Partnership for 21st Century Learning

What Partnership for 21st Century Learning does

Note: The aggregated input data labeled under "Partnership for 21st Century Learning" is overwhelmingly sourced from AASA, The School Superintendents Association (aasa.org). The analysis below reflects the substantive content of the available data.

The organization is a national nonprofit professional association headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, that serves as the professional home for U.S. school superintendents and district system leaders. Its mission is to represent educational leaders committed to providing high-quality public education, and it operates a multi-channel member-services model anchored by annual membership dues, professional learning programs, an annual conference, publications, and federal and state advocacy.

The product surface is built around four interconnected pillars. First, a portfolio of professional learning offerings including the National Conference on Education, the Aspiring Superintendents Academy®, the Urban Superintendents Academy, the EdLeader Promise Network, regional cohorts and Leadership Summits, certification programs, and webinars. Second, a proprietary framework stack — Portrait of a Graduate, Portrait to Practice®, and Portrait to Impact® — packaged with the Public Education Promise Toolkits to help districts define, operationalize, and measure graduate competencies. Third, publications and research including School Administrator magazine, the Journal of Scholarship & Practice, and the annual Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study. Fourth, advocacy infrastructure including a Legislative Advocacy Conference, a National Advocacy Network, and policy research resources. Distribution is direct-to-member via aasa.org and connect.aasa.org, supplemented by regional summits, podcasts, and an active multi-platform social presence.

Revenue is generated across seven streams: recurring membership dues, professional learning program fees, conference and event registration/sponsorship, subscription publications, toolkit and research report sales, a subscription-based legal support program, and advertising/sponsorship. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The operating model is digital-content-plus-in-person-events rather than a technology product business — there is no proprietary software platform, no API surface, and no AI/ML product. Recent strategic activity in 2026 emphasizes AI literacy programming for district leaders via partnerships with MIT RAISE, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, and Day of AI, alongside a first-of-its-kind joint study with ASBO International on health care cost impacts.

Name

Partnership for 21st Century Learning

Legal name

AASA, The School Superintendents Association

Website

https://p21.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

National nonprofit professional association headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, serving U.S. school superintendents and district leaders through membership, professional learning programs, the National Conference on Education, advocacy, publications, and proprietary Portrait of a Graduate frameworks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Leadership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational Leadership & Administration Programs (EDAHAFAD), Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Educational leadership
• Professional development
• School district advocacy
• Superintendent training
• K-12 education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilliard

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from school superintendents and educational leaders representing school districts across the United States
2. Professional Learning Programs: Revenue from certification programs, academies, cohorts, consortia, and professional development offerings including Aspiring Superintendents Academies
3. Conference and Events: Registration fees and sponsorship revenue from National Conference on Education, Leadership Summits, and other professional events
4. Publications and Content: Revenue from School Administrator magazine subscriptions, Journal of Scholarship & Practice, books, and educational resources
5. Resource Sales and Toolkits: Sales of toolkits, research reports, and professional resources including Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study
6. Legal Support Program: Subscription-based legal support services for member districts
7. Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from vendor presentations, advertising in publications, and event sponsorship

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

A nonprofit professional association that provides educational leadership frameworks, professional development programs, advocacy services, and publications for school superintendents and district leaders. Core offerings include the Portrait of a Graduate framework suite (Portrait of a Graduate, Portrait to Practice, Portrait to Impact), certification academies (Aspiring Superintendents Academy, Urban Superintendents Academy), annual conferences, peer networks such as the EdLeader Promise Network, subscription publications, and policy advocacy at federal and state levels.

