State Affiliates, Council for American Private Education (CAPE)

What State Affiliates, Council for American Private Education (CAPE) does

The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) is a coalition of national organizations and state affiliates serving private elementary and secondary schools in the United States, founded in 1971 and headquartered in Washington, DC. Its member organizations collectively represent approximately 80% of private school enrollment nationwide, spanning more than 30,000 private schools that educate 4.6 million students (nearly 10% of all U.S. students). CAPE's mission is to preserve and promote educational pluralism by fostering communication and cooperation within the private school community and with the public sector.

CAPE's core offerings are advocacy and information services rather than technology products. Its primary platforms include the CAPE Outlook Newsletter (policy and advocacy updates), the Take Action Portal (action.capenet.org) for member-driven policy engagement, the State CAPE Network (state-level affiliate coordination across all 50 states and territories), and a Private School Search tool that links to the IES NCES database. The organization does not operate proprietary technology and has no app, API, or SDK. Its marketing channels are conventional: a WordPress website, an email newsletter, and an Instagram presence.

CAPE is structured as a private non-profit with only 6 employees. Revenue is generated through corporate partnership and sponsorship programs, where companies (likely education-sector vendors) support the coalition in exchange for association with the private education sector. Membership is channeled through state-level CAPE affiliates that coordinate local private school interests. No public pricing, membership dues schedule, or financial filings are disclosed.

Name

State Affiliates, Council for American Private Education (CAPE)

Legal name

Council for American Private Education

Website

https://capenet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CAPE is a 1971-founded non-profit coalition of national organizations and state affiliates serving private elementary and secondary schools across the United States, representing approximately 80% of private school enrollment nationwide through policy advocacy, information sharing, and state-level coordination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Advocacy Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Private education advocacy
• Education policy coalition
• Private school network
• Education nonprofit advocacy
• School policy coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Partnership/Sponsorship: CAPE generates revenue through corporate partnership and sponsorship programs, where companies support the organization in exchange for association with the private education sector.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CAPE is a coalition of national organizations and state affiliates that provides policy advocacy, information sharing, and network coordination on behalf of private elementary and secondary schools across the United States. Its core offerings include the State CAPE Network for grassroots coordination, the CAPE Outlook Newsletter for policy updates, the Take Action Portal for member advocacy engagement, and curated research and resources on private education. CAPE acts as the unified national voice for the private school community, fostering communication with the public sector and policymakers.

Product overview

The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) operates as a coalition organization rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings consist primarily of advocacy services, informational resources, and networking functions for private schools. The organization provides the CAPE Outlook Newsletter for policy updates, maintains a Private School Search tool via the IES NCES database, coordinates the State CAPE Network for state-level advocacy, and operates a Take Action Portal for member engagement. CAPE serves as an informational and advocacy hub connecting private schools with resources, policy information, and collective action opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• State CAPE Network A coordinated network of state-level affiliate organizations that identify, define, and clarify issues affecting private education at the state and territorial levels. It is offered to national private school membership organizations and their member schools as a grassroots coordination channel for state-level policy work.
• CAPE Outlook Newsletter A periodic email newsletter providing updates on private school policy, advocacy efforts, and national education news. It is targeted at private school stakeholders, members, and the general public who sign up via the CAPE website.
• Take Action Portal An online platform enabling members and stakeholders to engage in advocacy efforts and policy actions related to private education. It is offered to CAPE member organizations, supporters, and the broader private school community.
• Corporate Partnership Program A corporate partnership and sponsorship program under which companies support CAPE in exchange for association with the private education sector. It is offered to companies in education-related and adjacent industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately one in four of the nation's schools is a private school (30,000+ schools)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS): The leading national membership association for independent (private) pre-K–12 schools in the U.S. NAIS is a direct peer: both organizations represent private K–12 schools, advocate for the sector, and provide information and resources to member institutions, though NAIS focuses on independent (non-parochial, non-charter) private schools while CAPE represents a broader coalition.
• National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA): NCEA is a CAPE member organization and a leading national association for Catholic schools. It is a direct peer in that it serves as a national voice for a major segment of U.S. private education, advocates for private school interests, and operates within the same coalition framework that CAPE coordinates at the federal level.
• Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI): ACSI is another CAPE member organization representing Christian schools nationwide. As a large denominational private school association with federal advocacy interests, it is a direct peer and co-member of the CAPE coalition serving overlapping private school constituencies.
• EdChoice: EdChoice is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to advancing educational choice through scholarship tax credit programs, education savings accounts, and vouchers. It is a direct peer in that both organizations champion private school choice policy at the state and federal level, often coordinating on legislative priorities that affect the private schools CAPE represents.
• Step Up For Students: Step Up For Students is a Florida-based nonprofit that administers state-funded scholarships (including the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and Family Empowerment Scholarship) enabling students to attend private schools. It is a direct peer in that it operates at the intersection of private school funding and policy that CAPE advocates for federally.
• American Federation for Children: AFC is a national advocacy organization promoting school choice, including private school choice options. It is a direct peer to CAPE's advocacy mission on private education policy, though AFC focuses more narrowly on legislative and electoral activity while CAPE is a sector-wide coalition voice.
• Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA): JESNA and successor Jewish education umbrella organizations represent Jewish day schools and supplementary schools in the U.S., including as part of the CAPE coalition. As denominational private school networks, they are direct peers participating in the same federal advocacy framework CAPE coordinates.

Broad incumbents

• National Education Association (NEA): The NEA is the largest U.S. employee union and education advocacy organization, primarily representing public school teachers and staff. While its policy positions often differ from CAPE's (and it advocates for public K–12 interests), it is a broad incumbent in the same 'national voice for a school sector' category that CAPE occupies for private schools.

Regional players

• Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC): PEFNC is a state-level advocacy organization promoting school choice in North Carolina, including private school opportunity scholarships. It is a regional peer to CAPE, operating in the same advocacy space but at the state level for one jurisdiction rather than coordinating a national coalition.

Others

• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): NCES is the federal statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Education. CAPE directly links to NCES's Private School Universe Survey (PSS) database as a member resource. While not a competitor or peer in advocacy, NCES is an ecosystem data provider whose outputs underpin CAPE's 'Private School Facts' content and policy arguments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 State Affiliates, Council for American Private Education (CAPE)