Positive Discipline Association

What Positive Discipline Association does

The Positive Discipline Association (PDA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 2004 in Georgia, USA, and headquartered in Atlanta. It operates as the sole global credentialing body for the Positive Discipline methodology, a non-punitive parenting and education framework grounded in Adlerian Psychology as developed by Alfred Adler and Rudolph Dreikurs. PDA issues and oversees Parent Educator, Classroom Educator, and Early Childhood Educator certifications, plus advanced designations through the Advanced Candidate Training (ACT) program and specialized tracks covering workplace relationships and couples. Its products and services are delivered as structured workshops, online learning modules, recorded events, books and materials (via an affiliated e-commerce store where PDA receives a 5% donation), parenting classes, and the Positive Discipline Lab Schools program. The organization maintains a presence in 90 countries through international affiliates in France, Spain, Morocco, the Netherlands, Egypt, and Iceland, with localized content in Spanish, Chinese, Greek, Polish, and Portuguese.

PDA generates revenue through four streams: tiered annual memberships ($65 Educator Level, $35 Parent Level), paid certification and training workshops, event registration with member versus public pricing ($35 versus $50), and an affiliate donation from product sales through positivediscipline.com. Its go-to-market is a hybrid event-driven and community-led model: a global network of certified trainers and educators delivers in-person and virtual training, while mentor groups, trainer candidate pipelines, directories, and an annual conference sustain ongoing engagement. Marketing is multi-channel across Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, email newsletters, content marketing, and SEO. Strategic partnerships with NASAP, CASEL, Zero To Three, the Adler School of Professional Psychology, ICASSI, and co-founder Dr. Jane Nelsen ground the brand in the broader Adlerian and social-emotional learning ecosystem, while NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider status (ACEP No. 6723) lends professional credentialing weight.

The internal team is small, with nine named staff covering workshop coordination, advanced training coordination, language support (Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese), controller functions, and a Director of Growth. PDA holds no patents or technology products beyond its credentialing infrastructure, which runs on the Wild Apricot association-management platform. The organization has no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, and no equity capitalization.

Name

Positive Discipline Association

Legal name

Positive Discipline Association

Website

https://positivediscipline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Positive Discipline Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the sole global credentialing body for the Positive Discipline parenting and education methodology. It certifies Parent Educators, Classroom Educators, and Early Childhood Educators across 90 countries through workshops, memberships, and an international affiliate network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parent Education and Professional Development Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Positive Discipline & Behavior Support Programs (EDACALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inclusion, Special Needs & Early Intervention Training (IEPs/IFSPs, Neurodiversity) (EDACAIAF), Teacher Standards, Ethics & Professional Conduct Boards (EDADAJAE), Professional Development / CPD Requirement Administration for Licensure (EDADAJAL)

Keywords

• Parent education certification
• Classroom educator training
• Adlerian psychology workshops
• Early childhood educator certification
• Professional development memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

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, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions at two levels: Educator Level ($65/year) for certified professionals and Parent Level ($35/year) for parents without certification. Membership provides access to directories, resources, professional development, and member pricing on events.
2. Training Workshop Fees: Revenue from certification workshops including Parenting Educator Certification, Classroom Educator Certification, Early Childhood Educator Certification, and specialized programs like Keeping the Joy in Relationships and Empowering People in the Workplace. Event registration fees vary with member status.
3. Event Registration: Online and in-person event fees with tiered pricing for members ($35) and non-members ($50). Includes webinars, conferences, and professional development sessions.
4. Product Sales: Books, materials, and resources sold through www.positivediscipline.com. Includes Positive Discipline books, translations, school resources, and parent resources. PDA receives a 5% donation from purchases made through this channel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Positive Discipline Association delivers certification programs, training workshops, and membership services based on Adlerian Psychology for parents, classroom educators, early childhood educators, and workplace professionals. Offerings include Parent Educator Certification, Classroom Educator Certification, Early Childhood Educator Certification, Advanced Candidate Training (ACT), and specialized programs (Keeping the Joy in Relationships, Empowering People in the Workplace), delivered through in-person workshops, live virtual sessions, and online learning modules with member and non-member pricing tiers.

