Kagan
Kagan Publishing & Professional Development is a privately held educational publisher that sells cooperative learning books, SmartCards, classroom software, and mobile apps, and delivers professional development workshops and certification to K-12 teachers, schools, and districts in the United States and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersSan Clemente, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Kagan does
Kagan Publishing & Professional Development, founded in 1989 by Dr. Spencer Kagan and Laurie Kagan and headquartered in San Clemente, California, is a privately held educational publishing and professional development company specializing in cooperative learning. Its core offering is a proprietary methodology built around "Kagan Structures" — over 200 named classroom engagement techniques organized by PIES principles (Positive Interdependence, Individual Accountability, Equal Participation, Simultaneous Interaction) — supported by complementary frameworks such as Win-Win Discipline and brain-based learning structures. The product portfolio spans physical teaching aids (SmartCards, Learning Chips, Team Pyramids, AnswerBoards, SwitchBoard, posters), subject-specific books and curriculum materials across mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies, desktop and interactive whiteboard software (SelectorTools, TimerTools, TeamTools, Instant Engagement, DecisionTools), iOS mobile apps, and accompanying hardware consumables.
The company monetizes through three primary revenue streams: one-time purchases of published materials and software (books $14-$149, software single-user $29-$49, site licenses $249-$399), professional development services including Summer Academy, Regional Trainings, Winter Academies, USA Tour, Live Online Workshops, Bring Kagan To You sessions, and onDemand self-paced modules, plus dealer/reseller bulk pricing for distributors and gift certificates. Go-to-market is multi-modal: event-driven (workshops and conferences), direct sales-led (KaganOnline.com e-commerce, phone orders, purchase orders), and community-led (Kagan Ambassador program, certified Kagan Trainers, Kagan Model Schools). Customers are K-12 teachers, school administrators, and school districts in the United States and Canada, with international expansion pursued through franchise arrangements rather than direct catalog shipping. The company operates with 51-100 employees, a family-controlled ownership structure (no institutional investment identified), and a 40-year brand track record including a 10-time OC Register Top Workplace recognition in 2025.
Kagan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kagan
- Legal name
- Kagan Publishing & Professional Development
- Website
- https://kaganonline.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Kagan Publishing & Professional Development is a privately held educational publisher that sells cooperative learning books, SmartCards, classroom software, and mobile apps, and delivers professional development workshops and certification to K-12 teachers, schools, and districts in the United States and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kagan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Publishing & Professional Development
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (611710), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms (EDAJAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led) (EDAJAFAB), K–12 Digital Curriculum & Interactive Lessons (EDAGAEAA), K–12 Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Services (EDAGAKAA)
Keywords
Where Kagan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Clemente
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kagan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Published Educational Materials: Sale of books, SmartCards, Learning Chips, posters, spinners, manipulatives, and other teaching resources. One-time purchase model with products ranging from $4-$149. Includes reproducible blackline masters, activity guides, and curriculum materials.
- Professional Development Services: Revenue from in-person workshops, coaching sessions, Summer Academy, Regional Trainings, and certification programs. Offers on-demand professional development and engagement support sessions for schools and districts.
- Software Products: Sale of desktop software for timers (MegaTimer), student/team selection (SelectorTools, TeamTools), engagement activities (Instant Engagement, Instant Teambuilding, Instant Classbuilding), and DecisionTools. Single-user licenses and site licenses available.
- Gift Certificates: Electronic gift certificates in denominations of $25, $50, $75, $100 and custom amounts, redeemable toward any catalog products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | SmartCards - Individual and Classroom Sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Books and Curriculum Materials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Learning Chips - Individual and Class Sets |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Software Single-User Licenses |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Software Site Licenses |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Certificates |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Workshop and Training Fees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kagan Starter Set |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kagan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kagan Publishing & Professional Development develops and sells K-12 cooperative learning methodologies (Kagan Structures), physical teaching tools (SmartCards, Learning Chips, AnswerBoards, posters), curriculum books, and supporting software, alongside live and on-demand professional development workshops for teachers, schools, and districts. The company monetizes an integrated ecosystem that pairs its proprietary cooperative learning IP with classroom-ready materials and certified trainer-led training services.
