The Danielson Group

What The Danielson Group does

The Danielson Group is a Chicago-based non-profit corporation (The Danielson Group Inc.) founded in 1996 by Charlotte Danielson, organized around the Framework for Teaching (FFT), a proprietary, trademarked framework that defines instructional excellence across four interconnected domains: Planning and Preparation, Learning Environments, Engaging Students in Learning, and Principled Teaching. The organization serves U.S. public school districts (its primary segment), intermediate school districts, international schools, and individual educators, with operations spanning 46 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 15+ countries including Canada, Lebanon, Colombia, Mexico, and Jamaica.

The product portfolio layers on top of the core framework: self-paced and facilitated online courses via TalentLMS (priced from $99/participant), single-session virtual workshops ($99.99), multi-day virtual and in-person Pop-Up Coaching workshops ($400), in-person Coaching and Mentoring Institutes ($800-$1,000), companion tools (Intellectual Engagement Guide, Teaching Important Content tool set), the eight-volume Study Guide Series, and the third edition of "Enhancing Professional Practice" published through ASCD. Specialized programs include Project PLEDGE, a federally funded National Professional Development Program for K-8 educators of English Learners, delivered with the Center for Applied Linguistics and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of English Language Acquisition.

Commercial mechanics blend individual/fee-for-service learning, enterprise professional learning engagements sold through direct field outreach, Amazon-distributed publications, and federal grant funding. Distribution channels include direct-to-district sales, self-serve TalentLMS enrollment, an Amazon retail channel, in-person institute venues (e.g., Temple University, Las Vegas), and platform integrations with edtech partners such as KickUp and Edthena. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization operates without institutional investment or parent-company backing at a reported 1-10 employee scale, leaning on DG Framework Specialists and partner ecosystems rather than headcount growth.

Name

The Danielson Group

Legal name

The Danielson Group Inc.

Website

https://danielsongroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Danielson Group is a non-profit that stewards the Framework for Teaching, delivering professional learning, coaching, publications, and edtech integration to K-12 school districts, intermediate school districts, international schools, and individual educators across 46+ U.S. states and 15+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Development Services for Educators

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Training Delivery Providers (In-Person, Virtual, Train-the-Trainer) (BPACANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG), Train-the-Trainer & Instructor Enablement Services (BPAEANAL), Project-Based/Inquiry-Based Learning (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAN)

Keywords

• Professional learning services
• Teacher professional development
• Instructional coaching
• Educator training programs
• Educational framework consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Learning Courses: Self-paced and facilitated online courses available through TalentLMS platform. Course pricing starts at $99 per participant, with group and package pricing available when purchased with in-person engagements.
2. Professional Learning Workshops: Virtual and in-person workshops on various FFT topics. Workshop pricing varies by duration and format, with multi-day events priced at $400 and single-session workshops at $99.99.
3. Coaching and Mentoring Institute: In-person institutes for coaches, mentors, and instructional leaders. Multi-day institute pricing ranges from $800-$1000.
4. Publications and Study Guides: Sale of 'Enhancing Professional Practice' 3rd edition and Study Guide Series through Amazon. Study Guides available in 8 sets covering different instructional sets.
5. Project PLEDGE: Funded by U.S. Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA). Provides free professional development for K-8 educators working with English Learners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Danielson Group provides professional learning services centered on the Framework for Teaching (FFT), a proprietary instructional framework organized into four domains. The organization delivers self-paced online courses via TalentLMS, facilitated virtual and in-person workshops, multi-day Coaching and Mentoring Institutes, downloadable observation and self-assessment tools, and publications (including the Study Guide Series and Enhancing Professional Practice book). It also runs Project PLEDGE, a federally funded program supporting K-8 educators of English Learners, and licenses the FFT for integration into edtech platforms.

Product overview

The Danielson Group offers a comprehensive professional learning ecosystem centered on the Framework for Teaching (FFT), the most widely adopted vision of instructional excellence. The core FFT framework defines teaching practice across four interconnected domains and serves as the anchor for all offerings. The product portfolio includes online asynchronous courses (delivered via TalentLMS) covering FFT implementation and exploration, in-person workshops and institutes (Coaching & Mentoring Workshop, Coaching and Mentoring Institute, Pop-Up Sessions) focused on instructional coaching skills, downloadable observation and reflection tools aligned to FFT components, and professional development publications including the Study Guide Series and Enhancing Professional Practice 3rd Edition. Specialized programs include Project PLEDGE for English Learner support. Courses are available in self-paced, facilitated online, or in-person formats with customized options for districts and schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Framework for Teaching (FFT): The core professional learning framework developed by Charlotte Danielson, now in its 2022 updated version, used to enhance professional practice, observation, feedback, and collaborative inquiry for educators.
• Project PLEDGE

