Division for Early Childhood

What Division for Early Childhood does

Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is a non-profit professional membership organization founded in 1973 as a division of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), governed under the laws of Montana. It serves professionals, faculty, and families working with young children (ages 0-8) who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities, with a primary focus on early intervention (Part C of IDEA) and early childhood special education (Part B Section 619). Its core offerings include the DEC Recommended Practices and associated monograph series, peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Early Intervention and Young Exceptional Children, distributed via SAGE Publications), over 100 Learning Deck webinars, CONNECT Modules and Courses, the CARA's Kit and PEAT's Suite practitioner toolkits, the Practice Improvement Tools, and the annual DEC conference plus a virtual institute.

Commercially, DEC operates a membership-plus-content business model priced at the low end of the professional development market: membership dues (recurring), individual publications and monographs priced $25-$40, Learning Deck webinars at $25 each, self-paced eLearning modules at $10 with an optional professional development hour certificate, and free resources (CONNECT Modules, Family Service Coordination Toolkit) that function as a funnel. Revenue is also generated through advertising in the DEC Spotlight newsletter (managed by MultiView) and journals (SAGE Publications), the annual conference, and institutional purchase orders. Distribution is primarily through the DEC Store e-commerce storefront and the DEC Explore eLearning platform, with email newsletters (DEC Spotlight, Learning Deck) reaching approximately 20,000 individuals 2-3 times per month.

The technology stack is modest: a Wix.com-hosted website with SSL, Google and Wix analytics, the Egnyte document platform for the DEC Resource Inventory, and the connectmodules.dec-sped.org / decexplore.org eLearning environments. Strategic content partnerships with ECTA Center (FPG Child Development Institute, UNC Chapel Hill), Pennsylvania Early Intervention Technical Assistance, ECPC, NCPMI, STEMIE, NAEYC, Zero To Three, and Brookes Publishing underpin the content library. DEC does not disclose revenue, has no funding rounds, and operates as a non-traded division under CEC.

Name

Division for Early Childhood

Legal name

Division for Early Childhood

Website

https://dec-sped.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Division for Early Childhood (DEC), founded in 1973 as a division of the Council for Exceptional Children, is a non-profit professional membership organization that publishes evidence-based resources, journals, webinars, and toolkits for early intervention and early childhood special education professionals serving young children with disabilities and their families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Professional Development

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

IEP/IFSP-Aligned Curriculum & Lesson Materials (EDAGAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Compliance, Ethics & Regulatory Training (EDAGANAD), Compliance, Safety & Regulatory eLearning Content (EDAGAEAF), ABA Curriculum, Materials & Data Collection Tools (Non-EdTech Content) (EDAKAHAN)

Keywords

• Early childhood special education
• Early intervention services
• Special education professional development
• Evidence-based practice guidelines
• Special education publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Bogotá

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: International membership organization for professionals working with young children with disabilities; members receive access to publications, resources, and community platforms
2. Publication Sales: Sale of printed and digital publications including monographs, recommended practices guides, CARA's KIT, and PEAT's Suite through the DEC Store
3. Learning Deck Webinars: Sale of archived professional development webinars presented by field experts on early intervention and ECSE topics
4. eLearning Modules and Courses: Online self-paced courses including CONNECT Modules, CARA's KIT online, and PEAT's Suite modules, with optional professional development hour certificates
5. Annual Conference: DEC Annual Conference registration fees for professional development and networking event
6. Advertising and Exhibiting: Advertising opportunities in DEC Spotlight newsletter, website, Learning Deck emails, and journals (JEI and YEC) managed by MultiView and SAGE Publications
7. Journals: The Journal of Early Intervention (JEI) and Young Exceptional Children (YEC) peer-reviewed journals managed by SAGE Publications

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DEC is a nonprofit professional membership organization that sells evidence-based practice guidelines, printed publications, eLearning modules, archived webinars, peer-reviewed journals, and runs an annual conference for professionals working with young children (0-8) with disabilities and developmental delays. Core offerings include the DEC Recommended Practices, CARA's Kit, PEAT's Suite, CONNECT Modules, the Learning Deck Webinar library, and the Journal of Early Intervention (JEI) and Young Exceptional Children (YEC) journals. Resources are aligned with IDEA Part C and Part B(619) requirements and delivered through the DEC Store, DEC Explore platform, and DEC Collaborate community.

Product overview

Division for Early Childhood (DEC) is a professional membership organization that offers a platform-plus-modules product architecture centered on evidence-based professional development resources for the early intervention and early childhood special education field. The core portfolio includes the DEC Store (offering printed publications, monographs, and learning materials), the eLearning Library (featuring CONNECT Modules, CONNECT Courses, and Learning Deck Webinars), and the DEC Explore platform for online learning modules. Key publications include CARA's Kit ($30), PEAT's Suite (Service Provider's and Leader's Guides at $35 each), the DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series (No. 1-8 at $35 each), Young Exceptional Children Monographs (No. 16-18 at $30 each), and over 100 Learning Deck Webinars ($25 each). The organization also provides free resources including CONNECT Modules, the Family Service Coordination Toolkit, and the DEC Resource Inventory. Professional development is delivered through self-paced online courses, live webinars, and communities of practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CONNECT Modules: Free practice-focused instructional resources for faculty and other professional development providers
• CONNECT Courses
• Learning Deck Webinars
• Journal of Early Intervention (JEI)
• Young Exceptional Children (YEC)

