International Schools Services
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersPrinceton, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
International Schools Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- International Schools Services
- Legal name
- International Schools Services
- Website
- https://iss.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
International Schools Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Services (611), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Information Systems (SIS) Administration & Data Management (Non-EdTech Ops) (EDAEALAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)
Keywords
Where International Schools Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Princeton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
International Schools Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Development Subscriptions (EDUlearn Passport): Annual subscription revenue from individual ($525/year) and school-wide ($1,500-$9,000/year) EDUlearn Passport plans providing access to 200+ professional development courses. Additional revenue from one-time PD Power Packs ($400/bundle of 3-4 courses) and single course purchases ($500/course).
- Teacher and Leadership Recruitment Services (EDUrecruit): Placement and recruitment fees for connecting international schools with educators for teaching and leadership positions. Revenue generated through job fair registrations and candidate placement services.
- School Startup and Management (ISS OPtimize): Fees for school establishment, management, and operational consulting services including transformation and full management, school start-up toolkit, and safety and security consulting for international schools.
- School Supply Procurement (Supply Marketplace): Commission and transaction fees from the ISS Supply Marketplace connecting schools with vendors for educational supplies and materials. No fee to join the marketplace.
- Accounting and Foundation Management (ISS Finance): Fees for accounting services, payroll processing, nonprofit establishment, and foundation management for international schools.
- SISU School Franchise Licensing: Franchise licensing revenue from the SISU Schools® network, a K-12 Finnish-American school concept developed with Lumo Education, targeting investors and entrepreneurs seeking to open international schools.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Individual EDUlearn Passport — Annual subscription for solo educators |
| Subscription | Annual | School-Wide EDUlearn Passport — Annual subscription for entire school staff |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Single Course Registration — Solo registrants and teams |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | PD Power Packs — Bundled professional development on key topics |
| Other | Multi-year contract | ISS School Management and Recruitment Services — Enterprise quote-based |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
International Schools Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
International Schools Services (ISS) is a nonprofit organization that provides a comprehensive suite of operational services to international K-12 schools globally. Its offerings span teacher and leadership recruitment (EDUrecruit), professional development and certification courses (EDUlearn and EDUlearn Passport subscription), school startup and management consulting (ISS OPtimize), supply procurement (ISS Supply Marketplace), and accounting, payroll, and foundation management (ISS Finance). ISS also operates the SISU Schools franchise network, a Finnish-American K-12 school concept co-developed with Lumo Education.
Product overview
International Schools Services (ISS) operates as a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of interconnected services for international education. The portfolio includes four core service pillars: ISS OPtimize (school startup and management), ISS EDUrecruit® (teacher and leadership recruitment), ISS EDUlearn® (professional development with the Passport subscription model), and ISS Supply Marketplace (school procurement). Additional services include ISS Finance (accounting and foundation management) and Leadership Search (executive recruitment). The company also operates the SISU Schools® franchise network in partnership with Lumo Education, representing a distinct K-12 school network branded under the Finnish-American model. Community programs include the Diversity Collaborative and Women's Leadership initiatives. The ISS EDUlearn® Passport serves as a subscription access point to 200+ professional development courses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ISS EDUrecruit: Global recruitment platform for international schools connecting educators with teaching and leadership positions worldwide
- ISS EDUlearn
- ISS OPtimize
- ISS Finance
- ISS Supply Marketplace
- SISU Schools
Products and services
- ISS OPtimize School startup and management services including customized school startup, transformation, safety and security consulting, and operational support for K-12 international schools.
- ISS EDUrecruit Global teacher and leadership recruitment service connecting international schools with qualified educators and candidates through job fairs, postings, and search services.
- ISS Leadership Search Executive search service for placing school heads, superintendents, principals, and senior leaders at international schools through structured search processes.
- ISS EDUlearn Professional development platform offering virtual courses, workshops, and certification programs for educators and school support staff at international schools.
