Rockman Et Al

What Rockman Et Al does

Rockman et al Cooperative, Inc. is a private, employee-owned research, evaluation, and consulting firm specializing in educational programs, media, and informal learning environments. Founded in 1990 by Saul Rockman (formerly of Apple Computer's education marketing group) and reorganized as an employee-owned cooperative in 2019, the firm is headquartered in San Francisco with a distributed team of more than 15 senior researchers across the United States. Its core practice covers five service lines: Independent Evaluation (formative, front-end, and summative program evaluation), Rigorous Research (quasi-experimental designs and randomized controlled trials), Consulting and Capacity-Building (technology planning, organizational development, scaling interventions, and self-evaluation training), UI/UX and Media Studies (digital product and educational media testing), and Market Research. REA's methodology stack spans quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, with a distinctive specialization in culturally responsive and community-centered evaluation frameworks for Minority-Serving Institutions and historically marginalized populations.

The firm serves a diversified client base spanning HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions (Jackson State University, Coppin State University, Huston-Tillotson University, Diné College), educational media producers (Twin Cities PBS, PBS Kids, ReadWorks), youth-serving nonprofits (Black Girls Code, ParentPowered), museums, and federal agencies (NSF, US Department of Education, NIH, IMLS, NEA). Long-tenure engagements — 14+ years with Jackson State University across nine federally funded STEM programs, and 12+ years evaluating Black Girls Code's culturally relevant STEM programming — illustrate the firm's deep institutional embedding. REA also evaluated ReadWorks curriculum reaching over 1 million K-12 teachers and 13 million students.

Commercially, REA operates as a B2B professional services firm using a consultative sales motion, offering complimentary 30-minute initial consultations and engaging through multi-year contracts funded primarily by federal research grants, foundation grants, and direct consulting engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. There are no outside investors, no funding rounds, and no patents; the company is wholly member-owned and self-funded. There is no evidence of AI/ML technology adoption in the service delivery stack — the firm's competitive position rests on human-expert methodology, federal funder relationships, and culturally responsive evaluation expertise rather than software or platform assets.

Name

Rockman Et Al

Legal name

Rockman et al Cooperative, Inc.

Website

https://rockman.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rockman et al Cooperative is an employee-owned research, evaluation, and consulting firm founded in 1990, specializing in educational program evaluation, rigorous research, and UI/UX media studies for HBCUs, MSIs, educational media producers, nonprofits, and federal agencies including NSF and the Department of Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Program Evaluation Services: Rockman et al generates revenue through providing independent evaluation, research, and consulting services to educational programs, media companies, museums, school districts, universities, and government agencies. Revenue comes from federally-funded research grants, foundation grants, and direct consulting contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rockman et al Cooperative is a research, evaluation, and consulting firm that examines critical issues in formal and informal education. It provides independent program evaluations, rigorous research (including quasi-experimental studies and randomized controlled trials), consulting and capacity-building, UI/UX and media studies, and market research services to educational institutions, media companies, museums, school districts, universities, and government agencies.

