The Cyzner Institute

What The Cyzner Institute does

The Cyzner Institute is a private, accredited day school and therapeutic center headquartered at 7022 Sardis Road in Charlotte, North Carolina, serving children and adolescents from preschool through middle school/early high school diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, neurodevelopmental disorders, and behavioral/mental health conditions. Founded in 2003 by Dr. Lisa E. Cyzner, the institute integrates special education with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, and sensory- and relationship-based strategies into a single weekday program. The therapeutic methodology is delivered through 1:1 teacher-child ratios embedded in three core curricular tracks—Developmental Learning (intensive early intervention for children up to age 7-8), Integrated Learning (kindergarten through middle school with higher independence), and Adaptive Functional Life Skills (for students with significant social-emotional and independent-living delays)—supported by a multidisciplinary team of BCBAs, RBTs, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.

The operating model is a directly-delivered, on-site service that relies on rolling admissions, individualized programming, and continuous progress monitoring with monthly parent conferences. The institute generates revenue from four primary streams: (1) recurring tuition for the Day School program, (2) recurring 1:1 ABA/Educational Therapy services, (3) recurring Summer Extension Program fees, and (4) parent/home training services billed as professional services. A meaningful portion of clinical revenue is captured through third-party insurance reimbursement as an in-network provider with BCBS, Aetna, and MedCost, with funding support also available through the North Carolina ESA+ program and Opportunity Grants. The go-to-market is primarily sales-led and relationship-driven—families enter via website inquiry, followed by an admissions packet, virtual conference with the Director/Clinical Director, facility tour, child observation, evaluation, and placement testing—supplemented by referrals from pediatricians, healthcare providers, and resource organizations such as the ECAC and Autism Speaks.

The company is privately held, founder-led until March 2024 when Kerri LaMontagne succeeded Dr. Cyzner as Director, and operates with 11-50 employees across a single physical location. A "Cyzner on Baldwin" At-A-Glance document dated February 2025 suggests a second location or program expansion is being developed. The institute has no parent company, no venture capital backing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no acquisitions or mergers on record.

Name

The Cyzner Institute

Legal name

Cyzner Institute

Website

https://cyznerinstitute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Cyzner Institute is a private, accredited day school and therapeutic center in Charlotte, NC, serving children preschool through middle school with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders by integrating ABA, occupational, and speech-language therapy into individualized educational programs. Revenue is generated through tuition, recurring therapy services, and insurance reimbursement from BCBS, Aetna, and MedCost.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autism Behavioral Support (School-Based ABA/PBIS) (EDAKAKAE), Therapy-Integrated Childcare Support (coordination with OT/PT/SLP/ABA) (HSAAAIAM)

Keywords

• Applied behavior analysis
• Autism day school
• Special education services
• ABA therapy clinic
• Occupational therapy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Day School Tuition: Tuition-based revenue for weekday school program serving children preschool through middle school with integrated education and therapy services.
2. ABA Therapy Services: 1:1 ABA/Tutoring program providing individualized therapeutic instruction, with teachers tracking responses and skill proficiency. Parents receive progress reports at designated intervals.
3. Summer Program Fees: 6-7 week Summer Extension Program continuing individualized educational programming and therapy for current students and new families. Therapeutic services including ABA, OT, Speech, and counseling available separately.
4. Parent/Home Training Services: Behavior management program open to community families not enrolled in other programs. Includes ABA home programs, parent coaching, consultations, IEP meeting advocacy, and professional networking support.
5. Insurance Reimbursement: Revenue from participating insurance providers including BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, and MedCost for covered ABA therapy services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Cyzner Institute operates an accredited private day school and therapeutic center in Charlotte, North Carolina that serves children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental or behavioral health diagnoses. It integrates special education with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Therapy delivered by Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Registered Behavior Technicians, special education teachers, OTs, and SLPs. Standalone offerings include the Day School, ABA/Educational Therapy, a Summer Extension Program, Parent/Home Training, Occupational Therapy, and Speech-Language Therapy.

Product overview

The Cyzner Institute is a private, accredited day school and therapeutic center for children and adolescents (preschool through middle school) with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders. The organization operates a unified program that integrates education with therapeutic support, offering the Day School as its core product alongside specialized programs including Developmental Learning, Integrated Learning, and Adaptive Functional Life Skills tracks. Therapeutic services (ABA/Educational Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Therapy) are embedded across programs. Additional offerings include a Summer Extension Program and a Parent/Home Training Program for behavior management support. The institution has been serving families in the greater Charlotte area since 2003.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cyzner Institute Day School: A weekday school program integrating education with therapeutic support for children preschool through middle school.

