HighScope Educational Research Foundation
HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit that develops evidence-based early childhood education curriculum, observation-based assessment tools, and professional learning programs serving childcare programs, Head Start, schools, educators, and families across all 50 US states and 12 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersYpsilanti, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What HighScope Educational Research Foundation does
HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit founded in 1970 and headquartered in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The organization develops evidence-based early childhood education (ECE) curriculum, observation-based assessment tools, and professional learning programs for educators serving children from birth through age five. Its methodology is anchored in the Active Learning approach, built on the trademarked Plan-Do-Review sequence, and validated through the landmark Perry Preschool Study (1962-1967) and over 50 years of subsequent research demonstrating a $12.90 per-dollar return on investment. Product offerings include the Infant-Toddler Curriculum (42 Key Developmental Indicators across six content areas), the Preschool Curriculum (58 KDIs across eight content areas), and proprietary assessment tools—COR Advantage (34 items, 8 developmental areas), Classroom Coach, and the Program Quality Assessment (63 dimensions, 7 domains). All are aligned to Head Start, Common Core, and all 50 US state early learning standards.
The organization monetizes through four primary streams: one-time curriculum product and assessment sales (e.g., Getting Started with HighScope Infant-Toddler Curriculum at $750, Preschool Curriculum Course at $975), recurring subscription-based assessment platforms, fee-based professional learning delivered in-person, online, and hybrid through HighScope Meet (with IACET CEUs and graduate credits via Marshall University), and conference/event revenue from the Annual International Conference and IGNITE Leadership Conference. Distribution combines a direct e-commerce shop (177 SKUs), toll-free customer service for enterprise orders, and field-based engagement with educators and programs. A tri-layer credentialing system—Teacher Certification, Trainer Certification, and Program Accreditation (PQA ≥4.0)—reinforces adoption.
HighScope serves a distributed base of child care facilities, preschools, Head Start programs, K-12 districts, individual educators, and families, with classrooms operating in all 50 US states and 12 countries. Notable institutional partners include NAEYC (Platinum Sponsor), General Motors (STEM kit development), the Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Public Television, and Marshall University. A Demonstrational Preschool on the Ypsilanti campus, operated in partnership with Gretchen's House since 2021, anchors the model site.
HighScope Educational Research Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HighScope Educational Research Foundation
- Legal name
- HighScope Educational Research Foundation
- Website
- https://highscope.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent nonprofit that develops evidence-based early childhood education curriculum, observation-based assessment tools, and professional learning programs serving childcare programs, Head Start, schools, educators, and families across all 50 US states and 12 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HighScope Educational Research Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start) (EDACAJAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Assessment, Screening & Progress Monitoring Tools (0–5) (EDACANAI), Training & Credential Compliance Tracking (PD registry alignment) (EDACAKAH), Observation, Documentation & Portfolio Systems (Anecdotal, Checklists, Learning Stories) (EDACAJAD)
Keywords
Where HighScope Educational Research Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ypsilanti
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HighScope Educational Research Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Curriculum Products Sales: Sale of physical and digital curriculum materials, assessment tools, and educational resources through the HighScope shop. Products include infant-toddler curriculum, preschool curriculum, STEM kits, and classroom materials.
- Professional Learning Courses: Fee-based professional development courses offered in-person, hybrid, and online formats. Courses include curriculum training, assessment certification, and educator development programs with IACET CEUs.
- Assessment Tools and Subscriptions: Sale of assessment tools including COR Advantage, Classroom Coach, PQA, and COR for Kindergarten. Online assessment platforms and reliability testing certifications.
- Conference and Events: Revenue from annual conferences including registration fees, sponsorships, and exhibitor fees from the Annual International Conference and IGNITE Leadership Conference.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Curriculum Products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Learning Courses |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Books and Resources |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | STEM Kits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
HighScope Educational Research Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HighScope sells evidence-based early childhood education curricula (Infant-Toddler Curriculum and Preschool Curriculum), research-validated observation-based assessment tools (COR Advantage, COR for Kindergarten, Classroom Coach, Program Quality Assessment, Ready School Assessment), and fee-based professional learning courses, certifications, and program accreditation. Offerings are grounded in the Plan-Do-Review active learning approach and the Key Developmental Indicators framework, delivered through the HighScope Virtual CAMPUS platform, in-person training, and an e-commerce shop.
Product overview
HighScope Educational Research Foundation offers a comprehensive early childhood education ecosystem comprising curriculum products (Infant-Toddler Curriculum and Preschool Curriculum), assessment tools (COR Advantage, COR for Kindergarten, Classroom Coach, Program Quality Assessment, and Ready School Assessment), professional learning services, and the HighScope Virtual CAMPUS online platform. The curriculum products are grounded in active learning methodology with Key Developmental Indicators aligned to national and state standards. Assessment tools support observation-based evaluation of child development, classroom quality, and program improvement. Professional learning includes certification programs for teachers, trainers, and program accreditation, delivered through in-person, online, and hybrid formats. The HighScope at Home resource extends family engagement. Together, these products form an integrated approach to early childhood education quality improvement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Infant-Toddler Curriculum
Quantifiable outcome
- Return on investment of $12.90 per dollar invested in Perry Preschool program, including education savings, tax revenue, welfare savings, and crime reduction
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use HighScope Educational Research Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HighScope Educational Research Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
HighScope Educational Research Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- Gretchen's HousecoreHighScope and Gretchen's House share a commitment to high-quality programs for children. Since 2007, Gretchen's House has used HighScope's curriculum, assessment, and professional learning. In 2021, the relationship expanded with Gretchen's House serving as the operating partner for the HighScope Demonstration Preschool.
