What Cesa2 does

CESA 2 (Cooperative Educational Service Agency 2) is a Wisconsin state-government educational service agency headquartered in Whitewater that delivers shared educational services to 74 member school districts covering 170,995 students and 32,279 school personnel across the CESA 2 region. The organization is organized around eight Centers of Excellence — Behavior & Mental Health, Continuous Improvement & Data Analysis, Curriculum & Coaching, Language & Culture, Licensing Evaluation & Support, Specialized Services & Staffing, Strategic Innovation for Learning, and Systems for Inclusive Learning — plus a portfolio of statewide programs including Driver Education, the Assistive Technology Lending Center, the Wisconsin Accessible Education Materials (AEM) Center, and the Wisconsin Transition Improvement Grant (TIG). Its service mix spans professional development workshops, DPI-approved educator licensing pathways (CLASS, LWS 3 Support, Praxis II Ready, FoRT Ready, Substitute Teacher Permit, Paraeducator Training), low-incidence itinerant staffing (audiology, AAC, vision, OT/PT, orientation and mobility), curriculum and math consulting, early learning support, transition services for students with IEPs, WiMLSS framework training, and a newly launched Strategic AI Readiness Hub. Technical components include the interactive Wisconsin Assistive Technology Resource Map (covering all 72 counties) and the Proserva-hosted Human-Centered AI Literacy micro-credential course.

CESA 2 makes money through three primary mechanisms: (1) cooperative service agreements with 74 member school districts that fund on-site consulting, itinerant staffing, and portfolio engagement; (2) statewide program funding through Wisconsin DPI and state grants (TIG, AEM, ATLC, Driver Education) that extend services to all Wisconsin LEAs; and (3) direct-pay fee-based licensing and professional development programs priced individually ($299 for Praxis II Ready and FoRT Ready, $300-$1,000 for CLASS statutory courses, $4,800 for LWS 3 Support). GTM is sales-led and relationship-driven, with consultants embedded in districts, supported by a professional development calendar, email newsletters, the Building Educator Capacity Podcast, and a portfolio of professional networks (Title I, Principal, EL, Union HS). Distribution is via direct district contracts, online self-serve enrollment, and network memberships, with the most recent 2026 product launch (AI Readiness Hub) signaling expansion into AI literacy and district AI framework design. CESA 2 is a statutorily created entity with no venture funding, no parent company, and no equity ownership; it is governed by a board representing member districts and operates under Wisconsin state law as a cooperative.

Name

Cesa2

Legal name

Cooperative Educational Service Agency 2

Website

https://cesa2.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CESA 2 is a Wisconsin state-government cooperative educational service agency delivering professional development, DPI-approved educator licensing, itinerant special education staffing, assistive technology, and statewide programs to 74 member school districts covering 170,995 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Support Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE), Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ)

Keywords

• Educational service agency
• Professional development services
• Educator licensure programs
• Special education staffing
• Assistive technology lending

Headquarters

HQ city

Whitewater

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cooperative Service Agreements: CESA 2 operates as a cooperative educational service agency funded primarily through service agreements with member school districts in Wisconsin. Districts contract with CESA 2 for specialized staff, professional development, and consulting services.
2. Educator Licensing Programs: Fee-based programs including LWS 3 Support Program ($4,800), Praxis II Ready ($299), FORT Ready Course ($299), and CLASS Statutory Licensure Courses ($300-$1,000 per course). Programs offer DPI-approved pathways to teacher licensure.
3. Professional Development Workshops: Various professional development workshops and training sessions available for educators. Programs include Substitute Teacher Permit training, Paraeducator Training, and network memberships with associated fees.
4. Statewide Services: Specialized statewide services including Driver Education, AT Lending Center, and Wisconsin AEM Center available to districts across Wisconsin.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CESA 2 is a Wisconsin cooperative educational service agency delivering professional development, DPI-approved educator licensure programs, specialized itinerant staffing, assistive technology lending, and consulting services to 74 member school districts. It also operates statewide services such as Driver Education, the Wisconsin AEM Center, and the AT Lending Center, organized under eight Centers of Excellence that span curriculum, special education, AI readiness, multilingual learners, and inclusive learning.

