Technology & Innovation in Education

What Technology & Innovation in Education does

Technology & Innovation in Education (TIE), operating as Compass Partners in Learning, is a division of Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC), a cooperative-structured educational services organization headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota, with a newly opened regional office in Sioux Falls (December 2024). Compass delivers a multi-service portfolio spanning five core service areas (Professional Development, Community & Family Engagement, Classroom & Team Support, Data/Evaluation/Planning, and Culture & Connection), supplemented by specialized programs including Science of Reading-aligned Literacy Solutions, Title Funding Planning & Support, the TIE Conference, and a Canvas LMS-based self-paced course catalog. The organization also runs state-tied programs such as the South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SD SFEC), Birth to Three Early Intervention, 21st Century Programs, ThirdSpace Collaborative, BHOLC online learning, and First LEGO League, serving schools, families, and students from infancy through grade 12 across South Dakota.

The business model combines membership-based recurring subscriptions for school districts (Compass Membership) with professional services revenue from Title-funded consulting, on-site training, coaching, and event/conference income. Distribution is overwhelmingly community-led and regional: direct enterprise engagement with districts, self-serve learning through Canvas, and on-site delivery. No proprietary technology stack is disclosed; technology is framed around educational methodologies, professional development frameworks, and program delivery systems rather than software products. No external investors or funding rounds are noted, consistent with a member-owned cooperative. All evidence points to a regionally embedded, services-led organization whose differentiation rests on statewide reach, regulatory positioning in state-mandated programs, and long-tenured community relationships rather than technology or scale advantages.

Name

Technology & Innovation in Education

Legal name

Black Hills Special Services Cooperative

Website

https://tie.net

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Compass (TIE), a division of Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, delivers professional development, family engagement, early intervention, and out-of-school programming to schools, families, and K-12 students across South Dakota via membership and Title-funded services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Professional Development & Family Engagement Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKABAK

Family-School Collaboration & Inclusion Planning Support

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Inclusive Education & Mainstream Classroom Support

SECONDARYEDALAOAI

Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Alumni Relations, Development & Campus Community Engagement

SECONDARYEDANAHAB

Homework Clubs & After-School Learning Centers

Education/Tutoring & Test Preparation/Small-Group Tutoring & Learning Centers

SECONDARYHSAAAHAC

Homework Tutoring & Academic Support (Subject Tutoring)

Home & Personal Services/Childcare, Babysitting & Nanny Services/After-School Care & Homework Supervision

Keywords

• Educator professional development
• Family engagement services
• Literacy professional learning
• Early intervention programs
• Out-of-school time programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Rapid City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Compass Membership: School districts access professional learning benefits through annual membership packages
2. Title Funding Services: Transforms Title funds into family engagement strategies for schools; likely structured as consulting/professional services
3. Training & Events: Revenue from training sessions, conferences (TIE Conference), and professional development events

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Compass Partners in Learning, a division of the Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, delivers educator professional development, family-school engagement programs, classroom coaching, data-driven strategic planning, and Science of Reading-aligned literacy services to school districts across South Dakota. It supplements these services with project-based programs including Birth to Three early intervention, 21st Century after-school and STEAM programs, ThirdSpace Collaborative out-of-school programming, BHOLC online learning, and First LEGO League STEM experiences, delivered through Compass Memberships, Title-funded consulting, trainings, and the annual TIE Conference.

Product overview

Compass is a multi-service educational support platform operated as a division of Black Hills Special Services Cooperative. The portfolio includes five core service areas (Professional Development, Community & Family Engagement, Classroom & Team Support, Data Evaluation & Planning, and Culture & Connection), supplemented by specialized programs including Literacy Solutions, TIE Conference, and Compass Membership. The organization also operates multiple project programs spanning early intervention (Birth to Three), out-of-school learning (21st Century Programs, ThirdSpace Collaborative, First LEGO League), online learning (BHOLC), and family engagement (SD SFEC). Services are delivered through in-person training, virtual learning via Canvas LMS, coaching, and strategic planning support, targeting schools, families, and communities across South Dakota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SD SFEC): Connects students' families, educators, and communities—empowering learners with the support they need to succeed.
• 21st Century Programs
• Birth to Three
• ThirdSpace Collaborative
• BHOLC (Black Hills Online Learning Center)
• First LEGO League
• TIE Conference
• Literacy Solutions

