Educational Resource Associates

What Educational Resource Associates does

Educational Resource Associates (operating online as 'thekidfixer.com' and 'National Tutoring Center') is a privately held, founder-operated tutoring company founded in 1980 by Judy Hintz and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. The company delivers individualized academic support to students ranging from preschool through adulthood, organized into age-segmented programs (Preschool/Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, High School, College/Adult), subject-specific tracks (Reading/Writing, Math, ACT/SAT Prep), and specialized interventions for dyslexia, autism, and IEP-related learning differences. Its core methodology is built on intensive systematic phonics, multi-sensory instructional techniques, and post-assessment individualized program design, delivered by state-licensed consultants and a trained diagnostician on staff.

The company operates six physical tutoring centers across central Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Ankeny, Urbandale, Waukee, Clive) and extends reach nationally through Zoom-based virtual tutoring and Virtual Call Back consultations. Cumulative footprint includes 600,600+ tutoring hours delivered to 10,000+ students over 42+ years, with typical ACT score improvements of 7–11 points cited for test-prep enrollees. Technology integrations are limited to Zoom (virtual delivery) and Affirm (installment financing); no AI/ML capabilities, patents, proprietary software platforms, or digital products beyond the website are disclosed.

Revenue is generated on a per-session hourly tuition model supplemented by professional-services fees for dyslexia testing and IEP consulting, with a freemium 1-hour trial for new clients and flexible monthly payment plans via Affirm. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer through website SEO, content marketing, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and word-of-mouth referrals. The company is an approved vendor for Education Savings Account (ESA) funds and accepts major payment methods. Distribution is local-physical dominant with a national virtual overlay, and all customers are individual consumers/SMBs with no disclosed enterprise or institutional contracts.

Name

Educational Resource Associates

Legal name

Educational Resource Associates

Website

https://thekidfixer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Educational Resource Associates is a privately held Iowa tutoring company, founded in 1980, delivering individualized in-person and online academic support — including dyslexia intervention and ACT prep — to preschool through adult learners across six central Iowa locations and nationally via virtual delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Tutoring Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education & Learning Differences Learning Centers (Dyslexia/ADHD/IEP Support) (EDANAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homework Tutoring & Academic Support (Subject Tutoring) (HSAAAHAC), Autism Executive Functioning & Academic Skills Intervention (EDAKAKAI)

Keywords

• Tutoring services
• Dyslexia intervention
• Test preparation
• Educational assessments
• Learning disabilities support

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Tutoring Services: Hourly tutoring sessions for students from preschool through adult, covering reading, writing, math, and test preparation. Sessions offered in-person at Iowa locations and virtually. Pricing based on hourly tuition rate.
2. Dyslexia Testing and Assessment: Comprehensive dyslexia diagnostic testing services including initial consultation, detailed assessment of reading and language processing skills, and comprehensive written reports with recommendations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Educational Resource Associates provides individualized tutoring services for students from preschool through adult, delivered both in-person at six central Iowa locations and virtually nationwide. Core offerings include age-segmented tutoring programs, subject-specific tutoring (reading, writing, math), ACT/SAT test preparation, and specialized services for learning differences such as dyslexia testing and remediation, autism assessment and tutoring, and IEP consulting. Programs are customized after comprehensive educational assessments that identify each student's strengths and areas for improvement.

Product overview

Educational Resource Associates operates as a tutoring and educational services company offering individualized academic support programs. The core offering is a portfolio of tutoring services organized by student age level (Preschool/Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School, and College/Adult), supplemented by subject-specific programs (Reading and Writing, Math, ACT/SAT Test Prep) and specialized services for learning differences (Dyslexia Testing and Tutoring, Autism Disorder Testing and Tutoring, IEP Consulting). The company also provides virtual consultation via Zoom, educational assessments, and early childhood programs under the Whiz Kids Academy brand. Services are delivered in-person at multiple central Iowa locations and online across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preschool and Kindergarten Tutoring
• Elementary Tutoring
• Middle School Tutoring
• High School Tutoring
• College and Adult Tutoring
• Reading and Writing Tutoring
• Math Tutoring
• ACT/SAT Test Prep
• Dyslexia Testing
• Dyslexia Tutoring
• Educational Assessments
• Autism Disorder Testing and Tutoring
• Whiz Kids Academy
• IEP Consulting
• Homeschooling Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 42+ years of tutoring experience since 1980
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Tutor Doctor: Franchised in-home and online tutoring service offering individualized K-12 and adult academic support. Comparable one-on-one tutoring model with multi-territory franchise distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Princeton Review: Established test-prep and tutoring provider with national reach and online delivery. Directly comparable to the firm's ACT/SAT prep offering and virtual delivery model.
• Kaplan: Broad educational and test-prep services company serving high-school, college, and professional-certification test takers. Overlaps with the firm's ACT prep and adult/CPA-exam tutoring segments.
• Mathnasium: National math-only tutoring franchise. Comparable multi-site, individualized math tutoring model that competes for the same parent-and-student segment in many U.S. markets.
• Kumon: Global supplemental education franchise focusing on math and reading through daily worksheet-based practice. Adjacent model of structured, individualized supplemental education for K-12 learners.
• Varsity Tutors: Large-scale online and in-person tutoring and test-prep platform serving K-12 and adult learners nationwide. Comparable virtual delivery and broad subject/test-prep catalog, competing in the same online ACT prep niche.

Direct peers

• Sylvan Learning: National franchised tutoring and test-prep brand serving K-12 students with personalized learning programs. Comparable multi-location, age-tiered tutoring model across subjects and standardized test preparation.
• Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes: Specialized literacy and dyslexia intervention provider using sensory-cognitive instruction. Directly comparable to the firm's Dyslexia Institute and intensive systematic phonics methodology for students with learning differences.
• Huntington Learning Center: Multi-location franchise tutoring center focused on individualized K-12 academic support, test prep, and learning-difference remediation. Closely mirrors Educational Resource Associates' age-graded tutoring model and supplemental offerings.

Emerging players

• Reading Horizons: Provider of structured literacy and reading intervention curricula and tools used in schools and tutoring settings. Comparable focus on evidence-based phonics and reading-difficulty intervention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/educationalresourceassociates
• Instagraminstagram.com/educationalresourceassociates

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 Educational Resource Associates