The DC Special Education Cooperative

Name

The DC Special Education Cooperative

Legal name

The DC Special Education Cooperative

Website

https://specialedcoop.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The DC Special Education Cooperative is a nonprofit membership organization serving DC public charter schools with comprehensive special education programming, including ELEVATE continuous improvement, Demonstration Classrooms, School-Based Medicaid billing, DC3C transition services, and policy advocacy, reaching 57-61 charter LEAs and 7,000+ students with disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Support Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Inclusive / Co-Taught Special Education Programs (EDAKAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Co-Teaching & In-Class Instructional Support (Specialist Teachers) (EDAKABAA)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Charter school support
• Medicaid billing services
• Professional development
• Transition programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Charter schools pay membership fees to access programs, services, and resources including professional development, technical assistance, listservs, newsletters, community of practice, and access to fee-for-service activities.
2. School-Based Medicaid Billing Services: The Co-op provides comprehensive Medicaid billing services to schools, helping them recover federal Medicaid dollars for school-based health services. Schools benefit from billing set-up, claim submission, reporting, and audit preparation.
3. Fee-for-Service Activities: Customized on-site training and technical assistance provided to schools on a per-engagement basis outside of membership benefits.
4. Donations and Grants: The organization relies on donor contributions and grant funding to support programs like ELEVATE and DC3C. Tax-deductible gifts support critical special education programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The DC Special Education Cooperative (the Co-op) is a nonprofit membership organization that delivers a portfolio of programs to improve outcomes for students with disabilities in DC public charter schools. Its core offerings include ELEVATE program evaluation and continuous improvement, Demonstration Classrooms that model Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), DC3C secondary transition and workforce readiness programming, School-Based Medicaid billing recovery, the ALL IN DC systemic initiative, and Elevated Leadership year-long coaching for special education leaders.

Product overview

The DC Special Education Cooperative (Co-op) is an educational nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs and services designed to improve outcomes for students with disabilities in DC charter schools. The Co-op's core offerings include: ELEVATE (a program evaluation and continuous improvement framework), DC3C (secondary transition and workforce readiness programming), Demonstration Classrooms (professional development laboratories showcasing UDL, MTSS, and evidence-based interventions), School-Based Medicaid (federal reimbursement recovery), ALL IN DC (a five-year systemic transformation initiative), Membership (access to resources and fee-for-service activities), and Elevated Leadership (individualized coaching for special education leaders). The organization does not offer a unified software platform; rather, it delivers programs and services through direct engagement with member schools, professional development, and collaborative learning communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DC3C: A program committed to closing the employment and education gaps after high school for students with disabilities, helping them explore career, college, and community opportunities.
• ELEVATE
• Demonstration Classrooms
• School-Based Medicaid
• ALL IN DC

Products and services

• ELEVATE The Co-op's core program that enables charter schools to evaluate and improve their special education practices using a Special Education Framework, an interactive ELEVATE Data Dashboard, continuous improvement processes, and an annual conference leveraging local expertise.
• DC3C (District of Columbia College and Career) A transition program preparing students with disabilities for life after high school through connections to job-training providers, paid internships, self-advocacy training, transition assessments, and work-readiness training across more than two dozen participating DC charter schools.
• Demonstration Classrooms

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of students with disabilities at Bridges PCS met or exceeded MAP growth goals in Demo Classroom
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Compass Pro BonominorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Compass Pro Bono connects purpose-driven volunteers with nonprofits for free consulting services. A team of data experts helped the Co-op analyze data systems and develop a data and technology roadmap aligned with their strategic plan.
• CASTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAST (Center for Applied Special Technology) is a key strategic partner in the Demonstration Classroom program. The Co-op's UDL Demo at Bridges PCS was featured in a video produced by CAST. Both organizations share commitment to inclusive, high-quality instruction for students with disabilities using the UDL framework.
• DC Central KitchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC3C partners with DC Central Kitchen to create hands-on career exploration opportunities for students with disabilities. Through real-world culinary experiences, students build practical skills, grow confidence, and see new possibilities for their futures.
• Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Co-op works with OSSE on policy representation, special education compliance, and data reporting. The Co-op participates in workgroups and committees as a charter community representative.
• Public Charter School Board (PCSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Co-op maintains effective working relationships with PCSB personnel and participates in committees representing the charter community on special education matters.
• SchoolTalkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchoolTalk co-sponsored the ALL IN initiative with the Co-op in 2023, bringing together 27 DC charter LEAs, community partners, parents, and students to chart a vision for transforming outcomes for students with disabilities.
• EmpowerK12coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpowerK12 co-sponsored the ALL IN initiative with the Co-op in 2023 to bring together stakeholders and develop recommendations for improving outcomes for students with disabilities.
• Department on Disability Services (DDS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDC government agency collaborating with the Co-op on disability services and RSA eligibility for students with disabilities.
• DC Office of the Ombudsman for EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the ALL IN initiative by bringing together stakeholders to develop recommendations for improving special education outcomes.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PresenceLearning: PresenceLearning provides online special education services, including evaluations, therapy, and behavioral support, to K-12 schools. It targets a similar buyer (school leaders serving students with disabilities) and competes for the same special education staffing and services budget.
• Catapult Learning: Catapult Learning delivers special education, intervention, and professional development services to K-12 schools across multiple states. It is comparable to the Co-op's combination of specialized instructional support, teacher coaching, and compliance-driven programming.
• Rethink First: Rethink First offers a special education platform with resources, behavior tracking, and professional development tools for schools serving students with disabilities. It parallels the Co-op's ELEVATE framework, Demonstration Classrooms model, and data-driven continuous improvement approach.
• Public Consulting Group: Public Consulting Group provides Medicaid billing services, special education consulting, and compliance support to K-12 schools and districts. It directly overlaps with the Co-op's School-Based Medicaid service line and broader special education support model for schools.
• SchoolTalk: SchoolTalk is a DC-based nonprofit that supports DC students with disabilities and co-sponsored the Co-op's ALL IN initiative. It operates as a peer organization focused on special education advocacy and youth self-advocacy in the same DC charter school market.
• Specialized Education Services (SES): SES provides special education staffing, customized programming, and therapeutic services for public schools. It competes for the same K-12 special education services budget as the Co-op and serves similar students with disabilities.

Broad incumbents

• TNTP: TNTP is a national nonprofit focused on teacher recruitment, training, and instructional improvement across K-12 schools. It overlaps with the Co-op's professional development and teacher coaching offerings but at much larger national scope and across general (not special) education.
• Council for Exceptional Children: CEC is a national membership association for special educators, offering professional development, standards, and advocacy. It parallels the Co-op's membership and professional learning model at much broader national scale, but does not deliver direct school services.

Emerging players

• Branching Minds: Branching Minds is an MTSS and special education decision-support platform used by K-12 schools. It overlaps with the Co-op's MTSS Demonstration Classrooms and ELEVATE continuous improvement framework, but delivers via SaaS rather than direct services.

Regional players

• EmpowerK12: EmpowerK12 is a DC-based nonprofit that partners with public charter schools on data-driven improvement and co-sponsored the ALL IN initiative. It serves the same DC charter market but focuses on broader school performance analytics rather than special education specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/specialedcoop
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1MTeGTBUzhwz7fH15fOLxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/specialedcoop
• Instagraminstagram.com/exploredc3c

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 DC Special Education Cooperative