Product overview

The Positive Discipline Association offers a comprehensive portfolio of certification programs and training services based on Adlerian Psychology. The core offerings include certification programs for Parent Educators (Teaching Parenting the Positive Discipline Way), Classroom Educators (Positive Discipline in the Classroom), and Early Childhood Educators, supplemented by specialized workplace training (Empowering People in the Workplace) and relationship-focused programs (Keeping the Joy in Relationships). The organization provides online learning through Adlerian Online Learning, professional development via Recorded Events, and advanced trainer certification through the Advanced Candidate Training (ACT) program. Additional resources include books and materials sold through the affiliated www.positivediscipline.com store, parenting classes, Positive Discipline Lab Schools programs, educational videos, and informational articles and handouts. The organization operates internationally with global affiliates and provides resources in multiple languages including Spanish and Chinese.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teaching Parenting the Positive Discipline Way (Parenting Educator Certification) A certification program that trains parent educators to teach parenting classes using the Positive Discipline model grounded in Adlerian Psychology. Aimed at individuals seeking to deliver parent education professionally.
• Positive Discipline in the Classroom (Classroom Educator Certification) A certification program that trains K-12 educators to implement Positive Discipline methods in classroom settings and pursue professional certification as a Positive Discipline Classroom Educator.
• Positive Discipline for Early Childhood Educators (Early Childhood Educator Certification) A certification program for educators working with young children (birth to age 8) to apply Positive Discipline principles in early childhood education settings.
• Empowering People in the Workplace A workplace training program that applies Positive Discipline principles to professional environments to address workplace conflict, communication, and team dynamics. Aimed at organizations and corporate teams.
• Keeping the Joy in Relationships A training program focused on maintaining healthy, positive relationships using Adlerian principles; aimed at couples and individuals seeking relationship skills.
• Art of Facilitating Positive Discipline Advanced training for individuals learning to facilitate Positive Discipline workshops and programs at a professional level.
• Advanced Candidate Training (ACT) Advanced certification program for candidates seeking to become certified Positive Discipline Lead Trainers, with checklist requirements for completion; the pathway into Lead Trainer status.
• Adlerian Online Learning Self-paced online learning modules and courses on Adlerian psychology and the Positive Discipline methodology, available on demand.
• Recorded Events Recorded webinars and events available for purchase for professional development and training purposes.
• PDA Memberships (Educator Level and Parent Level) Annual membership subscriptions providing access to directories, mentor groups, professional development events, member pricing on workshops, and resources. Educator Level ($65/year) is for certified professionals; Parent Level ($35/year) is for parents without certification.
• Parenting Classes In-person and online parenting classes delivered by certified Parent Educators for parents seeking to learn and apply Positive Discipline techniques.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research demonstrates effectiveness in influencing parenting attitudes and behaviors toward authoritative parenting styles
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Affiliates (France)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiscipline Positive France (www.disciplinepositive.fr) - Responsible for translating and communicating Positive Discipline Association policies into French, making certification and training available throughout France. Members receive dual membership in both organizations.
• International Affiliates (Spain)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDisciplina Positiva España (www.disciplinapositivaespana.com) - Provides Spanish-language Positive Discipline certification, training, and resources for Spain and Spanish-speaking regions.
• International Affiliates (Morocco)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorADPM Morocco (www.adpm.ma) - Delivers Positive Discipline training and certification in Morocco and North Africa, with content adapted for local context.
• International Affiliates (Netherlands)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPositieve Disciplie Netwerk Nederland (https://positivedisciplinenetwerk.nl/) - Provides Dutch-language Positive Discipline certification and training for the Netherlands.
• International Affiliates (Egypt)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAPD Egypt (https://apdegypt.com/) - Delivers Positive Discipline programs and training to Egypt and Middle East region.
• International Affiliates (Iceland)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJakvæður á Gí (www.jakvaeduragi.is) - Provides Icelandic-language Positive Discipline training and certification for Iceland.
• North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPDA is an affiliate of NASAP, which fosters and promotes research, knowledge, training, and application of Adlerian Psychology. This connection grounds PDA's methodology in professional Adlerian community.
• Adler School of Professional PsychologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based graduate school focused on Adlerian Psychology, emphasizing education and training for socially responsible practitioners engaged in social justice.
• Collaboration for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization advancing evidence-based social and emotional learning practice. PDA resources align with SEL best practices and bullying prevention.
• International Committee of Summer Schools and Institutes (ICASSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVoluntary non-profit educational organization promoting learning of Adler and Dreikurs teachings through the Rudolf Dreikurs Summer Institute.
• Zero To ThreeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational non-profit promoting health and development of infants and toddlers. Provides educational resources including podcasts and parenting resources aligned with early childhood Positive Discipline.
• Dr. Jane NelsencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder and author of bestselling Positive Discipline books. Her Facebook page has 200,000+ fans and newsletter reaches practitioners globally. Her work forms the foundation of the Positive Discipline model.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• National Parenting Education Network (NPEN): NPEN is a professional association representing parent education professionals and supporting quality standards in the field. Comparable to PDA as a membership-organization peer in the parent education space, though it functions more as an industry association than a training provider.
• CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning): CASEL is the leading research and advocacy organization for SEL in schools, providing frameworks, resources, and district partnerships. Comparable to PDA as an enabling ecosystem partner whose SEL framework PDA's classroom programs align with; not a direct competitor but a channel and credibility driver.
• Adler Graduate School: Adler Graduate School offers graduate programs grounded in Adlerian psychology. Comparable to PDA as a strategic partner in the Adlerian psychology ecosystem, serving overlapping practitioners and conceptually aligned with Positive Discipline methodology.
• Zero to Three: Zero to Three is a national nonprofit providing early childhood development resources, training, and professional education for infant and toddler practitioners. Comparable to PDA as an early-childhood professional development partner; PDA's Early Childhood Educator certification aligns with Zero to Three's audience.

