The Educator Academy
The Educator Academy is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that recruits, prepares, certifies, and coaches teachers through residency, fellowship, bachelor's-completion, and professional development programs for K-12 public and charter schools in the Kansas City metro area.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersKansas City, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Educator Academy does
The Educator Academy is a Kansas City-based nonprofit teacher preparation organization founded in 2015 (originally as Kansas City Teacher Residency, KCTR) and rebranded under its current name in September 2023. It recruits, prepares, certifies, and supports teachers for placement in Kansas City-area Title I public and charter schools through four core pathways: a one-year Teacher Residency Program (with a UMKC co-developed Master's degree option), a one-year Teacher Fellowship for experienced educators earning certification while serving as lead teachers, a Bachelor's Track delivered with the University of Central Missouri for candidates without a completed undergraduate degree, and a Special Education certification track. Participants are full-time employees of partner school districts, earn salary and benefits from those employers, and commit to multi-year teaching service in exchange for tuition offsets, TEACH Grants, and coaching support through their first years as teachers of record.
The organization supplements its preparation programs with a paid Professional Development portfolio — the Instructional Leader Cohort and Teacher Leader Cohort (each $3,000 per participant) plus school-specific coaching solutions — and operates The Summit, an annual Kansas City educator conference that doubles as a community-building and brand-awareness platform. There is no proprietary technology product; operations rely on standard web, email, CRM, and video tools. The business model blends participant tuition (low-to-mid four figures per participant per year), fee-for-service professional development, and a recurring philanthropic base spanning individual donors, corporate sponsors (Hallmark, UMB Bank, JE Dunn Construction, Lead Bank, Tortoise Ecofin, KC Current, Kansas City Royals Foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation), and regional foundations (Hall Family Foundation, Sherman Family Foundation, Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation). Programmatic credibility rests on AAQEP national accreditation, NCTR affiliation, 100Kin10 partnership, and independently validated outcomes including 71% three-year retention versus 51.9%–55.6% statewide in Missouri and student value-added achievement gains per University of Missouri research.
The Educator Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Educator Academy
- Legal name
- The Educator Academy
- Website
- https://educator-academy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Educator Academy is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that recruits, prepares, certifies, and coaches teachers through residency, fellowship, bachelor's-completion, and professional development programs for K-12 public and charter schools in the Kansas City metro area.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Educator Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Teacher Preparation and Educator Development
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Teacher Professional Development & In-Service Training Institutes (EDAHAFAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Instructional Coaching & Teacher Professional Learning (School-Embedded) (EDAJAFAO)
Keywords
Where The Educator Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kansas City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Educator Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Teacher Preparation Program Fees: The Educator Academy charges tuition/fees for its teacher residency and fellowship programs. Certification-only track tuition is $4,000 per year (Residency) or $4,000–$8,000 (Fellowship). The Master's + Certification track charges EA tuition up to $4,500 plus UMKC tuition for 36 credit hours. The Bachelor's Track charges discounted University of Central Missouri tuition of $2,851.20 per semester.
- Donations and Philanthropic Contributions: The organization raises funds from individual donors, corporate donors, and foundations. Major gifts include a $5 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott (2022). Corporate/foundation donors include Hall Family Foundation, Hallmark, UMB Bank, School Smart Kansas City, JE Dunn Construction, Lead Bank, Tortoise Ecofin, Sherman Family Foundation, AmeriCorps, Oppenstein Brothers Foundation, and others.
- Educator Development / Professional Development Services: The Educator Academy sells professional development services to partner schools, including the Instructional Leader Cohort ($3,000 per participant) and Teacher Leader Cohort, as well as school-specific coaching solutions. These are fee-for-service engagements with school and district leadership teams.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Residency Certification-Only Track: $4,000 resident fee plus certification testing costs |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Residency Master's + Certification Track: EA fee not to exceed $4,500 plus UMKC tuition |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Fellowship Certification-Only Track: $4,000 certification tuition |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fellowship Master's + Certification Track: $8,000 certification tuition plus UMKC tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Bachelor's Track: Discounted UCM tuition $2,851.20 per semester (12 credit hours) |
| Subscription | Annual | Instructional Leader Cohort: $3,000 per participant |
| Subscription | Annual | Teacher Leader Cohort: $3,000 per participant |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Educator Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Educator Academy is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that prepares aspiring and career-change teachers through a one-year clinical Teacher Residency Program (with an optional Master's degree pathway via UMKC) and a one-year Teacher Fellowship Program for experienced educators, with continued coaching through the first two years as teacher of record. It also sells fee-for-service professional development (Instructional Leader Cohort and Teacher Leader Cohort) to school and district leadership teams, and operates The Summit, an annual Kansas City educator conference.
