Los Angeles County Office of Education

What Los Angeles County Office of Education does

The Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) is the nation's largest regional education agency, a public governmental entity governed by the seven-member Los Angeles County Board of Education (appointed by the County Board of Supervisors) and headquartered in Downey, California. LACOE provides direct services and oversight to all 80 school districts and 13 community college districts in Los Angeles County, spanning accountability and fiscal monitoring, business and financial services, curriculum and instruction, charter school authorization, technology services, student and family support, and educator credentialing and wellbeing. It also operates LACOE Schools directly, including Alternative Education programs, Juvenile Court Schools, International Polytechnic High School, and the L.A. County High School for the Arts, serving students with unique needs.

LACOE's technology platform includes the BEST (Business Enhancement System Transformation) financial and human capital management system, the Educational Passport System (EPS) for cross-district student data sharing (used for foster youth services, Community Schools case management, and community impact reporting), the Internet Access Program, and a Cybersecurity Services offering. Other core programs include the Head Start early childhood program (federally funded under grant 09CH012684), the GAIN (Greater Avenues for Independence) job-readiness program serving 50,000 participants annually at 21 job club sites, the EASE (Employee Assistance Service for Education) consortium offered at $14 per employee per fiscal year, the Delete the Divide digital equity initiative addressing 416,000 households without broadband, and the NECESITA apprenticeship program launched in June 2026 with the U.S. Department of Labor.

LACOE is funded through state and local education allocations, federal grants, and philanthropic contributions rather than commercial revenue, and does not publicly disclose revenue figures. Its customer base is institutional — the school and community college districts it serves — and its go-to-market is relationship-based and statutorily defined. LACOE exercises formal fiscal oversight authority, most notably issuing a "Lack of Going Concern" determination against LAUSD in July 2026. The organization employs between 1,001 and 5,000 staff across multiple office locations in Downey and Santa Fe Springs, and runs initiatives spanning AI adoption (AI Blueprint launched October 2025), digital equity (Delete the Divide), and career-connected learning.

Name

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Legal name

Los Angeles County Office of Education

Website

https://lacoe.edu

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

LACOE is the nation's largest regional education agency, providing direct services, fiscal oversight, and technology platforms (BEST, EPS, Internet Access, Cybersecurity) to all 80 school districts and 13 community college districts in Los Angeles County, while operating specialized schools, Head Start, GAIN, and EASE programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Compliance, State Reporting & Education Data Exchange (Ed-Fi/SIF) (EDAFAEAO), Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), Inclusive Infant & Toddler Care (Special Needs / IFSP-Aligned) (EDACAGAI), Credit Recovery & Alternative Adult High School (EDAAABAC)

Keywords

• County education services
• Educational technology
• Charter school oversight
• Professional development
• Student support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Downey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LACOE is the county-level education agency for Los Angeles County, providing direct instructional services through LACOE Schools (Alternative Education, Juvenile Court Schools, iPoly High School, L.A. County High School for the Arts) plus centralized accountability, business, curriculum, technology, and student/family support services to the 80 K-12 school districts and 13 community college districts in the county. It also runs countywide initiatives such as Head Start, GAIN job-readiness, EASE employee assistance, and the Delete the Divide digital equity program.

Product overview

LACOE is a countywide education office providing direct instructional services (LACOE Schools) and indirect support services to districts, educators, students, and families across Los Angeles County. The organization's core offerings include LACOE Schools (Alternative Education, iPoly High School, Juvenile Court Schools, L.A. County High School for the Arts), technology platforms (BEST financial system, Cybersecurity, EPS, Internet Access Program, DELETE THE DIVIDE), educational programs (NECESITA apprenticeship, Head Start, GAIN), and digital resources (eLibrary, Media Services, CDOL). Services span accountability support, curriculum and instruction, credentialing, professional development, student and family support, and business services. The organization serves 80 school districts and 13 community college districts in Los Angeles County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LACOE Schools
• BEST (Business Enhancement System Transformation)
• Educational Passport System (EPS)
• Internet Access Program
• Delete the Divide
• NECESITA Apprenticeship Program
• EASE (Employee Assistance Service for Education)
• Head Start
• GAIN (Greater Avenues for Independence)
• Credential Programs
• Cybersecurity Services
• LCAP and State & Federal Programs
• Digital Resources (eLibrary, Media Services, CDOL)
• Appeals, Transfers & Expulsions Services
• Mental Health & School Counseling Support
• AI Blueprint