Direct peers

• Hand in Hand Parenting: Hand in Hand Parenting is a nonprofit offering parenting classes, instructor training, and a community of certified Parent Leaders. Comparable to PDA as a community-driven, methodology-based nonprofit with paid training, instructor certification, and parent education programming.
• 1-2-3 Magic: 1-2-3 Magic is a well-known parenting and classroom discipline program with certified instructors delivering workshops and selling books/materials. Directly competing with Positive Discipline in the parenting-pedagogy training market with similar parent educator and teacher training offerings.
• Love and Logic Institute: Love and Logic provides parenting and classroom discipline training programs, books, and facilitator certifications. Directly comparable to PDA as a parenting methodology with a national/international facilitator network charging for workshops and facilitator credentials.
• Conscious Discipline: Conscious Discipline offers a competing SEL and classroom management methodology with training, certification, and conferences for educators and parents. Directly comparable because it sells parallel certification programs, an annual membership community, and conference-based training to the same K-12 and parent personas.

Broad incumbents

• NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children): NAEYC is the largest professional membership organization for early childhood educators, providing accreditation, training, and resources. Comparable to PDA as a credentialing and professional development incumbent in the same early childhood educator persona, operating at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Parents as Teachers: Parents as Teachers is a national nonprofit that trains and certifies parent educators to deliver home-visit-based family education programs. Comparable to PDA as a parent-educator training and certification organization serving the same parent persona, though its home-visit model differs from PDA's workshop approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/positivedisciplineassociation
• Facebookfacebook.com/PositiveDisciplineAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/positivediscipline_association
• TikToktiktok.com/@pda_association
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/positive-discipline-association

Compliance2 records

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 Positive Discipline Association