Core5/PowerUp digital reading platforms. It directly overlaps with CORE's structured literacy and reading intervention focus, with bundled EdTech + PD.
• Voyager Sopris Learning: Voyager Sopris Learning (part of Cambium Learning Group) delivers literacy and math professional learning and intervention programs to K-12 districts. It is a direct competitor to CORE, serving similar districts with structured literacy, intervention, and coaching offerings.
• Center for the Collaborative Classroom: Center for the Collaborative Classroom publishes SIPPS and other literacy programs and provides associated professional learning to schools. It is both a CORE partner (SIPPS PD) and a direct competitor in K-5 literacy PD.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/COREInc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Consortium On Reading Excellence