Quantifiable outcome

• GAIN program serves 50,000 participants annually at 21 job club sites across LA County
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• U.S. Department of LaborcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026LACOE partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor for the NECESITA (Network Engineering, Cybersecurity, Education Software and IT Apprenticeship) Program, providing participants with paid, on-the-job training in networking, cybersecurity, information technology, and related fields through a registered apprenticeship program.
• Pacific Oaks CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026LACOE and Pacific Oaks College launched a partnership to strengthen the early childhood educator pipeline. Pacific Oaks provides bachelor's degree pathways and comprehensive academic advising tailored to participants in LACOE's UPK-CDI (Universal PreKindergarten Career Development Initiative) programs.
• Greater LA Education Foundation (GLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Greater LA Education Foundation, the philanthropic arm of LACOE, leads community analysis and local partnership cultivation for the Delete the Divide initiative, providing grants to supplemental programs supporting career pathways in STEAM, social-emotional learning, and college access.
• Best Buy and Best Buy FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBest Buy committed $10 million to open 12 new afterschool Teen Tech Centers across Los Angeles County over five years as part of the Delete the Divide initiative to bridge digital equity gaps.
• Annenberg FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnenberg Foundation is part of the coalition investing in Teen Tech Centers to support career pathways in STEAM for LA County students through the Delete the Divide initiative.
• Why Not? FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhy Not? Foundation is part of the coalition investing in Teen Tech Centers to support career pathways in STEAM for LA County students through the Delete the Divide initiative.
• County of Los Angeles Internal Services DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLACOE collaborates with the County of Los Angeles Internal Services Department in consultation with the County Chief Executive Office to support students and families through the Delete the Divide initiative addressing digital equity.
• Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)minorOthersCHIRLA is listed as a community organization providing support to immigrant families through LACOE's Immigrant Relations program resources.
• Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)minorOthersILRC provides legal resources, family preparedness plans, and training for immigrant communities supported through LACOE's Immigrant Relations program.
• L.A. County Office of Immigrant AffairsminorOthersL.A. County Office of Immigrant Affairs is listed as a community organization partner providing support to immigrant families through LACOE's Immigrant Relations program.
• Conga KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConga Kids continues to deepen its partnership with Inglewood Unified School District, where the program is now active in every elementary school across the district, recognized with a Visionary Award for IUSD County Administrator.
• Office of Head Start (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)coreOthersHead Start program is supported in part by Grant Number 09CH012684 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• California Department of Education: State-level education authority that delegates regulatory, fiscal, and accountability functions to LACOE and other county offices. Broader scope but operates in the same statutory hierarchy above LACOE.

Emerging players

• PowerSchool: Major K-12 student information system vendor with overlapping functionality to LACOE's EPS. Comparable in addressing K-12 district data needs, though as a commercial vendor rather than a government service.

Direct peers

• Santa Clara County Office of Education: Bay Area county education office delivering similar services including charter oversight, special education, technology support, and credentialing. Same California statutory framework and accountability structure as LACOE.
• Alameda County Office of Education: California county education office providing district oversight, credentialing, student programs, and equity-focused initiatives. Directly comparable statutory authority and service portfolio.
• Orange County Department of Education: California's county-level education agency serving Orange County districts with similar oversight, instructional support, and student-services functions. Comparable mandate and geographic footprint within California.
• San Diego County Office of Education: Another large California County Office of Education providing fiscal oversight, professional development, and student services to school districts in San Diego County. Directly comparable statutory role, scale, and service mix to LACOE.
• Riverside County Office of Education: Regional education service agency providing accountability, fiscal oversight, and direct instructional programs to Riverside County districts. Closely analogous to LACOE's role as a county-level intermediary.
• Kern County Superintendent of Schools: California county education agency with comparable mandate for district oversight, instructional services, and student programs. Similar regulatory authority derived from California Education Code.

Others

• Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD): The largest K-12 district under LACOE's oversight and the most significant entity in LACOE's ecosystem. While not a peer in structure (district vs. county office), LAUSD's fiscal health directly drives LACOE's funding and political positioning.

Regional players

• Education Service Center Region 13 (Texas): Texas regional Education Service Center analogous in function to LACOE, providing professional development, instructional support, and shared services to member districts. Comparable regional education service agency model outside California.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/lacoeETN
• Facebookfacebook.com/LosAngelesCOE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lacoe
• Instagraminstagram.com/losangelescoe
• Xx.com/lacoeinfo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Los Angeles County Office of Education