Product overview

CESA 2 is a Cooperative Educational Service Agency providing a comprehensive portfolio of educational support services organized as a platform of interrelated programs, Centers of Excellence, and direct services. The core offerings include nine Centers of Excellence (Behavior & Mental Health, Continuous Improvement & Data Analysis, Curriculum & Coaching, Language & Culture, Licensing Evaluation & Support, Specialized Services & Staffing, Strategic Innovation for Learning, and Systems for Inclusive Learning) supplemented by professional development, licensing programs (CLASS, FoRT Ready, Praxis II Ready, LWS 3 Support, NTC Mentor Training, Substitute Teacher Permit, Paraeducator Training), driver education, assistive technology services (AT Lending Center, AT Academy, AT Preview Library, WI AEM Center), mathematics consulting, early learning consulting, transition services, WiMLSS framework training, and AI readiness services (Strategic AI Readiness Hub, Student Promptathons, Human-Centered AI Literacy Course). CESA 2 serves 74 school districts, 3,255 workshop participants, and 170,995 students across Wisconsin. The organization does not operate as a traditional SaaS product but as a service-delivery organization offering programs directly to educational institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CLASS (Licensure Academy for School Staff) A Wisconsin DPI-approved pathway to teacher licensure providing formal instruction in planning and delivery of effective instructional practices, assessment, and classroom management through online coursework and individualized coaching sessions. Candidates can enroll at any time throughout the year.
• LWS 3 District-Sponsored License Support Support and portfolio reviews for teachers obtaining their license through the DPI Three-Year District-Sponsored License with Stipulations pathway. Covers K-9, Bilingual Supplemental, Early Childhood, ESL, Math, Science, Spanish, and Special Ed Cross Categorical. Full program cost is $4,800.
• FoRT Ready Course + Coaching A structured pathway to help educators pass the Foundations of Reading Test (FoRT), offered through a partnership with 240 Tutoring. Includes a pre-test, 60-day access to online prep course, three full-length practice tests, and two personalized coaching sessions with a CESA 2 Literacy Specialist. Cost is $299.
• Praxis II Ready: Course & Coaching Online course and coaching program to help licensed educators pass Praxis II exams to add additional licenses. Includes diagnostic test, study guide, flashcards, videos, quizzes, three full-length practice exams, and an instructor coaching session. Supports Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, English/Language Arts, History, ESL, PE, Health, and Elementary Education exams. Cost is $299.
• New Teacher Center (NTC) Mentor Training A 2-year certification program partnering with the New Teacher Center to provide high-quality mentor training helping districts establish Induction Programs for new teachers, exceeding state requirements. Delivered in-person and virtually with flexible scheduling.
• Driver Education State-approved driver education program operated at cesa2drivered.org, enabling 4,100 students annually to become safe, confident drivers.
• Substitute Teacher Permit Wisconsin DPI-approved training for the Three-Year Short-Term Substitute Permit, allowing individuals with an Associate's Degree or higher from a US accredited school to become substitute teachers. Over 2,000 participants certified since 2018.
• Paraeducator Training Asynchronous 6-8 hour training for new or refreshing paraeducators. Option 1 covers general roles, confidentiality, communication, behavior management, students with special needs, EL strategies, and technology tools. Option 2 is EL/Bilingual-specific training for English Learner and bilingual paraeducators.
• Statutory License Stipulation Courses DPI-approved, online instructor-guided courses to meet statutory licensure stipulations. Courses include Reading/Language Arts Act 20 ($1,000), Minority Group Relations ($500), Conflict Resolution, WI American Indian Bands and Tribes (Act 31), and Environmental Education ($300 per course). Each course is approximately 30 hours.
• Specialized Services & Staffing — Itinerant Services Contracted itinerant staff for districts covering services either low-incidence or needed to cover staff on leave. Includes Educational Audiology, Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC), Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired, Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Orientation and Mobility, Speech/Language Therapy, and School Psychology. Staff are DPI-certified.
• Assistive Technology Lending Center (ATLC) Statewide lending library of high-end Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) equipment costing $4,000 or more for trial purposes. Available at no cost to Wisconsin LEA public school licensed professionals for students ages 3-21 with IEPs. Part of the Statewide Assistive Technology Lending Center housed at CESA 2.
• Assistive Technology Academy Provides tools, training, legal updates, support, resources, leadership, and hands-on training to assist in building educator skills in the area of assistive technology.
• Assistive Technology Preview Library Provides districts with access to technology, tools, and software on a trial basis to match technology with the needs of students.
• Wisconsin Accessible Education Materials (WI AEM) Center Assists Wisconsin LEAs in meeting IDEA 2004 federal requirements by securing access to print instructional materials in specialized formats (Braille, large print, audio, digital) in a timely manner for students determined to have a print disability.
• Strategic AI Readiness Hub Regional service dedicated to building AI literacy at every level — from district leadership and IT infrastructure to classroom instruction and student learning. Offers district-wide AI implementation frameworks, efficiency/productivity tools, instructional enhancement, and student AI literacy through Promptathons.