Products and services

• Framework for Teaching (FFT) The foundational professional development framework that defines instructional excellence across four interconnected domains: Planning and Preparation, Learning Environments, Engaging Students in Learning, and Principled Teaching. Used by school districts and educators worldwide as a holistic definition of effective teaching practice.
• DG Courses & Partnership Offerings Comprehensive professional learning programs offered in self-paced, blended, or in-person formats covering Framework for Teaching implementation, growth-focused observation and feedback, and student intellectual engagement. Customized for department, school-wide, or district-wide teams.
• What's Changed? Exploring The 2022 Framework for Teaching Course 30-minute to 1-hour asynchronous online course for educators considering FFT implementation or transitioning to the updated 2022 version. Covers key language shifts within domains and components and opportunities to apply the new Framework. Priced at $99 per participant.
• Coaching & Mentoring Workshop Interactive workshop for coaches, mentors, and instructional leaders designed to strengthen coaching practices using the FFT. Focuses on shifting observation and feedback from compliance to growth and reflection.
• Coaching and Mentoring Institute Multi-day in-person institute for coaches, mentors, and instructional leaders focusing on mindsets and skills needed to deliver impactful feedback and sustain meaningful professional learning. Pricing ranges from $800-$1,000 per participant.
• Pop-Up Coaching & Mentoring Sessions Virtual multi-day workshops focusing on foundations for growth-focused coaching, evidence and inquiry practice, and coaching cycles with feedback and goal setting. Multi-day virtual workshop priced at $400 per participant.
• Project PLEDGE Monthly professional development program (Professional Learning for Educators working with the Danielson Group to improve outcomes for English Learners) supporting K-8 teachers and administrators. Free to participants and districts, funded by U.S. Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA).
• FFT: Intellectual Engagement Guide Comprehensive guide supporting intellectual engagement in teaching, informed by conversations with educators and partners. Focuses on Domain 3 (Engaging Students in Learning) and components that support student intellectual engagement.
• Teaching Important Content Guide Guide to help educators and professional learning communities understand how to enhance opportunities for students to become academically, socially, and emotionally successful.
• Study Guide Series Eight-study-guide professional development series examining teaching practice through the lens of FFT Clusters. Each guide provides steps for educators to examine examples of teaching practice, discuss with colleagues, and promote growth. Sold via Amazon.
• Enhancing Professional Practice (3rd Edition) Latest iteration of the Framework for Teaching book providing comprehensive tool for teacher self-assessment and reflection, observation and feedback, and collaborative inquiry. Published in partnership with ASCD.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of educators and school leaders report satisfaction with professional learning offerings and feel encouraged to continue developing professional skills
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KickUpcoreTechnology or Integration · 18 November 2025Partnership to integrate the Framework for Teaching into KickUp's modern educator growth platform. This integration allows districts to access Framework-aligned tools, dashboards, and evaluations, enhancing educator growth and leadership with flexible, customizable evaluation processes for districts worldwide.
• Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject PLEDGE partnership where CAL and DG jointly deliver workshops for parents and caregivers of English Learners. The collaboration supports language and literacy development for multilingual learners through professional development activities in grades K-8.
• Five Star Technology SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner webinar during Teacher Appreciation Week to demonstrate how to use the newly revised (2022) Framework for Teaching to design professional learning conditions that accelerate growth for teachers and students.
• National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for digital badge micro-credential program. Participants who complete Project PLEDGE receive a micro-credential digital badge in partnership with NABE.
• Temple UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the Danielson Group's Coaching and Mentoring Institute: Fall 2026, hosted at Temple University's Center City Campus in Philadelphia.
• ASCDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublishing partnership for Framework for Teaching publications including the 3rd edition of 'Enhancing Professional Practice' and upcoming Quick Win Cards. ASCD serves as the publisher and distributor of FFT materials.
• International College - Beirut, LebanoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearly decade-long partnership implementing FFT for comprehensive teacher appraisal system, instructional leadership development, and professional learning. Includes Teacher Appraisal System Audit and year-long professional learning partnership with over 300 classroom observation reports reviewed.
• AMISA (Association of American Schools in South America)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWebinar series partnerships with AMISA member schools on FFT implementation, with sessions on Introduction to the Framework and Beyond Evaluation workshops for international school educators.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marzano Resources: Direct competitor offering the Marzano Framework for teacher evaluation and instructional practice. Targets the same K-12 districts for professional learning, observation rubrics, and instructional leadership training — the closest substitute to the Framework for Teaching.
• Teach Like a Champion (Uncommon Schools): Direct peer offering Doug Lemov's framework for effective teaching techniques and accompanying practitioner books, workshops, and school partnerships — competing for the same teacher-training budget and instructional-rubric adoption.
• Learning Forward: Nonprofit professional association dedicated to advancing professional learning for educators — overlapping squarely with DG's mission of research-based PD, instructional leadership capacity, and standards-aligned teacher development.
• New Teacher Center: Nonprofit providing instructional coaching, mentoring, and professional learning for new and veteran teachers; competes for district PD contracts that include observation, feedback, and coaching cycles very similar to DG's Coaching and Mentoring Institute.
• Insight Education Group: Education consulting and professional learning provider offering instructional coaching, evaluation systems, and PD for K-12 — competes head-to-head with DG for district-level teacher evaluation and PD engagements.

Broad incumbents

• ASCD: Major educator association and publisher that actually publishes DG's 'Enhancing Professional Practice' and distributes FFT materials. Operates a much wider portfolio of PD, publications, and conferences overlapping with DG's K-12 educator audience.
• Corwin (Corwin Press / SAGE): Major education publisher and PD provider with similar offerings in K-12 professional learning books, courses, and consulting — competing for district training budgets and librarian/practitioner purchases alongside DG's study guides and publications.
• TNTP (The New Teacher Project): Large national nonprofit working with school systems on teacher effectiveness, instructional leadership, and PD — a broader and better-funded peer targeting the same district procurement dollars as DG.
• Solution Tree: Major K-12 professional development publisher and event producer (PLC conferences, Marzano/Rick DuFour-aligned work) — overlapping strongly with DG's PD conferences, institute revenue, and partner convening model.

Emerging players

• Edthena: AI-powered video observation platform that has partnered with DG to offer FFT-aligned observation tools. Operates in the same teacher-evaluation/observation workflow but is technology-led rather than framework-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheFrameworkForTeaching
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-danielson-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/talkaboutteaching
• Xx.com/danielson_group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Danielson Group