Product overview
Kagan Publishing & Professional Development is an educational publishing company offering a comprehensive ecosystem of cooperative learning resources. The portfolio centers on Kagan Structures—a proprietary set of student engagement techniques—supported by physical products (SmartCards, Learning Chips, Team Pyramids, AnswerBoards, Poster Sets), professional development services (workshops, certifications, coaching), and supplementary software tools. The core offering is the Kagan Cooperative Learning methodology, supplemented by subject-specific books across mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies, higher-level thinking question collections, and technology tools including iOS apps and desktop software for interactive whiteboards. Products are designed as an integrated system where physical teaching aids, professional development, and software tools work together to implement the Kagan engagement model.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Kagan Structures: Proprietary cooperative learning methodology and classroom engagement techniques developed by Dr. Spencer Kagan
- Win-Win Discipline
- Kagan Summer Academy
- Kagan Charitable Foundation
Products and services
- Kagan Cooperative Learning Book (Newly Revised) The foundational reference book on Kagan's cooperative learning methodology covering PIES principles, 6 Key Concepts, and comprehensive guidance on implementing Kagan Structures in K-12 classrooms.
- SmartCards (33+ titles) Laminated quick-reference cards summarizing Kagan teaching methodologies, structures, and classroom strategies across cooperative learning, classroom management, discipline, brain-based learning, emotional intelligence, and subject-specific topics.
- Learning Chips Durable plastic chips with prompts that get students interacting over learning topics; available in sets including Appreciation, Celebration, Discussion, Processing, Lesson Review, Thinking, and Story Chips.
- Team Pyramids Three-dimensional pyramid tools for classroom management, including Rotating Reading for reading comprehension roles and Rotating Roles for team cooperation roles (Focus Keeper, Encourager, Materials Monitor, Quiet Captain).
- Poster Sets Extra-large classroom posters on teamwork, engagement, and management themes, including Managing Teamwork, Inspiring Teamwork, Talking Teamwork, and the Everyone Engaged 4 Poster Set.
- AnswerBoards Double-sided dry-erase boards (8.5" x 11") for student responses, with one lined side for writing and a grid side for drawing or graphing; used with Showdown, Numbered Heads Together, and other Kagan Structures.
- SwitchBoard Switchable write-n-wipe pouch with 8 inserts (Venn Diagram, Draw & Explain, Grid, Lines, Multiple Choice, Response Board, Sequence, 5W Star) for quick changes between graphic organizers.
- Showdown Mathematics Two books containing approximately 1,000 quiz cards each that turn independent math practice into high-energy team-based learning games covering Number Sense, Fractions, Algebraic Thinking, Geometry, and Data and Statistics.
- Quiz-Quiz-Trade Mathematics Interactive quizzing game where students pair up, quiz each other on math skills, and trade cards to find new partners; available for Elementary and Middle School levels in multiple volumes.
- Cooperative Learning & Mathematics Series Comprehensive book series applying Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures to mathematics instruction, with titles for Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and High School Mathematics.
- Cooperative Learning & Grammar Grammar activity books using Kagan Structures to make grammar engaging for Grades 3-5 and K-2, covering antonyms, synonyms, parts of speech, punctuation, and sentence structure.
- Higher-Level Thinking Questions Series Series of question books across subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Developing Character, Intermediate Literature, Language Arts, Life & Earth Science, Personal & Social Skills, Physical Science, Primary Literature, Secondary Mathematics, Social Studies, Spanish) providing hundreds of reproducible questions in card format.
- Cooperative Learning for Language Arts Two-book series for Grades 7-12 covering English/Language Arts curriculum with 190+ ready-to-use blacklines and activities aligned with NCTE and IRA standards.
- Kagan Mobile Apps (NameSelector, TimerTools, StudentSelector, Selector Spinners) iPhone and iPad apps for classroom management that handle random student selection, timer functions, and spinning selectors, supporting Kagan Structures like Numbered Heads Together.
- Instant Engagement Software Three desktop programs (Pair, Team, Class) using game-like structures for review, thinking, discussion, idea generation, and problem solving, including Quiz-N-Show, Mix-Pair-Share, ThinkTank, Timed Pair Share, and RallyRobin; available for PC, Mac, and Interactive Whiteboards.
- Instant Teambuilding & Classbuilding Software Ready-to-use software for leading teambuilding and classbuilding activities featuring Spotlight, Timed RoundRobin, Mix-Pair-Share, and Travel-N-Tell structures with 20 question sets per program; for PC, Mac, and Interactive Whiteboards.