• Student Promptathons Guides upper elementary through high school teams to learn about AI through age-appropriate image generation challenges, fostering ethical and thoughtful use of AI programs.
• Human-Centered AI Literacy Course Foundational AI literacy course for staff covering the basics of Artificial Intelligence and its growing impact on education. Estimated completion time is 6 hours for CEUs or credit hours. Upon completion, participants receive a micro-credential certificate. Hosted on the Proserva platform.
• Systems for Inclusive Learning Helps districts design sustainable systems that foster access, belonging, and high expectations for all learners. Services include District Strategic Planning, WiMLSS facilitation, Inclusion Systems Audit, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Culturally Responsive Practices, CoPlan-CoServe, PLCs, Mathematics Coursework Audit, Empathy Interviews, Title I Network, Co-Teaching, Leadership Team Coaching, SEE-KS Peer-to-Peer Mentorship, and Principal/Director/Union HS Networks.
• Specialized Services & Staffing Center Provides itinerant staff and specialized services for districts. Includes AT Network, Co-Teaching Services, WSPEI Family Engagement, Regional Special Education Network (RSN), Special Education Consultation, Transition Advisory Network (TAN), Transition Services, Wisconsin AEM Center, and Wisconsin Transition Improvement Grant (TIG).
• Language & Culture Center Supports academic, language, literacy, and cultural needs of multilingual learners. Services include EL Coordinator Services, interpreting/translating via SWITS, L3IFT Framework, Core EL Network, Virtual Add-on Networks, professional learning on WIDA Standards and Science of Reading, and program review/design.
• Mathematics Consulting Services Comprehensive math consulting including curriculum audits and alignment, HQIM adoption and implementation, standards-based planning and backwards design, culturally responsive instruction, coaching and PLCs, mathematics discourse and reasoning, equity and data-driven improvement, IEP/ILP integration, leadership walkthroughs, pathways and course design, formative assessment, family engagement, and impact measurement.
• Early Learning Consulting Services Comprehensive early learning support spanning birth through age 8. Services include developing high-quality early learning environments, 4K-5K curriculum alignment to Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards, early literacy (Act 20), early math instructional systems, social-emotional development support, Pyramid Model external coaching, full-day 4K programming transitions, inclusive early learning for children with IEPs, instructional coaching, and authentic assessment practices.
• Wisconsin Multi-Level System of Support (WiMLSS) Wisconsin's framework for organizing and increasing the efficiency with which evidence-based practices are selected, organized, integrated, implemented, and adapted. Includes training events such as WiMLSS Framework Training, WiMLSS-A Math and Literacy, WiMLSS-Behavior Universal (Tier 1), WiMLSS-B (PBIS) Booster, and WiMLSS-Behavior Intensive/Selected Series.
• Transition Services Consultative services including coaching, group trainings/workshops, district transition improvement plan development, and the Transition Advisory Network (TAN). Covers Transition 101, PTP Training, CCR IEP collaboration, Beyond 18 programming, and the Wisconsin Transition Talks podcast.
• Managed IT Services Managed information technology services for school districts within the CESA 2 region.
• Communications & Media Services Communications and media production services for schools, including video production services to help schools tell their unique stories.
• JEDI Virtual School Virtual school program operated by CESA 2.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SWITS (School Wireless Interpreting and Translation Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESA Purchasing partnered with SWITS for translating and interpreting services providing over 40 languages with certified interpreters and translators. Districts can access these services through cesapurchasing.org/swits with discounted pricing for CESA members.
• New Teacher Center (NTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESA 2 partners with the New Teacher Center, a national non-profit dedicated to improving student learning by guiding new educators. CESA 2 utilizes NTC resources, training, and research for their mentor program, which is a 2-year certification program meeting and exceeding state requirements for new teacher support.
• 240 TutoringcoreTechnology or IntegrationCESA 2 partners with 240 Tutoring to offer the FoRT Ready Course + Coaching program, providing comprehensive online FoRT prep including pre-tests, instructional content, practice questions, and final assessments with personalized coaching sessions.
• Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESA 2 partners with the Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health to provide external coaching for school districts implementing Pyramid Model practices for social-emotional development in early learning settings.
• Transition Improvement Grant (TIG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESA 2 partners with the Wisconsin Transition Improvement Grant to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with IEPs through the Wisconsin Transition Talks podcast series and regional coordination.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• CESA 1 (Cooperative Educational Service Agency 1): Adjacent Wisconsin CESA serving a different region with the same cooperative model and DPI-approved service portfolio. Operates as a near-clone peer in the same state with overlapping district mandates.
• CESA 6: Another Wisconsin CESA providing cooperative educational services to a separate set of districts. Directly comparable in mandate, funding model, and service categories.

