Green River Regional Educational Cooperative

What Green River Regional Educational Cooperative does

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC) is a private, non-profit regional educational service cooperative headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky, founded in 1994. It serves 52 public school districts plus Western Kentucky University across South-Central Kentucky, reaching 402 schools, 11,359 teachers, and approximately 172,905 students. The organization operates four primary service lines: Learning Services (literacy, math, instructional technology, MTSS coaching), Special Services (special education compliance, English Learners, Gifted/Talented support), Vendor Services (AEPA cooperative purchasing and the new Elevate Academy), and Crisis Response (70+ trained members using PREPaRE and SAFER-R models, operating for over 20 years). Sub-brands include EPIC Professional Learning and Elevate Academy (rebranded from GRREC ED in 2024), and the organization manages discrete grant-funded programs such as REPELS (school safety), SERTAC (special education technical assistance), Project ACCESS (mental health, 2023), and historically Deeper Learning, STEM-CS, CRRSA, and Project PREVENT SAFE*PLACE.

GRREC's technology stack is non-proprietary and consumer-grade, including Webflow for its website, Cvent for event registration, Substack for its Learning Lounge newsletter, Google Forms, and standard video conferencing tools. There is no evidence of proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or mobile applications. The platform is fundamentally a service delivery and coordination operation rather than a technology product company.

GRREC's revenue model combines four streams: member district contributions (annual cooperative membership), multi-source grant funding (federal grants from U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, plus state and foundation grants including Wallace Foundation), cooperative purchasing fees from AEPA marketplace transactions (free to districts, revenue derived from supplier/vendor contracts), and professional services (Elevate Academy tuition, EPIC workshops, consulting). Pricing is largely bundled into cooperative membership and free at point of use for member districts; specific pricing is not publicly disclosed. The cooperative is governed by its member districts rather than external owners, with no venture capital, private equity, or parent company ownership.

Name

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative

Legal name

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative

Website

https://grrec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative is a Kentucky non-profit serving 52 public school districts and Western Kentucky University with professional development, special education support, cooperative purchasing, and crisis response services reaching 402 schools and 172,905 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

Keywords

• Regional educational cooperative
• Professional development services
• Special education support
• Cooperative purchasing services
• School crisis response

Headquarters

HQ city

Bowling Green

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Member District Membership and Services: GRREC serves as a regional educational cooperative providing services to member school districts across Kentucky. Districts participate as shareholders and receive access to professional development, consulting, coaching, and support services. The cooperative model allows shared resources and collaborative purchasing.
2. Grant Funding and Management: GRREC actively seeks and manages grants that align with its mission to serve schools and empower educators. Active grants include REPELS (school safety/violence prevention), SERTAC (special education technical assistance), STEM-CS (STEM education), Deeper Learning, Project ACCESS (mental health), and others. Grants fund initiatives in instructional leadership, student wellness, school safety, career readiness, literacy, and equity.
3. Cooperative Purchasing (AEPA/KPC): GRREC facilitates cooperative purchasing through AEPA (Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies) and Kentucky Purchasing Cooperative. These services help school districts save time and money through shared contracts and strategic vendor partnerships. Services are free to K-12 districts.
4. Professional Learning Programs: EPIC Professional Learning provides evidence-based professional learning experiences for educators. Elevate Academy offers KDE-approved rank change programs for Kentucky educators. Programs include cohort-based learning, coaching, workshops, and institutes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC) is a nonprofit regional educational cooperative serving 52 public school districts and one university across South-Central Kentucky. It delivers learning services (literacy, math, instructional technology, MTSS coaching), special education technical assistance, cooperative purchasing through AEPA, grant-funded programs, and a crisis response team to member districts.

Product overview

Green River Regional Educational Cooperative (GRREC) is a regional educational service agency serving 52+ Kentucky school districts. The cooperative operates as a multi-service platform offering Learning Services (literacy, math, instructional technology, MTSS coaching), Special Services (special education, English Learners, Gifted/Talented), Vendor Services (AEPA cooperative purchasing, Elevate Academy rank change program, EPIC professional learning), and Crisis Response. Key products include EPIC Professional Learning (evidence-based workshops and coaching), Elevate Academy (KDE-approved rank change program), AEPA Bids & Cooperative Purchasing (vendor marketplace), and the Crisis Response Team. GRREC also manages multiple grant-funded programs including REPELS (school safety), SERTAC (special education), Project ACCESS (mental health), and archived initiatives like STAAR, STEM-CS, Deeper Learning, and CRRSA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EPIC Professional Learning: Practical, evidence-based professional learning that helps teachers and leaders improve instruction, build confidence, and support student success.
• Elevate Academy
• The Learning Lounge