- NAEYCcoreNAEYC is the foremost professional membership organization committed to transforming lives of young children. HighScope is a Platinum Level Year-Round Sponsor, providing financial, philosophical, and other relevant support for NAEYC's work.
- Detroit Institute of ArtssecondaryPartnership for the DIA Kids Program providing Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne county children opportunities to explore art. HighScope conducts high-level review of educational materials, provides professional learning and coaching for DIA staff, and evaluates the program's preschool teacher and caregiver perceptions.
- Detroit Public TelevisionsecondaryHighScope is conducting an evaluation of Detroit Public Television's neighborhood model (developed in 2018) aimed at improving quality of adult-child interactions and fostering networks between caregivers and community partners.
- General MotorssecondaryGeneral Motors has partnered with HighScope to improve STEM education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. With GM support, HighScope is developing two STEM kits with activities, resources, and family components for teachers and caregivers.
- Marshall UniversitysecondaryHighScope and Marshall University partnership provides transferable graduate credits for HighScope professional learning courses. All HighScope professional learning courses are eligible for the program.
- Head Start ProgramscoreHighScope curriculum and assessment tools are aligned with Head Start Program Performance Standards. Programs use PQA for compliance with national standards. The organization has conducted training in Head Start programs across all 50 US states.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
HighScope Educational Research Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Teaching Strategies: Teaching Strategies publishes The Creative Curriculum and the GOLD child assessment system for birth–age 5, the most direct head-to-head competitor to HighScope's curriculum + COR Advantage stack in Head Start and preschool programs.
- Frog Street: Frog Street sells early childhood curriculum kits (Frog Street Pre-K, Frog Street Threes) and accompanying professional development aimed at the same Head Start and preschool buyers as HighScope.
- Scholastic Early Childhood: Scholastic's early childhood division publishes curriculum, classroom magazines, and book programs serving PreK–Grade 3 markets, overlapping with HighScope's preschool literacy and family-engagement offerings.
- Kaplan Early Learning Company: Kaplan supplies early childhood classrooms with curriculum kits, manipulatives, and classroom furniture, competing with HighScope in the same preschool product catalog channels.
Broad incumbents
- McGraw-Hill Education: McGraw-Hill is a large diversified K–12 and postsecondary publisher that also serves early childhood markets; its broader portfolio overlaps with HighScope's standards-aligned curriculum and assessment business.
- Pearson Education: Pearson is a global education publisher and assessment operator with PreK–12 products, providing a comparable scale benchmark for curriculum, assessment, and professional learning offerings.
Emerging players
- Waterford.org: Waterford Upstart and Waterford Early Learning are digital early-literacy programs targeting PreK–Grade 2 with adaptive technology, representing a digital-native threat to HighScope's print-heavy curriculum model.
- Vroom: Vroom provides science-based parent-engagement and brain-building activity tips for ages 0–5, directly comparable to HighScope at Home in the family-engagement segment.
Others
- NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children): NAEYC is the leading early childhood professional association and HighScope's Platinum sponsor partner; it shapes the accreditation and policy ecosystem in which HighScope competes but does not sell competing products.
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Bright Horizons operates employer-sponsored child care centers and is a large-scale ECE delivery buyer of curriculum and assessment, making it an ecosystem customer/peer rather than a direct curriculum competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HighScope Educational Research Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceHighScope Educational Research Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HighScope Educational Research Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
HighScope Educational Research Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HighScope Educational Research Foundation 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 HighScope Educational Research Foundation
What does HighScope Educational Research Foundation do?
HighScope sells evidence-based early childhood education curricula (Infant-Toddler Curriculum and Preschool Curriculum), research-validated observation-based assessment tools (COR Advantage, COR for Kindergarten, Classroom Coach, Program Quality Assessment, Ready School Assessment), and fee-based professional learning courses, certifications, and program accreditation. Offerings are grounded in the Plan-Do-Review active learning approach and the Key Developmental Indicators framework, delivered through the HighScope Virtual CAMPUS platform, in-person training, and an e-commerce shop.
Is HighScope Educational Research Foundation a public or private company?
HighScope Educational Research Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HighScope Educational Research Foundation founded?
HighScope Educational Research Foundation was founded in 1962. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is HighScope Educational Research Foundation based?
HighScope Educational Research Foundation is headquartered in Ypsilanti, United States, in the North America region.
How does HighScope Educational Research Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Curriculum Products Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Learning Courses, assessment Tools and Subscriptions and conference and Events.
Who are HighScope Educational Research Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Teaching Strategies, Frog Street, Scholastic Early Childhood and Kaplan Early Learning Company. Broad incumbents are McGraw-Hill Education and Pearson Education. Emerging players are Waterford.org and Vroom. Others are NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) and Bright Horizons Family Solutions.
Does HighScope Educational Research Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for HighScope Educational Research Foundation.
What industry is HighScope Educational Research Foundation in?
HighScope Educational Research Foundation's product category is Early Childhood Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAJAN, Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping Resources (State/NAEYC/Head Start), with a secondary code of EDACANAI, Assessment, Screening & Progress Monitoring Tools (0–5). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.