California IT in Education

What California IT in Education does

California IT in Education (CITE) is a 66-year-old not-for-profit professional membership association supporting IT professionals working in California's K-12 schools. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Sacramento, CITE operates as a community-led organization with 21 regional groups spanning Northern, Central, and Southern California. The association serves a primary membership of K-12 IT professionals (CTOs, Directors of Technology, Network Managers, Database Administrators, Support Staff), district and county administrators, classroom teachers, and education technology vendors seeking market access to California Local Education Agencies (LEAs).

CITE's product portfolio centers on membership subscriptions, a flagship 66th Annual Conference (scheduled for November 2026 at Anaheim Convention Center, drawing ~1,500 attendees from 600+ California educational organizations and 340+ exhibitors), tiered Corporate Affiliate Program (CAP) sponsorships with five levels (Zettabyte through Gigabyte), and professional development programs including the Technology Management Advancement Program (TMAP), CTO Mentor Program (CTOM), and K-12 IT Basics Academy. Strategic services include student data privacy management through the California Student Privacy Alliance (CSPA) and negotiated licensing programs with Microsoft (CAMSA) and Google (CGWE). Technology infrastructure is built entirely on third-party SaaS — Novi AMS for membership management and e-commerce, Breezio for the online community platform (community.cite.org), and eShow for conference registration and exhibitor services.

Revenue is generated across four streams: recurring membership dues, annual conference registration (tiered from $127 for retired/student to $1,001 for affiliate full conference), recurring CAP sponsorships from 20+ active vendors, and educational program fees. With 1-10 employees, CITE operates as a lean association that outsources significant technology and event logistics. Distribution is direct via cite.org and through regional in-person groups, with vendor engagement handled through monthly webinars. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors with membership applications requiring board approval.

Name

California IT in Education

Legal name

California IT in Education

Website

https://cite.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CITE is a 66-year-old not-for-profit professional membership association serving IT professionals in California's K-12 schools through 21 regional groups, an annual conference, professional development programs, and strategic vendor partnerships with Microsoft, Google, and dozens of ed-tech sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services — K-12 Education Technology

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Academic & Education Conference Organizers (THAHACAE)

Keywords

• K-12 education technology
• Professional membership association
• Ed-tech professional development
• Student data privacy services
• K-12 IT networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

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. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for IT professionals working in K-12 education. Offers individual and team/organizational membership options.
2. Conference Registration: Revenue from the annual conference with tiered pricing for Educational ($600-$765), Affiliate ($836-$1,001), One-Day, and Expo Hall passes. Early bird and group discounts available.
3. Corporate Affiliate Program (CAP) Sponsorships: Year-round sponsorship program with multiple tiers (Zettabyte, Exabyte, Petabyte, Terabyte, Gigabyte) providing marketing exposure, conference benefits, and member discounts to technology vendors.
4. Educational Programs: Revenue from professional development programs including Technology Management Advancement Program (TMAP), CTO Mentor Program (CTOM), K-12 IT Basics Academy, and other training initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

California IT in Education (CITE) is a not-for-profit professional membership association that sells individual and team memberships to K-12 IT professionals across California, charges registration fees for its annual conference and regional meetings, and generates revenue through tiered Corporate Affiliate Program sponsorships, education and mentorship programs (TMAP, CTOM, K-12 IT Basics Academy), student data privacy services, vendor licensing programs (Microsoft CAMSA, Google CGWE), and a Discount Program Plus for member savings.