Product overview

Rockman et al Cooperative is a research, evaluation, and consulting firm, not a software product company. They offer five core professional services: Independent Evaluation (comprehensive program evaluations), Rigorous Research (quasi-experimental and RCT studies), Consulting and Capacity-Building (technology, planning, and scaling), UI/UX and Media Studies (digital product testing and evaluation), and Market Research & General Research Services. These services focus on educational programs, technology, and media across formal and informal learning environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Evaluation
• Rigorous Research Designing and conducting rigorous research on learning processes and outcomes, including quasi-experimental studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), for clients such as federal agencies, universities, and foundations.
• Consulting and Capacity-Building Consulting on technology use in schools, organizational planning and development, and scaling up interventions, with skills in developing internal client capacity for self-evaluation.
• UI/UX and Media Studies Evaluation and UI/UX services at all stages of digital learning product development, partnering with educational media creators to test digital products and ensure programs engage users and produce desired educational outcomes.
• Market Research & General Research Services Helping businesses test existing products and services and explore new offerings through market research and general research services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Examined impact of Black Girls Code's Culturally-Relevant STEM programming since 2012, measuring career pathways for girls of color
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Twin Cities PBScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020REA leads research and evaluation activities for Skillsville, a media-based program awarded one of two US Department of Education Ready to Learn grants in 2020. Includes needs assessments, formative testing, and efficacy studies.
• Jackson State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor over 14 years, REA has worked closely with Jackson State University (JSU) on nine federally funded programs to increase teacher, faculty, and student STEM learning outcomes across Mississippi. Utilizes culturally centered and culturally responsive evaluation approaches.
• Coppin State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal evaluator for the Pathways to Professions (P2P) initiative, a Teacher Quality Partnership program building inclusive excellence in teaching throughout Maryland in partnership with Baltimore City Schools, Baltimore Teachers Union, Salisbury University, and other institutions.
• Huston-Tillotson UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluator for the ASSERT (Attaining and Sustaining STEM Excellence with Research Training) program funded by NSF, focused on enhancing retention, engagement, and scientific training of natural science students.
• Black Girls CodecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2012, REA has examined the impact of Black Girls Code's Culturally-Relevant STEM programming, measuring sense of belonging for girls of color, program impact, and career pathways.
• PBS KidscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted usability testing for PBS Kids Raising Readers website including Spanish and English versions, working with Hispanic community organizations and public libraries in three US sites.
• ReadWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with ReadWorks to design and conduct series of multi-year evaluation studies investigating implementation and impact of curriculum and teacher training materials supporting over 1 million K-12 teachers.
• ParentPoweredminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed evaluation of ParentPowered program using culturally responsive qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand Black parents' experiences with the program and its impact on families.
• Diné CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal evaluator for Water is Life, a 5-year NSF TCUP initiative at Diné College to improve water security in Navajo Nation while building research infrastructure, featuring mixed-method evaluation.
• Beyond Ice (Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage Museum, UMass)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal evaluator for NSF-funded project amplifying local community voices of two villages along Yukon River Valley in Alaska through digital storytelling frameworks.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducted 19-month study of The Big Read initiative in partnership with Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest, based on data from over 300 communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WestEd: Nonprofit research, development, and service agency focused on education, evaluation, and human development. Directly comparable as a peer to Rockman et al in delivering external program evaluation and rigorous research for federal and state education clients; Saul Rockman previously served as Director of Technology Programs at WestEd, illustrating deep sector overlap.
• RMC Research Corporation: Mid-sized education research and evaluation firm that conducts program evaluation, needs assessments, and applied research for federal, state, and foundation clients. Closely comparable to Rockman et al in size, mission, and federal evaluation clientele.
• Empirical Education: Education research and evaluation firm focused on evidence-based program evaluation in K-12 and higher education. Comparable to Rockman et al in scale, methodological rigor (RCTs, quasi-experimental), and federal grant-funded client base.
• Hezel Associates: Small education research and evaluation firm specializing in STEM education, workforce development, and program evaluation for federal clients. Closely comparable to Rockman et al on niche education evaluation work, federally-funded engagements, and similar staff size.

Broad incumbents

• Mathematica Policy Research: Major policy research and evaluation firm with deep education, health, and human services practices. Directly competes with Rockman et al for federal program evaluation RFPs (RCTs, quasi-experimental designs), with much broader staffing and a technology-enabled evaluation platform.
• SRI International (Education Division): Independent nonprofit research institute with an education research division conducting rigorous program evaluation, RCTs, and EdTech studies. Directly comparable to Rockman et al on federally-funded education research and media evaluation work, though SRI operates at much larger scale.
• Abt Associates: Research and evaluation firm with significant education and social policy practices, competing for the same federal RFPs as Rockman et al. Comparable on methodology (RCTs, quasi-experimental designs) and client base, though Abt is far larger and more diversified across sectors.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): Large nonprofit behavioral and social science research organization with a substantial education evaluation practice. Comparable to Rockman et al as a competitor for federal education evaluation contracts (NSF, ED), though AIR operates at significantly greater scale and across many additional sectors.
• Education Development Center (EDC): Nonprofit organization that conducts education research, program evaluation, and STEM equity initiatives. Comparable to Rockman et al in mission and federal evaluation clientele (NSF, ED), with similar focus on underrepresented learners but at greater scale and global footprint.
• RAND Corporation: Large policy research institution with a substantial education and workforce research portfolio. Comparable to Rockman et al on rigorous evaluation methodologies and federal funders, though RAND operates at vastly greater scale and across many non-education domains.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rockmaneval
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rockman-et-al

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rockman Et Al