- ISS EDUlearn Passport Annual subscription providing access to 200+ professional development courses, available as Individual Passport ($525/year) or School-Wide Passport ($1,500-$9,000/year based on school size).
- ISS EDUlearn PD Power Packs Bundled professional development on key topics (Enrollment & Admission, Curriculum & Sustainability, DEI & Social Justice, Finance & Budgeting) with 3-4 asynchronous courses per bundle at $400 per pack.
- ISS Supply Marketplace Online procurement marketplace connecting international schools with vendors for educational supplies, materials, and logistics services, with no joining fee for schools.
- ISS Finance Accounting, payroll processing, financial reporting, and nonprofit foundation management services for international schools and their associated foundations.
- SISU Schools K-12 Finnish-American international school franchise network combining Finnish pedagogical approaches with American/international curriculum standards, licensed to investors and entrepreneurs worldwide.
- Child Safeguarding Certification Course Child protection certification course developed with the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), offering a Level 1 Certificate valid for three years for educators worldwide.
Quantifiable outcome
- Tens of thousands of educators supported and placed in international schools
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use International Schools Services
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
International Schools Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
International Schools Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered growth and core.
- FranGlobal (Franchise India Holdings Limited)growthFranGlobal, the international business arm of Franchise India, partnered with SISU Finnish-American Schools to expand the school franchise network into India. FranGlobal identifies and recruits franchise partners for SISU schools across the Indian market, leveraging its position as Asia's largest franchising solutions company.
- Office of Overseas Schools (US Department of State)growthThe Office of Overseas Schools provides a grant to support the annual Mary Anne Haas ISS Women's Symposium, which advances women in leadership in international education. This grant reflects the US government's interest in supporting quality American overseas schools.
- Lumo Education Ltd.coreISS and Lumo Education co-developed the SISU Schools® K-12 Finnish-American school franchise model. Lumo provides Finnish educational expertise and turnkey school setup services; ISS provides international school management expertise, global recruitment, and operational support. The partnership combines Finnish pedagogy with American/international curriculum standards for K-12 schools worldwide. More than 15 SISU school projects have been initiated globally.
- ICMEC (International Centre Missing & Exploited Children)growthISS EDUlearn collaborated with ICMEC to develop and deliver the Child Safeguarding Certification course for educators worldwide. ICMEC provides child protection expertise, training content, and certification; ISS provides the delivery platform and access to its global educator network. The course launches April 13, 2026 and offers Level 1 Certificate valid for three years.
- Moreland UniversitygrowthISS has a collaboration with Moreland University to provide teaching certificate programs for educators, offering pathways for teacher certification that integrate with ISS recruitment and professional development services.
- AAIE (Association for the Advancement of International Education)growthAAIE is a Gold Level Sponsor of the Mary Anne Haas ISS Women's Symposium and partner in the annual Women's Breakfast event co-hosted at AAIE's Global Leadership Conversation conference. AAIE provides conference programming and participant access for ISS DEIJ initiatives.
- EARCOS (East Asia Regional Council of Schools)growthEARCOS is a Gold Level Sponsor of the Mary Anne Haas ISS Women's Symposium and collaborates on professional development programming for East Asia regional international school leaders.
- NESA (Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools)growthNESA is a Silver Level Sponsor of the Mary Anne Haas ISS Women's Symposium and collaborates on professional development and leadership initiatives for Near East South Asia region schools.
- George Mason University Center for International EducationgrowthGeorge Mason University's Center for International Education collaborates with ISS on the Learning to Action DEIJ Institute program and provides speakers for Diversity Collaborative member meetings, contributing academic expertise to ISS professional development offerings.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
International Schools Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Cognita Schools: Cognita is a global K-12 school operator and management company operating 80+ schools across multiple countries. Like ISS, Cognita provides full-service school management, but operates as a for-profit PE-backed entity with significantly larger capital base and broader geographic footprint.
