The Cove School

What The Cove School does

The Cove School, founded in 1947 and headquartered at 350 Lee Road, Northbrook, Illinois, is a private K-12 nonprofit day school providing highly individualized education for approximately 160 students with complex learning disabilities — including dyslexia, ADHD, and language processing delays — drawn from over 60 school districts across the greater Chicago area. Its operating model integrates core K-12 academics (STEAM with 3D printing, Lego Robotics, littleBits, and coding; specialized reading; speech and language therapy; occupational therapy; social work) with a Blended Device Environment that assigns each student a personalized laptop plus shared access to iPads and iMac desktop computers under Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. A schoolwide Assistive Technology program provides individualized screening and configures student-specific tool stacks built around third-party products (Read&Write for Google, CoWriter, Dragon, Bookshare, Voice Dream Reader, Mindmeister) for writing, reading, organization, and executive functioning. The Cove Career Center extends the offering into post-secondary transition via internship placements (e.g., Flowers for Dreams) and vocational coaching, while athletics, fine arts, and an Extended School Year summer program round out a full-year, full-service specialized education model.

Revenue mechanics rest on three tuition streams paid primarily by placing Illinois school districts under special education funding rules, with private-pay tuition and need-based financial aid (evaluated by a third-party firm beginning in February) as secondary channels; tuition pricing is not publicly disclosed. A diversified fundraising engine supplements operating revenue through an Annual Benefit gala (grossing $630K-$690K+ in recent years), a 5K run/walk with multi-state participation, planned giving, corporate partnerships (USI Insurance Services, Academic Approach, BMO Wealth Management, Vedder Price, HCI Equity Partners, among others), and an active capital campaign ("Imagine the Possibilities") targeting Cove's next 75 years. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and referral-driven: prospective families enter via the website, virtual tours, open houses, and direct outreach; placements are formalized through IEP-driven coordination with district representatives. The school is governed independently with no parent or holding entity, led by Executive Director Dr. Sally Sover and principals Alex Laube (High School) and Regina Aniolowski (Elementary & Junior High). Notable competitive moats include nearly 80 years of accumulated expertise, formal endorsement by the Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity (inclusion in Dr. Sally Shaywitz's "Overcoming Dyslexia"), and institutional influence on Illinois dyslexia policy via Dr. Sover's role on the ISBE Dyslexia Handbook task force.

Name

The Cove School

Legal name

The Cove School

Website

https://coveschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Cove School is a private K-12 nonprofit in Northbrook, IL, founded in 1947, serving ~160 students with complex learning disabilities from 60+ districts in the greater Chicago area through individualized academics, assistive technology, transition/vocational services, and integrated therapies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education K-12 Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Learning disabilities school
• K-12 private school
• Dyslexia education
• Individualized education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Northbrook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition from Districts: Majority of students are funded by their home school districts who pay for special education services
2. Private Pay Tuition: Private pay options available for families not covered by district funding
3. Scholarships and Financial Aid: Financial aid available through application process starting in February, evaluated by third-party firm
4. Donations and Fundraising: Annual benefit gala, 5K run/walk events, corporate partnerships, planned giving, and general donations support scholarships and operations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Cove School delivers a K-12 day school program for students with complex learning disabilities, integrating individualized academic instruction with on-site student services (Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, Specialized Reading, and Assistive Technology). The school combines a STEAM-enriched curriculum, athletics, fine arts, and the Cove Career Center transition program under a unified educational model funded primarily through home school district placements.

Product overview

The Cove School is a private K-12 educational institution providing a comprehensive, highly individualized program for students with complex learning disabilities. Founded in 1947, the school operates a unified educational approach combining core academic instruction with integrated support services including Specialized Reading, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Social Work, and Assistive Technology. The STEAM Program delivers technology-enriched learning across all grade levels, while the Cove Career Center provides transition services and vocational training. A Blended Device Environment infrastructure supports personalized laptops and iPads with UDL-aligned tools. The school also offers Athletics, Fine Arts, and Extended School Year programs as part of its holistic educational model serving students from over 60 districts in the greater Chicago area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cove Career Center: Career center providing transition services and job placement support for students with learning disabilities.