Products and services

• Professional Development Customizable professional development offerings that strengthen educator and staff abilities, including Science of Reading-aligned literacy solutions, for South Dakota K-12 schools and districts.
• Community & Family Engagement Tools and strategies connecting families, educators, and communities to build family-school partnerships that improve student outcomes for South Dakota K-12 schools and districts.
• Classroom & Team Support In-person coaching and support that enhances classroom learning environments and helps educators create effective instructional settings in South Dakota K-12 schools.
• Data, Evaluation & Planning Strategic planning services covering stakeholder engagement, implementation, and monitoring to drive continuous improvement in South Dakota school systems.
• Culture & Connection Experiences that build trust, improve communication, and align school and district teams through relationship-building initiatives.
• Literacy Solutions Science of Reading-aligned professional development, coaching, family engagement supports, and resources that empower educators, leaders, and families to support student literacy success in South Dakota.
• 21st Century Programs After-school programs that spark curiosity and creativity through hands-on experiences in art, reading, STEAM, health, and social-emotional learning for K-12 students.
• Birth to Three South Dakota Birth to Three Early Intervention Program supporting children with developmental delays or disabilities from infancy to age three and their families.
• ThirdSpace Collaborative Collaboration that brings together schools, organizations, and communities to enhance out-of-school time programming through professional development, STEAM integration, and family engagement.
• BHOLC (Black Hills Online Learning Center) Flexible, self-paced online learning experience with engaging coursework and certified facilitators that supports K-12 students while keeping them connected to their home school district.
• First LEGO League Hands-on STEM experiences combining creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving for students exploring science, technology, engineering, and robotics.
• Compass Membership Annual school district membership providing access to a robust package of professional learning benefits designed to support staff throughout the year.
• Training & Events Hands-on and virtual learning experiences, workshops, and training sessions designed to spark curiosity, build skills, and bring educators and families together.
• TIE Conference Annual Technology & Innovation in Education Conference bringing together educators and professionals for professional development and networking.
• South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SD SFEC) Flagship statewide program connecting students' families, educators, and communities across South Dakota, empowering learners with the support needed to succeed.
• Title Funding Planning & Support Specialized consulting support for transforming federal Title funds into innovative, customized family engagement strategies for South Dakota schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,000 first-graders reached through literacy initiative with Sean Covel partnership
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sean CovelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiteracy and family engagement initiative where SD SFEC partners with Sean Covel to distribute his new book to 7,000 first-graders across South Dakota, including a virtual launch event on October 17
• Educators Rising South DakotaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity and Family Services (CFS) partners with Educators Rising SD to teach high school students exploring education careers about the importance of family engagement in building effective classrooms
• South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SD SFEC)coreOthersFlagship program connecting students' families, educators, and communities across South Dakota, empowering learners with support needed to succeed. Operates under the Compass/BHSSC umbrella.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Carnegie Learning: Provides literacy and math instructional solutions with PD and coaching for educators, directly comparable to Compass's Literacy Solutions Science of Reading-aligned offerings.
• Learning Forward: National professional learning association offering PD standards, training, and consulting to schools — closely aligned with Compass's educator professional development mission.
• Solution Tree: Provides professional development, coaching, and conferences for K-12 educators, directly comparable to Compass's Professional Development and TIE Conference offerings.
• Studer Education: Consulting firm focused on K-12 leadership, culture, and organizational improvement — directly comparable to Compass's Culture & Connection and Data, Evaluation & Planning services.

Emerging players

• Edmentum: Online learning provider for K-12 with credit recovery and supplemental instruction — directly competes with BHOLC, Compass's online learning program for home-school-connected students.
• ParentSquare: School-to-home communication and family engagement platform; competes with Compass's Community & Family Engagement service line but delivers via software rather than in-person coaching.
• Teaching Strategies: Early childhood education curriculum, assessment, and family engagement tools — comparable to Compass's Birth to Three early intervention program and family engagement work.

Broad incumbents

• NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association): Offers assessment, data analytics, and research-backed services to K-12 districts — comparable to Compass's Data, Evaluation & Planning service line at much larger scale.
• ASCD: Established national association serving educators with PD, publications, and conferences — overlaps with Compass's PD, Culture & Connection, and Literacy Solutions work but operates at national scale.
• Curriculum Associates: Provides K-12 instructional materials, assessment (i-Ready), and PD services — a broader incumbent with overlapping PD and data-evaluation capabilities similar to Compass.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TIEsd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/technology-innovation-education

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Technology & Innovation in Education