acesc

What acesc does

Allen County Educational Service Center (ACESC) is a public educational service center headquartered at 1920 Slabtown Road, Lima, Ohio, that operates as a consortium-based shared services organization for the 11 school districts in Allen County. Its core function is to provide specialized educational programs and operational services that individual districts cannot cost-effectively staff independently, including comprehensive special education classrooms (Autism Unit/Great Day Academy, Multiple Disabilities classrooms), therapy services (Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy), school psychological services, gifted education, transition planning for students with disabilities ages 14+, curriculum and professional development support, bus driver training, educator evaluation (OTES/OPES), fingerprinting (BCII/FBI), and the Parent Mentor Program.

The organization's product portfolio is content- and service-driven rather than technology-driven. Core technology consists of Google Forms for assessments, Virtual Job Shadow programs, the Unique Learning System curriculum for special-needs learners, the SESA science curriculum (developed since 1989 with industrial partners such as Ashland, INEOS, Nutrien, and Cenovus Energy), and an ESC mobile app. SESA has reached 349,639 cumulative K-8 students across Allen County classrooms.

The business model is a hybrid of professional services and grant-funded public-sector delivery. Revenue is generated through consortium-shared services agreements with member districts at reduced cost, unit-priced fee-for-service items (fingerprinting at $30-$65 per check), and grant funding primarily from the Ohio Department of Education (notably the Parent Mentor Program). The organization has been designated a High Performing ESC by the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce for 9 consecutive years. GTM motion is sales-led via direct relationships with district superintendents and treasurers; the organization operates 16 employees and serves 5,000+ students annually. There is no private-sector or out-of-region revenue stream, and there are no M&A, funding rounds, or external investors disclosed.

Name

acesc

Legal name

Allen County Educational Service Center

Website

https://allencountyesc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Allen County Educational Service Center is a public, consortium-based ESC serving 11 school districts in Allen County, Ohio, delivering shared special education, therapy, curriculum, gifted, transition, and administrative services to 5,000+ students annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support Services (K-12 Shared Services / Educational Service Center)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC), Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC), Autism Teacher Training & Professional Development (EDAKAKAL), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ), Special Education Transportation & Accessibility Services (EDAJAKAJ), Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers (EDACAAAH), District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)

Keywords

• Educational services
• Special education programs
• School district support
• Teacher professional development
• Therapy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lima

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Services to Districts: Provides shared services and specialized programs at reduced costs to member school districts through consortium volume purchasing. Services include special education, therapy services, curriculum support, and professional development.
2. Fingerprinting Services: BCII and FBI background check services offered to schools and community members for a fee
3. Grant Funding: Grant-funded programs including Parent Mentor Program funded by Ohio Department of Education

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Allen County Educational Service Center delivers shared educational services and specialized programs on a consortium basis to 11 member school districts in Allen County, Ohio. Offerings include special education classrooms (Autism Unit/Great Day Academy, Multiple Disabilities), alternative education (Pathway to Success), preschool programming, therapy (SLP, OT, PT), psychological services, gifted education, curriculum support, SESA science enrichment, transition services, parent mentor programming, educator evaluation training, bus driver training, administrative search, and BCII/FBI fingerprinting.

Product overview

Allen County Educational Service Center (ACESC) provides a comprehensive portfolio of educational support services to member school districts in Allen County, Ohio. The organization offers core educational programs including Autism Unit/Great Day Academy, Pathway to Success Alternative Program, and Preschool Program for direct student services. Supporting services include Special Education Services (with Unique Learning System curriculum), Psychological Services, Therapy and Related Services (SLP, OT, PT), Curriculum Services (with StartSOLE), Gifted Programs, and SESA science enrichment. Administrative and operational services encompass Bus Driver Pre-Service Training, Administrative Search Services, Educator Evaluation (OTES/OPES), Fingerprinting, Grant Projects, and Transition Services for students with disabilities. The Parent Mentor Program provides peer support to families. Together, these services serve 5,000+ students across 10+ member school districts through shared services consortium model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Great Day Academy: Autism unit program providing specialized educational services for students with autism
• Pathway to Success
• SESA (Science Education for Students in Action)
• Preschool Program

