What CDH Educational Center does

CDH Educational Center, LLC is a non-public, therapeutic day school headquartered in Dixon, Illinois that provides special education services to K-8 students diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental delay, PDD-NOS, intellectual disability, and other health impairments. The school applies Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles within a three-tier program model: Level I (Intensive Learning and Behavior Program, 1:1 student-to-staff ratio for early learners), Level II (Therapeutic Learning and Behavior Program with fading support), and Level III (Reintegration Prep Program with a coaching model to transition students back to their home district). Related services — speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and music therapy — are integrated into classroom instruction under a diagnostic, outcome-oriented, curriculum-based model overseen by BCBAs.

The company operates from a single facility at 501 S. Lincoln Avenue (a repurposed elementary school) and does not accept direct parental enrollment; all students are placed through the formal IEP process by Illinois school districts, which also fund the placements. The workforce of 5 listed employees is supplemented by paraprofessionals, Registered Behavior Technicians, SLPs/SLPAs, and LBS1 special education teachers recruited via Indeed.com. The leadership team consists of Founder and Chief Behavior Analyst Karen Harper (MA, BCBA, 20+ years of ABA experience), Principal Trina Dillon (30+ years in public education), and Program Director Megan Baker (who also handles HR and admissions).

CDH is a privately-held LLC with no external institutional investors, no funding rounds, no patents, no app, and no public API. Strategic partnerships include Purdue Global University (online BCBA certification program with supervised field hours), Southern New Hampshire University (employee and family education discount), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (administrative transparency files), and a 'family of ABA companies' consisting of ABA of Illinois and ABA of Wisconsin founded by Karen Harper. Distribution is exclusively through district IEP referrals, with no paid marketing, no content marketing, and limited organic social media presence used primarily for operational announcements.

Name

CDH Educational Center

Legal name

CDH Educational Center, LLC

Website

https://cdheducationalcenter.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CDH Educational Center is a non-public, therapeutic day school in Dixon, IL that provides K-8 Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) special education for students with autism and related disabilities, funded through Illinois school district IEP placements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Behavioral Support (School-Based ABA/PBIS) (EDAKAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Applied behavior analysis
• Therapeutic day school
• Autism education
• IEP placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Dixon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. District-Funded Special Education Services: CDH Educational Center is a non-public, therapeutic day school that receives funding through school district placements as part of the IEP process. Students are referred through their home school district, and districts fund the placement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

CDH Educational Center is a non-public therapeutic day school in Dixon, Illinois that provides K-8 special education using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles for students with autism and related disabilities. It delivers a three-tiered program (Level 1 Intensive, Level II Therapeutic, Level III Reintegration Prep) under BCBA supervision and integrates on-site speech-language, occupational, and music therapy services. Enrollment is funded by Illinois public school districts through IEP referrals.

Product overview

CDH Educational Center is a non-public, therapeutic day school providing special education alternatives through Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles. The school operates three tiered program levels—Level 1 Intensive Learning and Behavior Program (1:1 support), Level II Therapeutic Learning and Behavior Program (transitioning support), and Level III Reintegration Prep Program (preparing students for return to home districts). Related services include speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and music therapy provided through an integrated therapy model. The center also offers an online BCBA certification program partnership with Purdue Global University for employee development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Level 1 Intensive Learning and Behavior Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Goal of transitioning students back to their home school district or appropriate alternative program through systematic support reduction

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Purdue Global UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDH Educational Center has partnered with Purdue Global University to offer an online BCBA certification program with field hours supervised by CDH's BCBAs. This partnership provides employees with access to BCBA certification and advanced education in Applied Behavior Analysis.
• Southern New Hampshire UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll CDH employees AND their family members are eligible for a 10% discount on over 200 programs at Southern New Hampshire University. This education benefit supports employee professional development and family educational opportunities.
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of IllinoisminorOthersBlue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois creates and publishes the Machine-Readable Files on behalf of CDH Educational Center, LLC as required for transparency in provider networks.
• ABA of IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the family of ABA companies. ABA of Illinois is a related organization founded by Karen Harper that provides quality behavioral consulting services in Illinois.
• ABA of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the family of ABA companies. ABA of Wisconsin extends the organization's behavioral consulting services across state lines.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing autism services, special education, and therapy across school and community settings. Larger, broader-scoped competitor that also pursues district-funded placements for students with ASD.
• LEARN Behavioral: National provider of ABA services for children with autism across home, school, and clinic settings. Operates a broader ABA platform that overlaps with CDH's clinical approach and target population.
• Behavioral Innovations: Multi-state ABA provider with center-based and school-based programs for children with autism. Comparable clinical model with larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Trumpet Behavioral Health: Multi-state ABA provider with school-based and center-based services. Heavier scale and geographic reach than CDH but pursues the same K-8 autism placement and reimbursement channels.
• ChanceLight Behavioral Health & Education: Established provider of behavioral health and special education services including therapeutic day schools and ABA. Larger, multi-state incumbent competing for the same district IEP placement dollars.

Direct peers

• Beacon Day School: Non-public therapeutic day school serving students with autism and behavioral needs through structured, individualized programming. Closely matched model (district-funded, ABA-informed, multi-tier supports).
• The Menta Group: Operates therapeutic day schools and special education programs, many in Illinois, serving students with behavioral and developmental needs through district contracts. Direct comparable on funding model and student profile.
• New Story Schools: Network of specialized private schools for students with autism and behavioral health needs, funded through school district placements. Operates a comparable IEP-driven, ABA-based therapeutic day school model across multiple states.
• Giant Steps Illinois: Non-public therapeutic school in Illinois serving students with autism and related disabilities using ABA and related therapies. Most direct geographic and clinical comparable to CDH Educational Center.

Others

• ABA of Illinois: Sister organization founded by Karen Harper providing behavioral consulting services in Illinois. Shares clinical leadership and governance DNA with CDH but focuses on consulting rather than day-school operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cdh-educational-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 CDH Educational Center