Center for Educational Advancement

Name

Center for Educational Advancement

Legal name

CEA, Inc.

Website

https://cea-nj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Transition Planning & Postsecondary Readiness (Educational) (EDAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Disability employment services
• Supported employment programs
• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Special education transition
• Workforce readiness training

Headquarters

HQ city

Flemington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-funded Services: CEA receives fee-for-service payments from the NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) and the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) for approved services provided to program participants. The organization is a not-for-profit and does not charge participants fees except in private pay circumstances.
2. Commercial Packaging Services: FDA-approved packaging facility providing repackaging, relabeling, quality inspection, kitting and assembly services to commercial, retail, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Revenue generated from service fees for these professional packaging operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CEA is a nonprofit organization providing a portfolio of interconnected services for individuals with disabilities: community employment and evaluation (job coaching, assessments, trial work experiences), a private school for middle and high school students with disabilities integrated within a public school setting, workplace readiness training, youth pre-employment transition services, and an FDA-approved commercial packaging facility offering repackaging, relabeling, kitting, and quality inspection. Services span school-age through adult employment, funded primarily by NJ state agency referrals with private-pay and donation support.

Product overview

The Center for Educational Advancement (CEA) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services for individuals with disabilities. The core offerings include: Community Employment and Evaluation services (job coaching and placement), The CEA School (a private school integrated within a public school for students with disabilities), Workplace Readiness training, Youth Services (pre-employment transition for students), and Commercial Packaging (an FDA-approved packaging facility). These services work together to facilitate career pathways and community employment, with the school and youth programs serving as entry points for younger individuals transitioning toward employment, while community employment and workplace readiness services support adults in achieving and maintaining meaningful employment. Commercial packaging provides additional vocational training and employment opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Employment and Evaluation Comprehensive assessment, planning, and job coaching services that facilitate career pathways and community employment for individuals with disabilities. Includes community-based work evaluations, trial work experiences, and various levels of job coaching.
• The CEA School A New Jersey Department of Education approved private school located within a public school setting, providing academic instruction, life skills development, and transition services for middle and high school students with disabilities. Includes academics, transition planning, behavioral supports, and summer enrichment programs.
• Workplace Readiness A short-term program dedicated to developing critical skills for successful transition to community employment, focusing on communication, social interaction, safety, professionalism, collaboration, and critical thinking. Services include workplace readiness training, social skills development, safety training, and personalized skill development.
• Youth Services Pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) for students aged 14-21 referred through DVRS, offering workplace readiness training, job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, group and individual counseling, and instruction on self-advocacy. Includes a paid internship program and an out-of-school program for youth ages 16-24.
• Commercial Packaging An FDA-approved packaging facility providing professional repackaging, relabeling, and quality inspection services to the commercial, retail, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The 10,000-square-foot facility includes three loading docks and two low-particulate processing areas, offering kitting, assembly, and retail-ready packaging with compliance-focused processing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 1993, the Turkey Trot has become a holiday tradition raising awareness and funding for services that help coach individuals into community integrated employment

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NJ Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS)coreOthersPrimary referral source for employment services; pays CEA a fee for approved services provided to referred individuals with disabilities
• NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)coreOthersPrimary referral source for services to individuals with developmental disabilities; pays CEA for approved services
• Johanna FoodsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTitle sponsor of the CEA/JFI Turkey Trot since 1993; annual Thanksgiving Day 5K Run & 2M Walk event
• Market AxessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf Classic event sponsor
• BairdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf Classic event sponsor
• Global SeaportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGolf Classic event sponsor
• NJM Insurance GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Golf Classic and Turkey Trot
• Princeton OrthopaedicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedal sponsor for Turkey Trot event
• ShopRite of Hunterdon CountyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinish Line sponsor for Turkey Trot; event supporter
• Hunterdon HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTurkey Trot event sponsor
• Farmers Insurance of FlemingtonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBib sponsor for Turkey Trot event
• South Hunterdon Regional High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost school for The CEA School; provides inclusive classroom environment for students with disabilities
• Various Commercial/Retail/Cosmetic/Pharmaceutical CompaniesminorOthersCustomers for FDA-approved commercial packaging services including repackaging, relabeling, and quality inspection

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Broad incumbents

• BrightSpring Health Services: Large public company providing home and community-based services, including disability employment and behavioral health, across many states. Comparable to CEA in serving I/DD populations through Medicaid and state funding, with broader scope and a for-profit operating model.
• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): National provider of home and community-based services for individuals with intellectual, developmental, and behavioral disabilities. Comparable to CEA in service type and customer base, but operates as a large multi-state for-profit with much greater scale.
• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit operating employment and training programs for individuals with disabilities and other barriers to work through a network of local Goodwill chapters. Comparable to CEA in mission-employment focus, with a much larger retail-funded revenue base and broader scope.
• The Arc of the United States: National federation of state and local chapters advocating for and serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Directly comparable to CEA's mission and customer base, with chapter-level service delivery in employment, education, and family support.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit federation delivering disability employment, education, and community-based services through local affiliates. Comparable to CEA in employment and transition services, but with a much broader geographic and programmatic footprint including healthcare-adjacent services.

Regional players

• AHRC NYC: NYC-area nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through schools, employment, and day habilitation programs. Same mission and service architecture as CEA, but anchored in the New York City OPWDD system rather than NJ DVRS/DDD.

Direct peers

• Bancroft: New Jersey-headquartered nonprofit providing special education, vocational, and residential services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates an integrated school-to-employment model very similar to CEA, competing for the same DVRS/DDD contracts and employer partnerships in the region.
• Community Options: New Jersey-based nonprofit operating supported employment, day programs, and residential services for individuals with developmental disabilities. Directly comparable to CEA in mission, customer base, and DVRS/DDD funding model, with overlapping service territory.
• YAI (Young Adult Institute): Large multi-state nonprofit providing special education, employment, and residential services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable to CEA in service model and customer segment, though operating at significantly greater scale across multiple states.
• Melwood: Mid-Atlantic nonprofit providing employment, training, and day services for people with disabilities, including an integrated commercial services arm that performs government and commercial contract work as vocational training. Closely parallels CEA's dual mission-plus-commercial-services model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ceaemployment
• Facebookfacebook.com/centerforeducationaladvancement
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cea-commercial-packaging

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Center for Educational Advancement