Direct peers

• Erie 1 BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services): New York BOCES providing shared educational services to component school districts — the structural equivalent of a Wisconsin CESA. Closest functional peer outside Wisconsin.
• Education Service Center Region 13 (ESC 13): Texas Education Service Center providing cooperative educational services to member districts across a defined region. Equivalent statutory role to a CESA in a different state.
• Northwest Regional Education Service District (NWRESD): Oregon Education Service District providing regional educational services to component districts — the structural Oregon equivalent of a Wisconsin CESA.

Emerging players

• New Teacher Center (NTC): National non-profit that partners with CESA 2 on mentor training and induction programs. Comparable in providing educator professional development content and frameworks across multiple states.
• CAST (Center for Applied Special Technology): Non-profit originating the Universal Design for Learning framework. Comparable to CESA 2's Systems for Inclusive Learning and AT services in serving districts seeking inclusive education expertise.
• WIDA Consortium: University of Wisconsin-hosted consortium providing English learner standards and assessment resources. Comparable in scope and audience to CESA 2's Language & Culture Center and EL Networks.
• PresenceLearning: Provider of online special education and related services to K-12 districts. Comparable to CESA 2's Specialized Services & Staffing and itinerant offerings in addressing district staffing shortages for low-incidence disabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Solution Tree: National K-12 professional development and consulting provider offering workshops, conferences, and books on PLCs, assessment, and school improvement — directly competing with CESA 2's Curriculum & Coaching and Continuous Improvement service lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cesa2wi
• Xx.com/cesa2wi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Cesa2