LASE Specialized Education
LASE Specialized Education (Lutheran Association for Special Education) is a St. Louis 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1956 that delivers Christ-centered special education, speech/language, and occupational therapy services embedded in partner Lutheran schools across the Greater St. Louis region, serving hundreds of students with mild to moderate disabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LASE Specialized Education does
LASE Specialized Education, legally the Lutheran Association for Special Education, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1956 in St. Louis, Missouri, that provides Christ-centered specialized education and related services to students with mild to moderate disabilities—including specific learning disabilities (SLD), attention deficit disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and speech/language disorders. The organization began with five students at Hope Lutheran Church and now serves hundreds of students across the Greater St. Louis region.
LASE's core offerings span Early Childhood Services, Elementary through Grade 8 Services, High School Services, and Related Services (speech/language therapy and occupational therapy). Services are delivered through multiple delivery models including Resource Rooms with Educational Specialists, Educational Specialist Consultants, Learning Centers, Academic Study Labs, Alternative Classes, and Consult Services, all embedded within partner Lutheran schools. The organization supplements direct service with grant-funded equipment, technology, curriculum, and tuition scholarships, and offers professional development externally via the Insight Series Workshop.
LASE is a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, a member of the Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA), and is accredited by the National Lutheran Schools Association (NLSA). Revenue comes from individual donations, an annual fund, foundation and corporate grants, and corporate matching gift programs. The go-to-market is a channel-partner motion in which certified special educators and therapists are stationed at Lutheran schools across St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, and Illinois (Belleville and Collinsville), rather than at a centralized facility. Marketing relies on community fundraising events, earned media, and the website.
LASE Specialized Education firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LASE Specialized Education
- Legal name
- Lutheran Association for Special Education
- Website
- https://lutheranspecialed.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LASE Specialized Education (Lutheran Association for Special Education) is a St. Louis 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1956 that delivers Christ-centered special education, speech/language, and occupational therapy services embedded in partner Lutheran schools across the Greater St. Louis region, serving hundreds of students with mild to moderate disabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LASE Specialized Education industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC)
Keywords
Where LASE Specialized Education is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
LASE Specialized Education business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Annual Fund: One-time gifts, recurring donations, and annual fund contributions from individuals supporting Christian special education mission.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Grants from organizations including Cardinals Care, Employees Community Fund of Boeing St. Louis, St. Louis Christmas Carols Association, and Wayne C. Kaufmann Charitable Foundation for equipment, technology, curriculum, and scholarships.
- Corporate Giving Programs: Matching gifts from employers and designated giving programs such as Target REDcard and Thrivent Choice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Development Workshop |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
LASE Specialized Education product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LASE Specialized Education provides Christ-centered special education services to Lutheran partner schools through embedded special educators, speech/language pathologists, and occupational therapists. The organization serves students with mild to moderate disabilities across early childhood, elementary (K-8), and high school programs via resource rooms, direct therapy, and educational consulting at the partner school site.
Product overview
LASE Specialized Education offers a comprehensive portfolio of Christ-centered special education services for students with mild to moderate disabilities across the St. Louis metropolitan region. The core offerings include Early Childhood Services (EC), Elementary – Grade 8 Services, High School Services, and Related Services (Speech & Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy). These programs are delivered through multiple service delivery models including Resource Rooms with Educational Specialists, Educational Specialist Consultants, Learning Centers, Academic Study Labs, Alternative Classes, and Consult Services. The organization also provides grant-funded equipment, technology, and curriculum, and offers professional development through the Insight Series Workshop for partner schools and educators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Early Childhood Services Special education services for early childhood students with mild to moderate disabilities, delivered through resource rooms at Lutheran partner schools. Includes individualized learning plans and on-site specialist support.
- Elementary Services (Kindergarten through Grade 8) Special education services for elementary-aged students (K-8) with mild to moderate disabilities, delivered through embedded resource rooms at Lutheran partner schools. Includes individualized programming and specialist support.
- High School Services Special education services for high school students with mild to moderate disabilities, delivered through embedded specialists at Lutheran partner high schools. Supports continued enrollment within the Lutheran school community.
- Speech & Language Therapy Services Licensed speech/language pathologist services delivered on-site at Lutheran partner schools for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Often underwritten by corporate sponsors (e.g., $5,000 covers speech therapy for a partner school for a year).
- Occupational Therapy Services Occupational therapy services delivered on-site at Lutheran partner schools for students with mild to moderate disabilities, supporting sensory, motor, and functional skill development.
- Educational Consulting Services Consultative support provided to Lutheran partner schools on special education programming, including individualized learning plans and accommodation strategies for students with mild to moderate disabilities.