Products and services

• AEPA Bids & Cooperative Purchasing
• Elevate Academy
• EPIC Professional Learning
• GRREC Networks
• Professional Development Events
• Crisis Response Team
• SERTAC (Special Education Regional Technical Assistance Center)
• REPELS Grant Program
• Project ACCESS
• Learning Services
• Special Services
• Aspiring Educator Scholarship
• STAAR (School Threat Assessment & Anonymous Reporting)
• STEM-CS Grant Program
• Project PREVENT SAFE*PLACE
• Deeper Learning
• CRRSA

Quantifiable outcome

• 172,905 students benefiting from GRREC-supported programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

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

• Kentucky Department of Education (KDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKDE is a key state agency partner supporting GRREC's mission to serve Kentucky schools. The partnership enables alignment with state academic standards, access to state resources, and participation in statewide educational initiatives and grant programs.
• Western Kentucky University (WKU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWKU is a university partner co-sponsoring the GRREC/WKU Aspiring Educator Scholarship. The partnership provides education program pathways for GRREC district students and collaborative initiatives including the GRREC/WKU Job Fair.
• Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKSBA supports school board members and administrators across Kentucky. GRREC's partnership with KSBA strengthens advocacy and professional development for member district leadership.
• Wallace FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wallace Foundation supports educational improvement initiatives. GRREC partners with the foundation on projects benefiting member districts and students across Kentucky.
• U.S. Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe federal Department of Education provides funding through grant programs that GRREC manages, including REPELS (Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Program) and other federal education initiatives.
• AASA (The School Superintendent Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAASA supports school superintendents nationwide. GRREC maintains partnership with AASA to access resources and professional development for district leadership.
• Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPSB sets standards for educator certification in Kentucky. GRREC's Elevate Academy provides KDE-approved rank change pathways in alignment with EPSB requirements.
• Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKASA supports school administrators across Kentucky. GRREC partners with KASA to provide professional development and networking opportunities for district leaders.
• Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAEPA is a national cooperative purchasing agency with 31 state member agencies. GRREC serves as the Kentucky member agency, providing free cooperative purchasing services to all Kentucky K-12 districts and universities.
• Kentucky Center for Assessment (KCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCA provides assessment resources and support. GRREC networks collaborate with KCA on evaluation and accountability initiatives for member districts.
• KET EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKET Education provides educational media and resources. GRREC's Library Media Network collaborates with KET Education consultants alongside WKU's Library Media Education department.
• Kentucky Autism Training CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at the University of Louisville, the Kentucky Autism Training Center provides resources and training for autism support. GRREC's Low Incidence Consultants and Regional Autism Cadre connect with this resource.
• Kentucky Council for Exceptional ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization supporting special education professionals. GRREC staff including Katrinka Wagoner maintain affiliations with this organization for professional development and networking.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Solution Tree: National professional development and publishing company offering workshops, conferences, and educator training across the U.S. Comparable to GRREC's EPIC and PD events portfolio but as a for-profit commercial incumbent serving all states.
• National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET): National nonprofit providing educator effectiveness, instructional leadership, and teacher development services to schools and districts. Overlaps with GRREC's instructional coaching, rank-change programming, and leadership development offerings at a broader scale.
• Battelle for Kids: Nonprofit that partners with states and districts on leadership development, deeper learning, and educator effectiveness initiatives. Overlaps with GRREC's EPIC professional learning and Deeper Learning programs but operates across multiple states as a broader incumbent.

Direct peers

• Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (KVEC): Another Kentucky regional educational cooperative covering southeastern Kentucky, offering professional learning, special education support, and federal grant management to member districts. Operates the same cooperative business model as GRREC for a different geographic region of the state.
• Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services (NKCES): Northern Kentucky's regional educational service cooperative, providing special education, professional development, and student services to member districts. Closely mirrors GRREC's mix of learning services, special services, and member-district membership model.
• Kentucky Educational Development Corporation (KEDC): One of Kentucky's regional educational cooperatives, KEDC provides professional development, cooperative purchasing, and grant administration to member districts in eastern Kentucky. Directly comparable as a peer cooperative serving Kentucky K-12 districts with similar service categories.
• Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative: Regional cooperative serving central Kentucky school districts with instructional support, special education, and cooperative services. A direct geographic and service-line peer to GRREC within Kentucky's cooperative ecosystem.
• West Kentucky Educational Cooperative: Regional educational cooperative serving western Kentucky districts with professional development, technology support, and cooperative purchasing. Same cooperative structure and comparable service portfolio as GRREC.

Others

• Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies (AEPA): National cooperative purchasing organization of which GRREC is the Kentucky member agency. AEPA itself is an enabling/partner organization rather than a competitor, but is the natural comparable for GRREC's cooperative purchasing service line.

Regional players

• Education Service Center Region 11 (Texas): Large Texas regional education service center providing PD, special education, cooperative purchasing, and grant management to K-12 districts. Comparable service portfolio to GRREC but operates in a different state and larger geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GRRECKY
• Instagraminstagram.com/grrecky
• TikToktiktok.com/@grrecky68
• Xx.com/grrecky
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grrec

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 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 Green River Regional Educational Cooperative