Product overview

The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio of professional learning services, publications, and resources for school superintendents and district leaders. The core offerings include professional development programs such as the National Conference on Education, EdLeader Promise Network, Aspiring Superintendents Academy, Urban Superintendents Academy, and the Advancing Rural Education Cohort. The Portrait of a Graduate framework and its companion resources (Portrait to Practice, Portrait to Impact) provide districts with a structured approach to defining graduate competencies and measuring their impact. Publications include the School Administrator Magazine and Journal of Scholarship & Practice. The organization also provides advocacy resources, research studies including the annual Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study, legal support programs, and webinars. A new AI Fellowship program, announced in partnership with MIT RAISE and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute, aims to develop AI leadership capabilities among school leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Administrator Magazine A monthly magazine offering articles, columns, and best practices for school superintendents and district leaders, featuring topics such as leadership, policy, and educational innovation.
• Journal of Scholarship & Practice A peer-reviewed journal providing research-based articles and practical insights for educational leadership.
• National Conference on Education An annual flagship conference providing professional development, networking, and learning opportunities for school superintendents and educational leaders.
• Aspiring Superintendents Academy A registered professional development program preparing aspiring leaders with real-world skills needed to become next-generation superintendents.
• Certification Programs Credentialing and certification offerings for educational administrators seeking professional advancement.
• Urban Superintendents Academy A specialized academy focused on developing leadership qualities that drive success in dynamic urban districts.
• Advancing Rural Education Cohort A cohort program providing networking, ideas, and strategies for supporting rural school communities, covering topics like access, opportunity, and college/career/life readiness.
• Possibilities Summit A working summit teaching district leaders to use AI and possibilities thinking to reimagine strategic planning.
• Portrait of a Graduate Framework A framework helping districts define the competencies and skills graduates need for success in college, career, and civic life.
• Portrait to Practice Framework A registered trademark framework helping districts translate graduate profiles into classroom instruction and school practices.
• Portrait to Impact Framework A registered trademark framework helping districts measure and evaluate the impact of their Portrait of a Graduate initiatives.
• Superintendent Salary & Benefits Study An annual research study providing comprehensive data on superintendent compensation and benefits across the nation.
• EdLeader Promise Network A peer network of educational leaders focused on sharing promising practices and supporting district improvement initiatives.
• Legislative Advocacy Conference An annual conference focused on policy advocacy and legislative engagement for educational leaders.
• Legal Support Program A subscription-based legal support service providing guidance to member districts on education law matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 767 district leaders participated in health care costs study providing actionable research on budget impacts
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

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 core.

• Learning First AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026David R. Schuler, Executive Director of AASA, was elected Board Chair of the Learning First Alliance, establishing AASA leadership within this educational coalition focused on public education improvement.
• ASBO International (Association of School Business Officials International)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026AASA and ASBO International released a first-of-its-kind joint study examining budgetary impact of health care costs on public schools, surveying 767 district leaders. Collaboration combines AASA's leadership perspective with ASBO's financial expertise.
• Day of AIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Day of AI collaboration with MIT RAISE and Edward M. Kennedy Institute to launch AI Fellowship program, selecting 100 students and 50 school leaders for a new program in Boston to turn district insights into stronger programs, research, and leadership support.
• MIT RAISEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026MIT RAISE (Responsible AI for Social Empowerment) partnership for AI Fellowship program, helping AASA leverage AI expertise and research capabilities.
• Edward M. Kennedy InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2026Edward M. Kennedy Institute partnership for AI Fellowship hosting 100 students and 50 school leaders in Boston, connecting education leadership with civic engagement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• EdLeader21: EdLeader21 is a network focused on 21st-century skills and graduate-profile frameworks for school districts, with partial overlap to AASA's Portrait of a Graduate framework. It serves a similar district audience but with a narrower skills-development lens.
• Future Ready Schools: Future Ready Schools is a district-level initiative focused on leadership, curriculum, and technology planning for K-12 — a partial overlap with AASA's district-services and Portrait frameworks, particularly around leadership transformation and technology planning.
• Battelle for Kids: Battelle for Kids is a nonprofit that originated the Portrait of a Graduate framework and partners with districts on graduate-outcome design — directly comparable to AASA's Portrait of a Graduate and Portrait to Practice® offerings and a partial competitor in the same methodology space.

Broad incumbents

• National Education Association (NEA): NEA is the largest U.S. educator employee organization, with a broader scope (teachers and education staff) than AASA but significant overlap in K-12 advocacy, publications, and conferences. It serves as a larger incumbent in the same education-policy ecosystem.

Direct peers

• ASCD: ASCD is a membership-based professional association for educators and instructional leaders, offering professional learning, publications, and conferences. It directly overlaps with AASA's value proposition for educational leaders and competes for the same institutional mindshare and membership dollars.
• Learning Forward: Learning Forward is a professional membership association focused on professional learning for educators, including administrators. It directly competes with AASA's academies, cohorts, and certification offerings in the educational-leadership professional-development category.
• National School Boards Association (NSBA): NSBA represents school board members and is the governance-side counterpart to AASA's superintendent audience. Both organizations compete for the same district-level policy voice, conference attendance, and member engagement dollars.
• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): CCSSO is a nonpartisan national association representing state chief school officers. It directly overlaps with AASA's advocacy and policy leadership role for school system executives and is a natural counterpart at the state-leadership tier.
• PDK International (Phi Delta Kappa): PDK International is a professional association for educators that publishes research (e.g., PDK Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward Public Education) and offers educator resources, directly competing with AASA's publications, research, and member-services portfolio.
• Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO): ASBO serves school business officials with research, professional development, and advocacy — directly comparable to AASA's role for superintendents. AASA and ASBO already co-publish research (health-care cost study), indicating overlapping audience and adjacent value propositions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/P21Learning
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AASAVideoCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/AASApage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/partnership-for-21st-century-skills
• Instagraminstagram.com/aasahq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Partnership for 21st Century Learning