SASED

What SASED does

SASED (School Association for Special Education in DuPage County) is a non-profit special education joint agreement cooperative established in 1958 under Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/10-22.31), making it one of the oldest such joint agreements in Illinois. The organization serves 18 member public school districts in DuPage County, providing a comprehensive continuum of programs and services for approximately 7,000 students with disabilities ages 3 through 22. It is the third-largest special education cooperative in Illinois. Beyond its 18 member districts, SASED acts as the fiscal and operating agent for the DuPage/West Cook Regional Cooperative, which encompasses 92 school districts and cooperatives across DuPage and West Cook Counties for low incidence programs.

SASED's core products are organized around specialized instructional programs: Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Visually Impaired, STARS (autism/ABA-based), Multi-Needs (moderate to severe cognitive delays), Pathways (emotional/behavioral disorders), Directions (social-emotional support), Structured Learning Environment (SLE), Supportive Medical Needs Program (SMNP), Transition (ages 18-22), and Project SEARCH (hospital-based internships). Supporting services include Assistive Technology, Audiology/Diagnostic, Instructional Support Team (IST), Itinerant Services, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Professional Development, and School Improvement. The technology stack is built on standard commercial platforms: Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 for productivity, Incident IQ/Net56 for IT helpdesk, Frontline Education and TalentEd for HR, Applitrack for recruiting, Renaissance Fastbridge for assessment, and McGraw Hill Wonders and Savvas My Perspectives for curriculum. The organization maintains COPPA, SOPPA, and WCAG 2.0 AA compliance.

SASED's business model is that of a publicly-funded educational cooperative rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue derives from member district contributions, state and federal special education funding, and pass-through management of over $10 million in state, federal, and university-based grants. No tuition or fees are charged to students. Governance is collective, with an 18-member Board of Directors and an 18-member Governing Board providing oversight on behalf of the member districts. The go-to-market is direct-to-district, with students accessing SASED programs through the IEP process in their home districts.

Name

SASED

Legal name

School Association for Special Education in DuPage County

Website

https://sased.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

SASED is a 1958-founded Illinois special education cooperative providing programs and services to nearly 7,000 students with disabilities ages 3-22 across 18 member school districts in DuPage County, plus 92 regional districts for low incidence programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Inclusive / Co-Taught Special Education Programs (EDAKAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC), Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Assistive technology
• Transition programs
• Audiology services
• Professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Lombard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member District Contributions: SASED operates as a special education joint agreement/cooperative funded through contributions from 18 member school districts. As an extension of each member district, SASED creates, provides, and supports a complete continuum of programs and services for students with disabilities.
2. State, Federal, and University Grants: SASED acts as fiscal and operating agent for over $10 million worth of state, federal, and university-based grant programs supporting educational initiatives across Illinois and the nation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SASED (School Association for Special Education in DuPage County) is a special education cooperative providing a comprehensive continuum of educational programs and related services for students with disabilities ages 3 through 22. It delivers specialized instructional programs, therapeutic and diagnostic services, assistive technology, transition support, and professional learning across 18 member school districts in DuPage County, Illinois, while also serving as the fiscal and operating agent for 92 districts in the DuPage/West Cook Regional Cooperative for low incidence programs.