- Nord Anglia Education: Nord Anglia operates 80+ premium international schools globally and developed its own EdTech platform (ERO). Comparable to ISS in serving international schools with premium services, but operates as a PE-backed for-profit with integrated technology and curriculum offerings.
- GEMS Education: GEMS Education operates one of the world's largest networks of private K-12 schools, primarily in the Middle East and Asia. Like ISS, it directly operates international schools and provides operational services, but on a much larger scale with Varkey Foundation backing.
Direct peers
- Search Associates: Search Associates is a direct competitor to ISS EDUrecruit, specializing in recruiting teachers and leaders for international schools globally. Both organizations run international job fairs and place educators, making them the most direct peer in the recruitment vertical.
- Teach Away: Teach Away is a teacher recruitment and certification platform focused on international teaching jobs. It directly competes with ISS EDUrecruit and also partners with teacher certification programs, overlapping with ISS's Moreland University partnership.
- Lumo Education: Lumo Education is a Finnish education company that co-developed the SISU Schools franchise with ISS. While currently a partner, Lumo has comparable expertise in school startup and could be a competitor in the Finnish-American international school market.
- Carfax Education: Carfax Education provides educational consultancy, tutoring, and school placement services globally, including for international schools. Overlaps with ISS's consultancy and recruitment services, particularly for premium international school families and leadership placements.
Regional players
- Dulwich College International: Dulwich College International operates a network of international schools primarily in Asia with consistent British curriculum. While primarily a school operator rather than a service provider like ISS, it represents a comparable international school management model in core ISS geographies.
Others
- ECIS (Educational Collaborative for International Schools): ECIS is an association serving international schools with professional development, conferences, and accreditation services. While not a direct competitor for school management, it overlaps with ISS EDUlearn in providing PD to international educators and is a community partner.
Emerging players
- Edmentum: Edmentum provides K-12 online learning, assessment, and PD solutions for schools. While primarily focused on US public schools, its PD and curriculum offerings overlap with ISS EDUlearn and could expand into international school markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
International Schools Services social profiles
Digital presenceInternational Schools Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
International Schools Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
International Schools Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
International Schools Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
International Schools Services 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 International Schools Services
What does International Schools Services do?
International Schools Services (ISS) is a nonprofit organization that provides a comprehensive suite of operational services to international K-12 schools globally. Its offerings span teacher and leadership recruitment (EDUrecruit), professional development and certification courses (EDUlearn and EDUlearn Passport subscription), school startup and management consulting (ISS OPtimize), supply procurement (ISS Supply Marketplace), and accounting, payroll, and foundation management (ISS Finance). ISS also operates the SISU Schools franchise network, a Finnish-American K-12 school concept co-developed with Lumo Education.
Is International Schools Services a public or private company?
International Schools Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was International Schools Services founded?
International Schools Services was founded in 1955. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is International Schools Services based?
International Schools Services is headquartered in Princeton, United States, in the North America region.
How does International Schools Services make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Professional Development Subscriptions (EDUlearn Passport) is the primary driver. The others are teacher and Leadership Recruitment Services (EDUrecruit), school Startup and Management (ISS OPtimize), school Supply Procurement (Supply Marketplace), accounting and Foundation Management (ISS Finance) and SISU School Franchise Licensing.
Who are International Schools Services's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Cognita Schools, Nord Anglia Education and GEMS Education. Direct peers are Search Associates, Teach Away, Lumo Education and Carfax Education. Dulwich College International is listed as a regional player. ECIS (Educational Collaborative for International Schools) is listed as an others. Edmentum is listed as an emerging player.
Does International Schools Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for International Schools Services.
What industry is International Schools Services in?
International Schools Services's product category is International Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEALAC, Student Information Systems (SIS) Administration & Data Management (Non-EdTech Ops), with a secondary code of EDAJABAG, International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.). Its NAICS code is 611 and its SIC code is 8200.