Products and services

• Autism Unit/Great Day Academy Specialized educational program for students with autism offering classroom services in multiple Allen County districts that provide access to Ohio Academic Content Standards.
• Pathway to Success Alternative Program Alternative education program for students who need an alternative pathway to traditional graduation requirements.
• Preschool Program Early childhood education program serving preschool-aged children in Allen County.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education services including Multiple Disabilities Curriculum (Unique Learning System), classroom supervision, Parent Mentor Program, Psychological Services, and therapy services for Allen County districts.
• Psychological Services School psychology services providing evaluations, identification, intervention teams, counseling, and compliance support for local school districts.
• Therapy and Related Services Therapeutic services including Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and related services for Allen County schools.
• Curriculum Services Curriculum, instruction, and assessment department supporting districts with professional development, consulting services, and educational resources including StartSOLE.
• Gifted Programs Coordination of gifted education programs, services, and information addressing the needs of gifted learners across Allen County districts.
• Bus Driver Pre-Service Training Training program for pupil transportation personnel providing pre-service training, recertification, OBI evaluations, and CDL licensing support.
• Administrative Services Administrative search services for superintendent and treasurer placements, Ohio Superintendent Evaluation System support, and interim administrator provision.
• SESA Science Enrichment Program Science enrichment program bringing hands-on science lessons to K-8 classrooms, developed by engineers, scientists and teachers aligned with Ohio State Learning Standards.
• Transition Services Transition planning services for students with disabilities ages 14+, including IEP transition plans, career readiness, and coordination with adult services agencies.
• Parent Mentor Program Peer support program connecting parents of children with disabilities with trained parent mentors providing information, training, and advocacy.
• Educator Evaluation Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) and Ohio Principal Evaluation System (OPES) certified training, including eTPES electronic system training.
• Fingerprinting Services (BCII/FBI) Ohio BCII and FBI background check services for school personnel and community members, priced at $30 BCII, $35 FBI, and $65 combined.
• Grant Projects Grant coordination and project management services supporting school district partnerships and innovative initiatives.
• Special Education Supervision Special education supervision services providing consulting, coordination, district representation, and personnel evaluation support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students served through programs, services, therapies and school support
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rhodes State CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer Uniquely Abled Academy program, providing post-secondary educational opportunities for students with disabilities at Rhodes State College campus.
• Apollo Career CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember district partner hosting Project SEARCH and Apollo Jobs Play Skill Building Events. Provides facility and collaborates on career readiness programming for students with disabilities.
• State Support Team Region 6minorOthersState support organization providing resources and guidance for special education services in the region.
• Allen County Board of Developmental DisabilitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for transition services and support for students with developmental disabilities moving from school to adult services.
• Bureau of Vocational RehabilitationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner supporting transition planning and employment services for students with disabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Battelle for Kids: A Columbus-based education nonprofit working with Ohio districts and ESCs on assessment, leadership, and college/career readiness initiatives. Broader portfolio than Allen County ESC, but overlapping in K-12 capacity-building services.

Direct peers

• Parent Mentor Program (Ohio Statewide): Ohio's statewide Parent Mentor Program — Allen County ESC's Parent Mentor (Michelle King) is featured in its Spotlight. Operates an identical parent-of-children-with-disabilities peer-support model across Ohio counties and is a direct peer.
• Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center: A larger Ohio ESC serving districts in the Cleveland area with a comparable menu of special education, therapy, gifted, and professional development services. It offers a useful benchmark for how Allen County ESC's portfolio could scale in a more populous Ohio region.
• Franklin County Educational Service Center: Another large Ohio ESC serving the Columbus region with shared-service delivery to member districts. Its programs in special education, transition, and therapy services directly overlap with Allen County ESC's core offerings.
• Ohio Educational Service Centers (Statewide Network): Ohio's network of Educational Service Centers operates under the same legal framework as Allen County ESC, providing shared services, special education, and professional development to member school districts. They are the closest structural peers and the natural expansion benchmark for Allen County ESC's service portfolio.
• Lucas County Educational Service Center: A geographically adjacent Ohio ESC serving districts in the Toledo area. Operates an essentially identical model of shared special education, therapy, gifted, and curriculum services to member districts.
• Hamilton County Educational Service Center: Serves school districts in the Cincinnati area with special education, professional development, and consortium purchasing models. Operates under the same Ohio ESC statute as Allen County ESC.
• State Support Team Region 6: Already a partner of Allen County ESC, this state-funded regional support team delivers special education technical assistance to districts in northwest Ohio, including Allen County. Highly comparable in mission and overlapping in services.

Emerging players

• Project SEARCH: National transition-to-employment program for students with disabilities. Allen County ESC runs Project SEARCH through Apollo Career Center; Project SEARCH is the upstream model and serves as both collaborator and benchmark for Allen County's transition services.
• Uniquely Abled Academy: National program providing postsecondary educational opportunities for students with disabilities. Allen County ESC partners with Rhodes State College to deliver this program; Uniquely Abled Academy is the originating model and serves as a thematic peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/esc_allen
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC26v9tmA84H8XqxVnwk6NPQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Allen-County-Educational-Service-Center-108792540750208
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acesc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 acesc