Product overview
The Educator Academy is a nonprofit teacher preparation and professional development organization in Kansas City offering multiple pathways to teaching certification. The core offerings include the Teacher Residency Program (a 1-year residency model with 2-year teaching commitment) and the Teacher Fellowship Program (for experienced educators). Additional pathways include the Bachelor’s Track for those without completed degrees. The organization also provides educator development services through the Instructional Leader Cohort, Teacher Leader Cohort, Mentor Teacher Program, and Cooperating Teacher Program. An annual conference (The Summit) serves the broader Kansas City educator community. Programs partner with UMKC for Master’s degrees and the University of Central Missouri for Bachelor’s completion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Teacher Residency Program A one-year graduate-level clinical teacher preparation program in Kansas City where participants serve in mentor teachers' classrooms for a full school year while completing certification coursework. Includes options for Certification-Only ($4,000 resident fee) and Master's + Certification (EA fee up to $4,500 plus UMKC tuition). Residents earn salary and benefits as full-time employees of their school district and commit to two years as teacher of record, with continued coaching during those years. Designed for aspiring and career-change teachers placed in Title I partner schools across the KC metro.
- Teacher Fellowship Program A one-year on-the-job certification pathway for experienced educators who already serve as lead teachers of record. Fellows earn full salary and benefits from their school while completing coursework ($4,000 Certification-Only or $8,000 plus UMKC tuition for Master's + Certification). School partners typically provide additional financial assistance. Targets in-service teachers seeking Missouri state certification.
- Bachelor's Track A pathway for aspiring educators who have started college but not completed a bachelor's degree, delivered in partnership with the University of Central Missouri at a discounted tuition of $2,851.20 per semester. Participants work full-time in partner schools while completing coursework toward their degree and ultimately a teaching certificate. Designed to widen access to the profession for career changers without a four-year degree.
- Instructional Leader Cohort A professional development cohort for instructional coaches and school administrators to strengthen coaching practice and build internal systems supporting teacher growth. Priced at $3,000 per participant, it includes 25 hours of professional development and collaborative workshops plus five one-on-one coaching sessions with EA coaches, with intentionally limited cohort sizes. Sold directly to school and district leadership teams in the Kansas City metro.
- Teacher Leader Cohort
Quantifiable outcome
- 71% of program participants remain in education after 3 years of teaching, compared to 51.9%–55.6% in Missouri statewide (research-backed outcome)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The Educator Academy
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Educator Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Educator Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core / primary and supporting.
- University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC)core / primaryUMKC is the exclusive university partner for The Educator Academy's Master's Degree pathway. Together they created a unique Master’s of Curriculum and Leadership program (36 credit hours, 2-year full-time) specifically designed for EA residents, with culturally responsive teaching curriculum applicable to Title I school contexts.
- University of Central Missouricore / primaryPartnership with University of Central Missouri for the Bachelor's Track, enabling participants without a completed bachelor's degree to complete coursework toward their degree while working full-time in a partner school.
- DREAM Education ConsultingsupportingDr. Ro and the DREAM Education Consulting team worked with The Educator Academy in the development and implementation of its Special Education (SPED) program, providing specialized consulting services for curriculum and programming.
- Coaching for Clarity, LLCsupportingCynthia Moore-Hollinshed, founder of Coaching for Clarity, LLC, provides leadership coaching, instructional design, and curriculum consultation. She also supports EA in development and training of coaching and programming, including DEI initiatives. She is a 15-year educator.