Product overview

SASED (School Association for Special Education in DuPage County) is a special education cooperative providing a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services for students with disabilities ages 3 through 22. The organization operates educational programs including specialized instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Visually Impaired, Autism (STARS), Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (Pathways), Multiple Disabilities (Multi-Needs), and Transition services. Supporting services include Assistive Technology, Audiology, Instructional Support Team, Itinerant Services, OT/PT, Professional Development, and School Improvement. With 18 member districts, SASED serves approximately 5.5% of member districts' most challenging students plus additional students from the DuPage/West Cook Regional Cooperative in low incidence programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program PreK-8th grade programming for students with identified hearing losses using a Total Communication philosophy, with emphasis on language development. Served through SASED programs and member district schools.
• Pathways Program K-12th grade programming for students with significant emotional and behavioral disorders in a highly structured and individualized setting, located at Southeast School.
• Project SEARCH One-year internship program for students with disabilities in their last year of high school or Transition program, hosted at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, providing total workplace immersion to develop employability and marketable work skills.
• Structured Learning Environment (SLE) Program serving students whose needs have not been successfully met in traditional classroom environments, providing a structured instructional setting.
• Supportive Medical Needs Program (SMNP) Comprehensive support for students with significant medical and educational support needs from early childhood through high school, offering a multidisciplinary approach with adapted curriculum and alternative communication strategies.
• Transition Program Outcome-based program teaching real-life skills in age-appropriate natural environments for students aged 18-22, including employment, continuing education, and daily living skills.
• Visually Impaired Program Full continuum of programming from Early Childhood through Transition for students who are blind/visually impaired requiring intensive and/or specialized instruction.
• STARS (SASED's Teaching for Autism: Reflecting Success) PreK-8th grade program for students on the autism spectrum using research-based methodologies from Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
• Multi-Needs Program PreK-12th grade programming for students with moderate to severe cognitive delay and other significantly disabling conditions including speech/language delays, physical challenges, and autism.
• Directions Program 3rd-12th grade programming for academically capable students needing intensive support in social-emotional skill development with integrated cognitive behavior therapeutic intervention.
• Assistive Technology Services Information and training for IEP teams to effectively consider and implement assistive technology for students with disabilities to increase independence, participation, and productivity.
• Diagnostic/Audiology Services Audiological evaluations, hearing and vision screenings, ear mold services, and low incidence psychological evaluations provided to member districts.
• Instructional Support Team (IST) Consultants and coaches with backgrounds in educational psychology, applied behavior analysis, positive behavior supports, MTSS, mental health, and special education, providing technical assistance and professional development.
• Itinerant Services Consultative and instructional services to students with hearing, vision, and orthopedic impairments available to all member districts.
• Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Services Specialized interventions to support students' independence and participation in their educational program as related services under IDEA.
• Professional Development Services Professional learning and staff development programs throughout the year open to SASED and member district educational support personnel, certified staff, and administration.
• School Improvement Services Comprehensive school improvement services including needs assessments, training, coaching, technical assistance, and professional development using a continuous improvement model.
• Extended School Year (ESY) Transition programming provided after the school year for eligible students enrolled in SASED programs, plus elementary students receiving instructional/self-contained programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves approximately 5.5% of member districts' most challenging students annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DuPage/West Cook Regional CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSASED serves as the fiscal and operating agent for the DuPage/West Cook Regional Cooperative, which includes 92 school districts and cooperatives in DuPage and West Cook Counties. SASED provides regional Low Incidence programs and services for students who are Blind/Visually Impaired or Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
• Central DuPage HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral DuPage Hospital in Winfield hosts the Project SEARCH internship program for students with disabilities in their last year of high school or Transition program. The one-year internship provides total immersion in the workplace to facilitate teaching, learning, and acquisition of employability and marketable work skills.
• Other Illinois Special Education CooperativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSASED collaborates with other Illinois cooperatives including CASE Cooperative, LADSE Cooperative, NDSEC Cooperative, NSSEO Cooperative, NSSED Cooperative, NTDSE Cooperative, Eisenhower Cooperative, and DuPage ROE for professional development opportunities and resource sharing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• North Shore Special Education District (NSSED): Illinois special education joint agreement serving north shore Cook County districts with programs for students with significant disabilities. Comparable in scale, regulatory structure under Illinois School Code, and range of specialized instructional environments.
• Leyden Area District for Special Education (LADSE): Illinois special education cooperative providing programs and services to member districts in the Leyden area. Directly comparable joint agreement structure with overlapping program categories (autism, multiple needs, transition).
• Northwest Township District for Special Education (NTDSE): Illinois special education cooperative serving northwest suburban Cook County districts. Comparable joint agreement structure, member-district funding model, and portfolio of self-contained programs and itinerant services.
• Northern DuPage Special Education Cooperative (NDSEC): Adjacent DuPage County special education cooperative serving member districts with low-incidence and specialized programs. Directly comparable in structure (Illinois joint agreement), program mix, and student population, and explicitly listed by SASED as a peer cooperative.
• Eisenhower Cooperative: Illinois special education cooperative named as a SASED peer for professional development collaboration. Comparable scope and operating model across member districts in its service area.
• Cooperative Association for Special Education (CASE): Illinois special education cooperative explicitly named as a peer collaborating with SASED on professional development. Operates a similar member-district funding model and continuum of specialized programs.
• Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO): Illinois special education cooperative serving suburban Chicago districts with a similar continuum of specialized programs and itinerant services. Closely comparable operating model, funding structure, and student disability categories served.

Broad incumbents

• Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) - NY: New York's regional education service agency structure is functionally analogous to Illinois joint agreements like SASED. BOCES provide shared special education, professional development, and support services to component districts across multi-county regions.
• DuPage Regional Office of Education (ROE): Regional education oversight body serving DuPage County schools. Comparable geographic footprint and constituent base as SASED, but with broader regulatory and administrative mandate rather than direct special education service delivery.
• Intermediate Units (PA): Pennsylvania's Intermediate Units serve as regional education service agencies providing special education, professional development, and curriculum support to school districts. Structurally comparable to SASED's regional cooperative model but operating across a different state regulatory framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sased/mycompany

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 SASED