- Annual Benefit Dinner (Fundraising Event) Annual fundraising dinner event supporting LASE's special education programs. Functions as a constituent engagement and donation activity for donors and school partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves hundreds of students across multiple counties in St. Louis metro region
Companies that use LASE Specialized Education
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LASE Specialized Education technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
LASE Specialized Education partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Lutheran Church—Missouri SynodcoreLASE is a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, providing formal affiliation and alignment with the denomination's educational mission.
- Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA)coreLASE is a member of LESA, collaborating with other Lutheran educational organizations in the St. Louis region.
- Partner Lutheran SchoolscoreLASE partners with Lutheran schools throughout Greater St. Louis including schools in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, St. Charles County, Belleville, and Collinsville to deliver special education services.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LASE Specialized Education competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Elim Christian Services: A faith-inspired nonprofit providing special education, therapeutic, and disability services across school-age and adult populations. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary (education, speech/OT) special-needs services nonprofit with a faith-rooted identity.
- Joni and Friends: A Christian nonprofit that provides disability ministry services, special education resources, and family support for individuals affected by disability. Comparable because it combines faith-based mission with K–12 disability services and outreach to churches and Christian schools — the same dual mission-and-service posture LASE occupies.
- The Calais School: A private nonprofit special education school serving students with language-based learning disabilities, ADHD, and ASD. Comparable as a small, individualized K–12 special education program offering speech/OT and resource-room support to students who would otherwise struggle in general education classrooms.
- Beacon Day School: A private nonprofit special education school serving K–12 students with learning disabilities, autism, and related disorders. Comparable because it operates a small, individualized K–12 special education program with speech/OT supports — the same operating format LASE brings into partner schools.
- Keshet: A Jewish faith-based special education organization providing K–12 programs, inclusion support, and professional development to affiliated day schools. Structurally analogous to LASE: faith-affiliated, school-embedded, individualized special education for mild-to-moderate disabilities.
- Lutheran Special Education Ministries (LSEM): The closest comparable organization: a faith-based, LCMS-affiliated nonprofit that provides special education support services to Lutheran schools. LSEM operates in a different LCMS region but uses an essentially identical embedded-specialist partner-school model, making it the most direct functional peer to LASE.
- PACE Brantwood: A nonprofit organization providing specialized education and therapeutic services to children with special needs. Comparable as a small, mission-driven K–12 special education provider with multidisciplinary (speech, OT, educational specialist) services — same service mix as LASE.
Broad incumbents
- Heritage Christian Services: A faith-based human services nonprofit offering education, disability, and therapeutic supports across a multi-county region. Comparable as a values-driven, multi-disciplinary provider where specialized education is one component of a broader disability services portfolio.
- Catholic Charities Special Education Programs: The Catholic Charities network operates archdiocesan special education and inclusion services at parish schools. Comparable as a denomination-wide special education delivery platform with embedded specialists — a broader, more mature version of LASE's Lutheran-school model.
Regional players
- National Institute for Learning Development (NILD): NILD trains educators and certifies schools in techniques for students with learning disabilities, frequently used by private and faith-based schools. Comparable as a developer/deliverer of school-embedded learning-disability interventions, though NILD is a training-and-curriculum model rather than a direct-service model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LASE Specialized Education social profiles
Digital presenceLASE Specialized Education financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LASE Specialized Education leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
LASE Specialized Education funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LASE Specialized Education M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LASE Specialized Education
What does LASE Specialized Education do?
LASE Specialized Education provides Christ-centered special education services to Lutheran partner schools through embedded special educators, speech/language pathologists, and occupational therapists. The organization serves students with mild to moderate disabilities across early childhood, elementary (K-8), and high school programs via resource rooms, direct therapy, and educational consulting at the partner school site.
Is LASE Specialized Education a public or private company?
LASE Specialized Education is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was LASE Specialized Education founded?
LASE Specialized Education was founded in 1956. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LASE Specialized Education based?
LASE Specialized Education is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does LASE Specialized Education make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Annual Fund is the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants and corporate Giving Programs.
Who are LASE Specialized Education's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Elim Christian Services, Joni and Friends, The Calais School, Beacon Day School, Keshet, Lutheran Special Education Ministries (LSEM) and PACE Brantwood. Broad incumbents are Heritage Christian Services and Catholic Charities Special Education Programs. National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) is listed as a regional player.
Does LASE Specialized Education have an API?
No public API is recorded for LASE Specialized Education.
What industry is LASE Specialized Education in?
LASE Specialized Education's product category is Special Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAKAH, Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability), with a secondary code of EDAJAKAC, Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.