Products and services

• CARA's Kit

Quantifiable outcome

• Resources distributed to approximately 20,000 professionals monthly via Learning Deck emails

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Brookes PublishingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent publishing company founded in 1978, serving as premier publisher of practical, research-based resources supporting children's healthy development and learning for all people with and without disabilities. Long-standing partnership with DEC.
• TORSH TalentsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional development platform that is HIPAA- and FERPA-compliant, serving tens of thousands of users in over 2,000 schools, universities, and organizations. Offers 30% discount for DEC members.
• Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational technical assistance center that facilitates development, implementation, and evaluation of integrated and comprehensive systems of personnel development (CSPD) for the early childhood workforce serving infants and young children with disabilities eligible for Part C and Part B(619) programs under IDEA.
• ECTA CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational technical assistance center supporting state Part C and Section 619 programs in developing high-quality early intervention and preschool special education service systems, increasing local implementation of evidence-based practices, and enhancing outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.
• Inclusive SchoolingsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Julie and Kristie who partner with school districts worldwide to deliver professional development using a unique four-step process for identifying schools' inclusive education dreams.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional membership organization promoting high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research.
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded by Office of Special Education Programs to improve state systems and local programs' capacity to implement early childhood multi-tiered system of support for social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children with developmental disabilities or delays.
• STEMIE (STEM Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter that develops knowledge base on STEM learning opportunities for young children with disabilities (0-5), implements high-quality technical assistance and professional development to increase engagement in STEM opportunities.
• Zero To ThreecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization ensuring babies and toddlers benefit from early connections critical to well-being and development. Has advanced the proven power of nurturing relationships by transforming early childhood science into resources, tools, and policies for parents, professionals, and policymakers since 1977.
• MultiViewcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner managing DEC Spotlight weekly email newsletter delivery to members and contacts. Handles email distribution and some advertising sales for DEC communications.
• SAGE PublicationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages publication and distribution of DEC's peer-reviewed journals: Journal of Early Intervention (JEI) and Young Exceptional Children (YEC). Also handles advertising sales for journal placements.
• Pennsylvania Early Intervention Technical AssistancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped CARA's KIT and PEAT's Suite with funding from Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Materials are hosted by Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children.
• FPG Child Development Institute (UNC Chapel Hill)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECTA Center is a program of FPG Child Development Institute, funded through Office of Special Education Programs. Developed Practice Improvement Tools based on DEC Recommended Practices.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): The dominant U.S. professional membership organization for early childhood educators (birth-age 8). NAEYC overlaps DEC's early-childhood audience and is a named core partner, making it the most comparable peer in scope and audience.
• Zero to Three: National nonprofit focused on infants and toddlers (birth-3), including those with developmental delays. Zero to Three directly overlaps DEC's Part C / early intervention audience on policy, training, and resources, and is a listed core DEC partner.
• Brookes Publishing: Independent publisher of research-based resources on child development and disability, with a long-standing partnership with DEC. Brookes competes and collaborates in the same EI/ECSE publishing market.
• National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI): Federally funded (OSEP) center supporting multi-tiered systems of support for social-emotional-behavioral outcomes in young children with disabilities. NCPMI serves the same EI/ECSE practitioner base as DEC and is a core partner, providing comparable TA and training content.
• Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC): OSEP-funded national TA center facilitating personnel development for the EI/ECSE workforce under Part C and Part B(619). ECPC shares DEC's regulatory anchor and target audience and is a listed core partner, making it a directly comparable TA provider.
• ECTA Center (FPG Child Development Institute, UNC Chapel Hill): OSEP-funded center at FPG supporting state Part C and Section 619 programs in implementing evidence-based practices. ECTA developed Practice Improvement Tools based on DEC Recommended Practices, making it both a partner and a directly comparable TA/PD provider.

Broad incumbents

• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): DEC's parent organization and the leading U.S. professional association for special educators. CEC serves the broader K-12 special education workforce, of which DEC's birth-8 segment is one division; they share membership, advocacy, and publishing infrastructure.
• Head Start (Office of Head Start / National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance): Federal early childhood program serving low-income children birth-5, including those with disabilities. Head Start is a key downstream consumer of DEC's professional development content and represents the broader institutional market in which DEC operates.

Regional players

• International Society for Early Intervention (ISEI): International scientific and professional society focused on early intervention research and practice. ISEI serves a globally distributed audience comparable to DEC's international member base, with overlapping research and conference activities.

Emerging players

• STEMIE (STEM Innovation for Inclusion in Early Education): Center developing knowledge base on STEM learning opportunities for young children with disabilities (0-5). STEMIE overlaps DEC's special-education audience and is a core partner, representing a niche-but-comparable TA provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEl1GEkTyh18QKqQSd92Z5w
• Facebookfacebook.com/DivisionforEarlyChildhood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/division-for-early-childhood
• Instagraminstagram.com/divisionforearlychildhood
• Xx.com/decsped

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Division for Early Childhood