Products and services

• K-12 Academic Programs Comprehensive K-12 individualized education program for students with complex learning disabilities, providing customized learning strategies, academic curriculum delivery, and development of social, emotional, and self-advocacy skills.
• STEAM Program Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics program for elementary and junior high students featuring 3D printing, Lego Robotics, littleBits electronics, and coding/programming instruction. High school students access technology electives including computer programming, computer maintenance, and digital media.
• Cove Career Center Transition program providing vocational training, internship placement, and job coaching for students with learning disabilities to support post-secondary career readiness.
• Specialized Reading Services Comprehensive literacy program providing reading instruction in classroom, small group, and individualized settings, focusing on decoding strategies, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension with assistive technology integration.
• Speech and Language Therapy Individual and group speech/language therapy integrated within academic and social curriculum, addressing social communication skills, self-advocacy, and workplace strategies for students with language-based disabilities.
• Occupational Therapy Integrated service delivery model collaborating with classroom teachers using push-in (classroom-based) and pull-out sessions to improve occupational performance and prepare students for life outside school.
• Social Work Services Individual weekly services addressing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) standards, plus dyad and small group interventions to promote peer relationship skills, delivered in collaboration with speech/language pathologists and learning disabilities specialists.
• Assistive Technology Program Comprehensive AT screening, training, and integration service providing students with tools including word prediction (Read&Write for Google, CoWriter), voice recognition (Dragon, Google Voice Typing), text-to-speech, and executive function support tools.
• Athletics Program Athletic programs including adapted physical education with SPARK curriculum and movement-based learning to optimize brain development and reduce symptoms of ADHD and other learning challenges.
• Fine Arts Program Comprehensive arts education including music, visual arts, dance, and theatrical performances showcasing student talents in annual events.
• Extended School Year (ESY) Summer Program Summer school program offering academic courses alongside elective subjects including basketball, dance, cooking, STEAM, and music to maintain student engagement during break periods.
• Transition Program Transition planning program providing life strategies for independent living and preparation for successful transition to community schools or post-secondary choices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful transition to community schools or post-secondary education
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Flowers for DreamsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternship partnership where Cove students gain work experience at the floral company. Flowers for Dreams also selected Cove as their monthly charity in August 2019, with a quarter of proceeds going to the school. The company has employed Cove students and provided volunteer support at school events.
• USI Insurance ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSI Gives Back program provided 21 employee volunteers for school ground improvements including garden cleanup, playground area, and sensory garden beautification. USI has supported Cove for several years through annual benefits and corporate sponsorships.
• Young Professionals for Cove (YPC)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroup of young adults who support the overall mission of Cove through volunteering at events, organizing fundraising activities, and raising awareness in the community.
• Dr. John RateyminorOthersHarvard Medical School professor who provided professional development training on brain research and exercise for learning to Cove staff and community educators.
• Paul ZientarskiminorOthersCreator of Learning Readiness PE Program who co-presented with Dr. Ratey on incorporating movement and exercise into student learning at Cove.
• Yale Center for Dyslexia & CreativitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCove School was recommended and included in Dr. Sally Shaywitz's book Overcoming Dyslexia (2nd edition) as a highly recommended school for students who are dyslexic. This recognition establishes Cove as a national leader in dyslexia education.
• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Dr. Sally Sover was a contributing member of the ISBE task force that created the Illinois Dyslexia Handbook, establishing Cove as a leader in state-level dyslexia policy.
• Academic ApproachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• Barnett CapitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• BMO Wealth ManagementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• American Chemet CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• HCI Equity PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• Vedder PriceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• Drinker BiddleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala
• G&O ThermalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of Cove's Annual Benefit gala

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Forman School: Private boarding/day school in Connecticut for students with ADHD, dyslexia, and language-based learning differences. Comparable given similar multidisciplinary clinical staffing model.
• Landmark School: Private K-12 school in Beverly, MA specializing in dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities. Directly comparable given similar student population, individualized instruction, and boarding/day scope.
• The Gow School: Private boarding/day school in New York for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. Comparable given similar individualized instruction, college-prep orientation, and assistive technology integration.
• The Swift School: Private K-8 school in Roswell, GA serving students with specific learning disabilities including dyslexia. Comparable given similar structured literacy methods and assistive technology emphasis.
• The Carroll School: Private K-8 school in Massachusetts serving students with dyslexia and language-based LD. Comparable given similar individualized reading instruction approach and district-funded placements.
• Kildonan School: Private day and boarding school in New York for children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Directly comparable in mission, structured literacy focus, and post-secondary transition support.
• Churchill School: Private K-12 school in New York City for students with language-based learning disabilities. Comparable in target population, integrated therapies, and assistive technology emphasis.
• The Prentice School: Private K-12 school in Santa Ana, CA serving students with learning disabilities, AD/HD, and related challenges. Directly comparable in mission and individualized instruction model.
• The Lab School of Washington: Private K-12 school in Washington, D.C. serving students with learning disabilities including dyslexia and ADHD. Highly comparable in mission, multidisciplinary clinical staffing, and transition programming to Cove.
• The Vanguard School: Private special education school in Pennsylvania serving K-12 students with autism, emotional/behavioral disorders, and learning disabilities. Comparable in special education focus with broader disability scope than Cove.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=ntrxmtqOpMo&t=496s
• Facebookfacebook.com/coveschoolnorthbrook
• Instagraminstagram.com/cove_school
• Xx.com/CoveSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-cove-school-northbrook-il

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Cove School