Transforming Lives

What Transforming Lives does

Transforming Lives Inc (TLi) is a Delaware-based nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Abdul-Malik Muhammad that operates alternative education schools and integrated behavioral health services for at-risk K-12 youth in New Castle County, Delaware. TLi runs four program lines: three standalone alternative schools (Positive Change Academy - Newark, Positive Change Academy - Brandywine, and Douglass Alternative Academy) and Emotional Support Classrooms embedded within traditional public schools. The organization's core methodology combines Trauma-Informed Care, Restorative Practices, the 40 Developmental Assets strengths-based framework, and a Four Keys to Successful Transition evaluation (attendance 90%, grades C's or better, 85% behavioral support points, and 2.0 counseling engagement rating), delivered with low student-to-staff ratios (12:1 student-teacher; 1:3 staff-student at PCA-Brandywine).

Operationally, TLi serves as a contracted alternative-placement provider to five public school districts — Brandywine, Red Clay Consolidated, Christina, Appoquinimink, and Colonial — under direct enterprise agreements with government buyers. Curriculum is aligned to Delaware Department of Education State standards, with TIDE (College Board) and SBAC (Smarter Balanced) testing integrations. Clinical mental health services are delivered through a partnership with Dr. Watlington & Associates, and ongoing staff training in Restorative Practices and Trauma Informed Care is supplied through sister company Akoben, which also markets the methodology to outside organizations.

TLi is privately held and founder-controlled, with no external investors, no public filings, and revenue not publicly disclosed. Headcount is 51-100 employees concentrated across Wilmington and Newark, Delaware. Marketing is primarily organic (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) plus district referrals; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is contracted bilaterally with each school district.

Name

Transforming Lives

Legal name

Transforming Lives Inc

Website

https://tliservices.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Transforming Lives Inc is a Delaware nonprofit operating alternative K-12 schools and integrated behavioral health programs for at-risk youth under contract with five New Castle County public school districts, using a Trauma-Informed and Restorative Practices methodology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative K-12 Education and Behavioral Health Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Schools (Behavioral/Disciplinary & Nontraditional Settings) (EDAJAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transition Programs (Reentry, Workforce Readiness & Life Skills for At-Risk Youth) (EDAJAEAF), Student Wellness & Prevention Programs (Substance Use, Sexual Health, Bullying) (EDAJAIAG), Emotional & Behavioral Disorders (EBD) / Therapeutic Day Schools (EDAKAAAC)

Keywords

• Alternative education services
• Behavioral health counseling
• Trauma-informed care
• Restorative practices education
• K-12 school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Transforming Lives Inc (TLi) operates alternative education schools and behavioral health programs that combine academic instruction with counseling and mental health services for K-12 youth referred by Delaware public school districts. Programs include the Positive Change Academy campuses in Newark and Brandywine, Douglass Alternative Academy, Emotional Support Classrooms housed within traditional schools, and In-School Alternative Programs, all delivered under a Trauma-Informed Care and Restorative Practices model with small class sizes (12:1 student-to-teacher ratio).

Product overview

Transforming Lives Inc (TLi) is an educational services organization that operates as a single unified offering combining education and behavioral health services. The company's portfolio consists of three alternative schools (Positive Change Academy - Newark, Positive Change Academy - Brandywine, and Douglass Alternative Academy), Emotional Support Classrooms, and In-School Alternative Programs. All programs integrate behavioral health and counseling services as a core component, with additional professional development services provided through the sister company Akoben. The organization follows a trauma-informed, restorative practices approach and serves youth in grades K-12 across Delaware school districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Positive Change Academy - Newark Full-service alternative school providing individualized educational, behavioral health, and social services to youth in grades K-12 recommended for alternative placement, serving Red Clay Consolidated, Christina, Appoquinimink, and Colonial School Districts.
• Positive Change Academy - Brandywine Comprehensive alternative school program providing individualized educational, behavioral health, and social services to youth in grades K-12, serving students exclusively from the Brandywine School District in Delaware with class sizes of 15 students or fewer and a 1:3 staff-to-student ratio.
• Douglass Alternative Academy Alternative school providing individualized educational, behavioral health, and social services to youth in grades 6-12 recommended for alternative placement, serving students from the Christina School District.
• Emotional Support Classrooms Specialized therapeutic classrooms housed within traditional schools, designed to address the emotional and mental health needs of special education students through academic instruction combined with a psychotherapeutic program and family-based therapy.
• In-School Alternative Program Comprehensive in-school programs for secondary school youth temporarily placed in alternative settings, providing specialized behavior classrooms within traditional schools with focused instruction and support.
• Behavioral Health and Counseling Services Student-centered and school-wide counseling program leveraging students' strengths to overcome mental health challenges, delivered by Master's Level Counselors using evidence-based treatments, family-based interventions, and individualized service plans.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students must maintain 90% attendance in a marking period for transition readiness
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dr. Watlington & AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Behavioral Health program delivery. Dr. Watlington & Associates provides clinical mental health services supporting the Behavioral Health component of TLi's programs, integrating therapeutic services with educational programming.
• Akoben (Sister Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkoben provides consistent professional development to TLi teachers, staff, and administrators. Offers training and consulting in Restorative Practices, Trauma Informed Care, Cultural Relevancy and Agency and Assets. Led by TLi founder and CEO Dr. Abdul-Malik Muhammad.
• Delaware DOE State StandardscoreOthersTLi curriculum follows and is determined by Delaware Department of Education State standards and curriculum requirements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• KIPP Foundation: KIPP operates a national network of public charter schools serving underserved K-12 students with extended supports — comparable in mission and student population to TLi, though at substantially larger scale and broader scope.
• Communities In Schools: CIS provides wraparound student support services inside public schools — overlapping with TLi's Emotional Support Classrooms and in-school alternative program delivery model, though at a broader national scale.

Direct peers

• Camelot Education: Camelot runs therapeutic alternative schools and behavioral programs for court- and district-referred youth, with restorative practices and social-emotional programming — directly parallel to TLi's trauma-informed alternative school approach.
• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Devereux operates special-education schools and behavioral health programs for children and adolescents with emotional/behavioral challenges — directly comparable to TLi's integrated academic-therapeutic delivery model.
• Specialized Education Services Inc (SESI): SESI operates alternative-education and special-education schools serving at-risk and special-needs K-12 students across multiple states, with integrated behavioral health services — directly comparable to TLi's Positive Change Academy and Emotional Support Classroom model.
• Youth Advocate Programs (YAP): YAP provides community-based behavioral health and wraparound services for at-risk youth and families referred by schools, courts, and child welfare — directly comparable to TLi's family-based interventions and school-linked behavioral health services.
• Little Flower Children and Family Services: Little Flower provides residential, educational, and behavioral health services for children and youth with emotional/behavioral challenges — closely parallel to TLi's integrated education and behavioral health model for at-risk youth.
• Ombudsman Educational Services: Ombudsman provides alternative high school programs for at-risk and credit-deficient students under district contracts, mirroring TLi's district-referred alternative-placement business model.
• Boys Town: Boys Town runs schools, residential, and in-home behavioral health programs for at-risk youth, integrating education with therapeutic services — closely comparable to TLi's combined alternative education and behavioral health offering.

Others

• Akoben (sister entity): Akoben is TLi's affiliated professional-development company delivering Restorative Practices and Trauma-Informed Care training; included as a relevant ecosystem peer for the training/content side of TLi's methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tliservices.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tliservices
• Instagraminstagram.com/tli_schools
• Xx.com/tliservices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Transforming Lives