Product overview

California IT in Education (CITE) is a not-for-profit professional membership association supporting IT professionals working in K-12 schools. CITE operates as a platform-plus-services organization offering membership programs, annual conferences, education and mentorship programs (TMAP, CTOM, KITT), vendor partnership programs (CAP), privacy services for managing DPAs, and resource programs including Microsoft (CAMSA) and Google licensing. The organization also provides technical review services, discount programs, and an online community platform. The core offerings center on professional development, vendor engagement, and resource aggregation for California educational technology leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CITE Membership Annual professional membership for IT professionals working in California K-12 schools, offering access to resources, networking events, vendor discounts, and the annual conference. Includes individual and team/organizational tiers, with team membership applications subject to Board of Directors approval.
• CITE Annual Conference Flagship annual conference for CITE members and K-12 IT professionals, featuring 200+ breakout sessions, keynotes, 340+ exhibit booths, and tiered registration for Educational ($600-$765), Affiliate ($836-$1,001), Retired/Student ($127), One-Day, and Expo Hall passes, plus optional add-on events.
• Corporate Affiliate Program (CAP) Year-round sponsorship program with five tiers (Zettabyte, Exabyte, Petabyte, Terabyte, Gigabyte) offering education technology vendors marketing exposure, conference benefits, and member discounts for CITE's California K-12 audience.
• Technology Management Advancement Program (TMAP) Professional development program providing training and advancement opportunities for technology managers in K-12 education, with cohort-based delivery across Northern and Southern California.
• CTO Mentor Program (CTOM) Mentorship program connecting aspiring K-12 CTOs with experienced technology leaders in California education.
• K-12 IT Basics Academy Training program for IT professionals working in K-12 education settings, covering foundational IT skills relevant to school environments.
• CITE Privacy Services DPA management service helping California LEAs manage Data Privacy Agreements with education technology vendors, including technician support, contract management, and negotiation assistance.
• Technical Review Program In-depth IT assessment service tailored to each LEA's needs, covering staffing, policies, procedures, project management, and strategic technology planning.
• Microsoft Licensing Program (CAMSA) CITE & Microsoft Strategic Alliance providing California K-12 LEAs with access to Microsoft licensing programs through negotiated pricing and dedicated reseller services.
• Google Workspace for Education Program (CGWE) CITE-supported Google Workspace for Education licensing and support framework enabling California K-12 schools to access Google education tools.
• Discount Program Plus Member discount program offering best overall value to California K-12 LEAs with flexible reseller options, including partnerships with Commvault, Lightspeed, DigitalScepter, and ManagedMethods.
• California Student Privacy Alliance (CSPA) / NDPA Agreement Management California Student Privacy Alliance initiative providing resources and California National Data Privacy Agreement (CA-NDPA) management, including vendor negotiations and completed agreements for California LEAs using hundreds of educational apps.
• CITE Online Community Breezio-powered online community platform enabling CITE members to network, share resources, collaborate, and access the Knowledge Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66 years of continuous operation and annual conference delivery
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Microsoft (CAMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCITE & Microsoft Strategic Alliance (CAMSA) provides California K-12 LEAs with access to Microsoft licensing programs, supporting the educational technology ecosystem through negotiated pricing and dedicated reseller services.
• Google (CGWE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCITE & Google Workspace for Education Program (CGWE) enables California schools to access Google education tools through a CITE-supported licensing and support framework.
• California Student Privacy Alliance (CSPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCITE partners with CSPA to provide student data privacy services, managing Data Privacy Agreements (DPAs) for LEAs using hundreds of educational apps.
• Tricord Event ServicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTricord is the official exhibitor services provider for the CITE Annual Conference, handling trade show services, furniture, electrical, internet, and other event logistics.
• STM GoodsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor at Zettabyte level, providing member discounts and marketing exposure through CITE's sponsorship program.
• Apollo Education Systems, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor at Exabyte level, participating in member discount programs and conference marketing.
• GAT LabsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor providing member discounts and brand visibility through CITE's sponsorship channels.
• Lightspeed SystemsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor and Discount Program Plus partner, offering technology solutions to CITE members.
• FortinetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor providing cybersecurity solutions visibility to CITE's education technology community.
• PowerSchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor offering student information systems and educational technology solutions.
• Aeries SoftwareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor at Exabyte level, providing student information system solutions to California schools.
• CDW EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor at Exabyte level, providing technology hardware and solutions to educational institutions.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor and Google Workspace for Education partner, offering technology solutions to CITE members.
• CommvaultminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount Program Plus partner and Petabyte-level CAP sponsor, providing data protection and management solutions.
• ClassLinkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor providing single sign-on and identity management solutions for education.
• HPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPetabyte-level CAP sponsor providing hardware solutions to CITE member organizations.
• Lenovo EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPetabyte-level CAP sponsor offering education-focused technology hardware solutions.
• Palo Alto NetworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYear-round CAP sponsor providing cybersecurity platform solutions to CITE members.
• F3 Law (Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCITE's legal partner providing legal services and counsel to the association.
• ParentSquareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTerabyte-level CAP sponsor providing family engagement and communication solutions for schools.
• AppleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram Partner offering educational technology solutions through CITE's vendor network.
• CITE FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe CITE Foundation is a 501c3 organization supporting scholarships and charitable efforts for CTO Mentor, TMAP, and KITT programs. Founding sponsors receive special recognition and promotion.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA): National association of state-level ed-tech directors that influences policy, advocacy, and resources for K-12 IT; comparable to CITE as a peer association focused on education technology leadership, though at the state-director rather than district-practitioner level.
• Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA): Ed-tech industry trade association whose Education Division represents vendors serving K-12; overlaps with CITE in convening ed-tech vendors (PowerSchool, etc.) and offering networking/advocacy programs targeting K-12 districts.
• Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC): Major national ed-tech conference and professional development event serving K-12 technology leaders; comparable to CITE's annual conference as a large-scale K-12 IT convener with exhibit halls and PD tracks.

Regional players

• Association of California School Administrators (ACSA): California-focused professional membership association for school administrators; comparable to CITE in being a California-based education leadership association, though broader (superintendents, principals, HR, business) and not IT-specific.
• Texas K-12 CTO Council: State-level Texas counterpart professional association for K-12 CTOs and district technology leaders; highly comparable to CITE's regional-group/community-led model but operating in Texas rather than California.
• Florida Council of Instructional Technology Leaders (FCITL): Florida-based professional association serving K-12 instructional technology leaders; comparable to CITE as a state-level peer organization that runs conferences and PD programs for district IT/instructional tech staff.

Broad incumbents

• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): Long-standing international professional membership association for educators and ed-tech leaders; overlaps with CITE in serving K-12 IT/integrator professionals and running large annual conferences (ISTE Live).
• Consortium for School Networking (COSN): National professional association for K-12 ed-tech leaders; comparable to CITE in mission (supporting district CIOs/CTOs) but operates at a national rather than California-only scope, and runs its own annual conference and ed-tech surveys.

Emerging players

• EdSurge: Ed-tech news and community platform serving educators, administrators, and vendors; comparable to CITE as a connector between K-12 buyers and ed-tech sellers, though operating as a media/community rather than membership association.

Others

• ASBO International (Association of School Business Officials): Professional association for K-12 school business officials; adjacent to CITE since district technology purchasing increasingly involves business officials, and ASBO overlaps with CITE in convening education administration professionals and vendors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CITE_EDU
• Facebookfacebook.com/CITEeducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cite-edu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 California IT in Education