- KEVRA ConsultingsupportingDr. Kevin Sansberry of KEVRA Consulting worked with The Educator Academy to refine its mission, vision, and values in 2021–2022, and consulted on culture and leadership development.
- NCTR (National Center for Teacher Residencies)core / primaryNational Teacher Residency is the organization's national affiliation body, providing peer network, accreditation standards, and visibility for the teacher residency model.
- 100Kin10supportingAffiliation with 100Kin10, a national movement to train and place 100,000 excellent STEM teachers.
- AAQEPcore / primaryAAQEP (Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation) provides national accreditation for The Educator Academy's teacher preparation programs.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Educator Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Relay Graduate School of Education: Alternative-credential teacher and principal preparation program offering M.A.T. and residency-style programs, serving districts nationwide. Compares to EA on alternative certification and Master's pathway, though operates at much larger scale.
- Teach For America: National pre-service teacher preparation pipeline placing teachers in high-need schools. Compares to EA on alternative-pathway teacher recruitment into Title I districts, though TFA's model is shorter (2-year commitment) and not a residency.
- TNTP (The New Teacher Project): National nonprofit that trains, certifies, and supports teachers in high-need schools; competes with EA for district PD contracts and alternative-certification market share.
Direct peers
- Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL): Chicago-based urban teacher residency that combines a year-long clinical residency with a Master's degree and continuing coaching, closely paralleling EA's model, district-partnership GTM, and in-service PD offerings.
- Urban Teachers: Four-year urban teacher residency program placing teacher residents in high-need schools with clinical training, Master's degree, and ongoing coaching — closest direct parallel to EA's residency + coaching + Master's structure.
- new teacher center: National nonprofit providing instructional coaching and induction support for new teachers, including residency partnerships; directly comparable to EA's Educator Development arm (Instructional Leader Cohort, Teacher Leader Cohort).
- Boston Teacher Residency: Pioneer urban teacher residency with district partnerships, Master's degree pathway, and ongoing in-service coaching — one of the closest model-parallel peers to EA outside of KC.
Others
- 100Kin10: National coalition of organizations working to train 100,000 STEM teachers; EA is an official partner. Directly comparable as part of the teacher supply ecosystem and grant/funding network.
- National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR): National network body that accredits and supports teacher residency programs; EA is an NCTR member. Comparable as the umbrella for similar models and as an indirect peer through shared standards.
Regional players
- KIPP NYC Teacher Preparation (KIPP NYC U): Charter-network affiliated teacher residency/M.A.T. program in NYC preparing teachers for high-need schools. Comparable to EA on residency model + district/charter school partnership GTM in a different metro.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Educator Academy social profiles
Digital presenceThe Educator Academy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Educator Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Educator Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
The Educator Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Educator Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Educator Academy
What does The Educator Academy do?
The Educator Academy is a Kansas City-based nonprofit that prepares aspiring and career-change teachers through a one-year clinical Teacher Residency Program (with an optional Master's degree pathway via UMKC) and a one-year Teacher Fellowship Program for experienced educators, with continued coaching through the first two years as teacher of record. It also sells fee-for-service professional development (Instructional Leader Cohort and Teacher Leader Cohort) to school and district leadership teams, and operates The Summit, an annual Kansas City educator conference.
Is The Educator Academy a public or private company?
The Educator Academy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Educator Academy founded?
The Educator Academy was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Educator Academy based?
The Educator Academy is headquartered in Kansas City, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Educator Academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Teacher Preparation Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropic Contributions and educator Development / Professional Development Services.
Who are The Educator Academy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Relay Graduate School of Education, Teach For America and TNTP (The New Teacher Project). Direct peers are Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL), Urban Teachers, new teacher center and Boston Teacher Residency. Others are 100Kin10 and National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR). KIPP NYC Teacher Preparation (KIPP NYC U) is listed as a regional player.
Does The Educator Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Educator Academy.
What industry is The Educator Academy in?
The Educator Academy's product category is Teacher Preparation and Educator Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAFAM, Teacher Professional Development & In-Service Training Institutes, with a secondary code of EDAJAFAO, Instructional Coaching & Teacher Professional Learning (School-Embedded). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.