Products and services

• Cyzner Institute Day School Accredited private day school in Charlotte, NC serving children and adolescents with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders through tiered programs (Developmental, Integrated, and Adaptive Functional Life Skills) that integrate academic instruction with clinical therapies.
• ABA / Educational Therapy One-on-one Applied Behavior Analysis and educational therapy delivered by BCBAs and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) for children with autism, ADHD, mental health diagnoses, and other behavioral disorders.
• Summer Extension Program Structured summer program for current and prospective students that extends educational and therapeutic services through the school break to prevent regression and reinforce skills.
• Parent / Home Training Program Parent-focused training program delivering behavior management strategies and home programming techniques to families of children with autism and behavioral disorders.
• Occupational Therapy Occupational therapy services delivered by licensed OTs to support sensory, motor, and daily living skill development for children with autism and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Speech-Language Therapy Speech-language pathology services delivered by SLPs to support communication, language, and social communication skills for children with autism and related disorders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research-based summer program helps prevent typical summer learning loss experienced by students with developmental challenges

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Autism SpeaksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2011Participated in Carolina's Walk Now for Autism Speaks event at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2011. Event raised $450,000 for autism research, awareness, and advocacy efforts. Cyzner Institute staff and families participated in the community event.
• BlueCross BlueShieldcoreOthersParticipating insurance provider. Cyzner Institute is considered in-network for ABA therapy services covered under BCBS benefit packages. Families are directed to contact the institute to determine specific coverage details for their medical plan.
• AetnacoreOthersParticipating insurance provider. Cyzner Institute is considered in-network for ABA therapy services covered under Aetna benefit packages. Families are directed to contact the institute to determine specific coverage details for their medical plan.
• MedCostcoreOthersParticipating insurance provider. Cyzner Institute is considered in-network for ABA therapy services covered under MedCost benefit packages. Families are directed to contact the institute to determine specific coverage details for their medical plan.
• Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)minorOthersNorth Carolina non-profit organization committed to serving special needs children and families. ECAC provides parent-training, referrals, resources, and support to families in the Charlotte area. Listed as a parent resource on Cyzner Institute's website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cortica: Multi-disciplinary autism care provider combining ABA, OT, speech, and medical services under one model. Conceptually close to Cyzner's integrated 'school + therapy' approach, but operates across multiple locations.
• BlueSprig Pediatrics: National clinic network providing ABA therapy and related services for children with autism. Comparable to Cyzner's standalone ABA offering and integrated therapy model, though operating at multi-state scale.
• Hopebridge: Large multi-site provider of ABA, occupational, and speech therapy for children with autism. Broader incumbent in the same autism therapy category as Cyzner's ABA program, but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• Caravel Autism Health: Multi-state ABA therapy provider for children with autism, working closely with insurance networks. Comparable in clinical methodology (ABA-based) and payer relationships to Cyzner, though at broader geographic scale.
• Centria Healthcare: Large national provider of ABA and related therapies for children with autism, serving families through in-home and center-based delivery. Overlaps with Cyzner's ABA and family-support services, though at significantly larger scale.

Direct peers

• The Help Group: Network of special education schools and programs for children with autism and other special needs, integrating therapy into the academic day. Closely parallels Cyzner's 'education + therapy under one roof' positioning.
• May Institute: Nonprofit serving children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities through schools, ABA programs, and clinical services. Comparable to Cyzner's combined school plus ABA therapy delivery model.
• Giant Steps School: Private school dedicated to students with autism that integrates therapeutic and educational programming in small-group settings. Highly comparable to Cyzner's autism-specific day school with embedded therapy model.
• The Ivymount School: Special education school serving students with autism, learning disabilities, and related disorders through individualized programs with therapeutic supports. Matches Cyzner's tiered, multidisciplinary school-and-therapy approach.

Others

• Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC): North Carolina nonprofit providing parent training, referrals, and resources for families of children with disabilities. Referenced as a community partner of Cyzner; relevant ecosystem peer for understanding parent-referral pathways in the region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cyznerinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Cyzner Institute