- SelectorTools Software Projectable desktop selector suite with 15 tools including Name Selector, No Repeat Selector, Color Selector, Number Selector, Partner Picker, and Spinners; available as single-user and site licenses.
- TimerTools Software Software timer suite with Countdown, Stopwatch, Turn Timer, Seconds Up, Seconds Down, and Interval Timer; presets for common timer uses with large display for classroom projection.
- TeamTools Software Team formation software that creates effective cooperative learning teams based on class size, gender balance, and ability levels, handling up to 8 different classrooms with 6 ways to form teams and pairs.
- Professional Development Workshops Instructor-led Kagan training including Summer Academy, Regional Summer Trainings, Winter Academies, USA Tour, Live Online Workshops, onDemand self-paced modules, and Bring Kagan To You custom on-site sessions for schools and districts. Includes Kagan Trainer Certification, School Trainer Certification, District Trainer Certification, and Coaching Certification pathways.
Quantifiable outcome
- 26.8% academic gain over traditional methods (meta-analyses)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Kagan
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kagan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kagan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Kagan Charitable FoundationminorRelated charitable foundation providing grants for teachers and schools. Supports educator access to Kagan programs through funding.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kagan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Responsive Classroom: Provides teacher professional development, books, and curriculum resources focused on classroom engagement and SEL, closely aligned with Kagan's cooperative learning and classroom management offerings for K-12 educators.
- Conscious Discipline: Offers books, workshops, and teacher training centered on classroom management and student engagement; directly competes for the same school and district PD budgets as Kagan's Win-Win Discipline and engagement workshops.
- Marzano Resources: Delivers research-based professional development, books, and instructional strategies to K-12 educators; comparable in combining practitioner-led PD, proprietary frameworks, and a publishing arm similar to Kagan's catalog.
- BetterLesson: Provides K-12 teacher professional development via coaching, workshops, and online learning, targeting similar teacher and administrator personas with engagement and instructional strategy content.
- Ron Clark Academy: Operates a teacher training methodology and professional development programs for K-12 educators, including workshops and conferences; comparable as a methodology-led PD brand in the engagement space.
Broad incumbents
- Corwin (SAGE Publishing): Major educational publishing imprint focused on teacher PD books and resources across many instructional topics; broader catalog than Kagan but directly competes for K-12 PD book and resource budgets.
- Scholastic Education: Large K-12 publisher and PD provider with extensive curriculum and teacher resource offerings; overlaps with Kagan's teacher-facing products and professional development footprint at a much larger scale.
- Renaissance Learning: Large K-12 EdTech company providing assessment and instructional tools; relevant as a broader incumbent competing for the same school improvement and engagement budgets as Kagan.
Others
- ASCD: Professional association publishing books, journals, and PD programs for educators and administrators; adjacent to Kagan as a content and PD provider in the same K-12 ecosystem.
- Learning Forward: Professional learning association providing standards, training, and resources for K-12 PD; relevant ecosystem participant influencing district PD purchasing decisions alongside Kagan.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kagan social profiles
Digital presenceKagan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kagan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kagan subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Kagan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kagan 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 Kagan
What does Kagan do?
Kagan Publishing & Professional Development develops and sells K-12 cooperative learning methodologies (Kagan Structures), physical teaching tools (SmartCards, Learning Chips, AnswerBoards, posters), curriculum books, and supporting software, alongside live and on-demand professional development workshops for teachers, schools, and districts. The company monetizes an integrated ecosystem that pairs its proprietary cooperative learning IP with classroom-ready materials and certified trainer-led training services.
Is Kagan a public or private company?
Kagan is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kagan founded?
Kagan was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Kagan based?
Kagan is headquartered in San Clemente, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kagan make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Published Educational Materials are the primary driver. The others are professional Development Services, software Products and gift Certificates.
Who are Kagan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Responsive Classroom, Conscious Discipline, Marzano Resources, BetterLesson and Ron Clark Academy. Broad incumbents are Corwin (SAGE Publishing), Scholastic Education and Renaissance Learning. Others are ASCD and Learning Forward.
Does Kagan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kagan.
What industry is Kagan in?
Kagan's product category is Educational Publishing & Professional Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAMAD, Curriculum, Lesson Planning & Instructional Content Platforms, with a secondary code of EDAJAFAB, Instructional Delivery & Pedagogy (School-Led). Its NAICS code is 611430 and its SIC code is 8200.