Center for Early Education and Development

What Center for Early Education and Development does

CEED is an applied research center within the University of Minnesota's Institute of Child Development, established in 1973 to translate child development research into actionable professional development for the early childhood workforce. CEED's primary customer base is Minnesota early childhood educators, coaches, trainers, course writers, and program administrators, served through a catalog of paid courses, credential programs, and cohort-based training cohorts delivered via Canvas LMS, Zoom, and in-person sessions across the state.

The core product portfolio is anchored by three differentiated assets: the proprietary Reflective Interaction Observation Scale (RIOS) framework — developed at CEED in 2011 and trademarked — which underpins a three-level reflective supervision course series; CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) observer certification training, delivered for 17 years in support of Minnesota's Parent Aware Quality Rating and Improvement System; and the RBPD Credential, a 45-clock-hour coaching certification program. Adjacent product lines include the Early Math Theory and Practice course (PNC-funded), the Mind in the Making executive-function curriculum, infant mental health courses (in partnership with the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare), and a suite of Develop-Trainer-Membership-required courses. Pricing is structured as one-time per-course fees ranging from $40 (Early Math) to $1,400 (RBPD Credential general / $1,000 for MN professionals), with significant discounts or free access for Parent Aware participants and Minnesota residents.

CEED's revenue model mixes course fees, state-government grant funding (Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families for the TARSS program since 2021), corporate philanthropy (PNC Grow Up Great), and University of Minnesota institutional appropriations. Distribution is concentrated through Minnesota's official Develop professional development registry and the UMN learning portal, supported by annual community events including the RBPD Retreat, TARSS Symposium, CLASS Conference, and Course Writer Collaboration Conference. The organization operates with approximately 14 full-time staff under Director Ann Bailey and serves exclusively as a public, mission-driven unit within the University system — it does not raise private capital and does not have independent ownership.

Name

Center for Early Education and Development

Legal name

Center for Early Education and Development

Website

https://ceed.umn.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CEED is a University of Minnesota applied research center that translates child development research into professional development courses and credentials for Minnesota's early childhood educators, coaches, and trainers, anchored by its proprietary RIOS framework and 17-year partnership with state Parent Aware.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education Professional Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

In-Service Professional Development (Workshops/Institutes/Short Courses) (EDACAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE), Professional Development / CPD Requirement Administration for Licensure (EDADAJAL)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Professional development training
• Reflective supervision courses
• CLASS observation certification
• Coaching credential programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

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. Professional Development Course Fees: CEED generates revenue through course fees for professional development training. Courses range from free (Parent Aware participants) to $600 (CLASS certification). Fees vary by course type, duration, and participant location (MN vs. out-of-state).
2. RBPD Credential Program: The RBPD Credential program costs $1,400 for general participants and $1,000 for Minnesota early childhood professionals, providing comprehensive coaching training over 15 weeks with 45 clock hours.
3. Grant and Government Funding: TARSS program is sponsored by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Early Math Theory and Practice was funded by PNC Grow Up Great. CLASS Conference is funded by Minnesota DCYF.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CEED is an applied research center within the University of Minnesota that delivers evidence-based professional development courses, certification programs, and reflective supervision training to early childhood educators, coaches, trainers, and program administrators across Minnesota. Its core offerings include the RIOS reflective supervision training series, CLASS observer certification, the RBPD Credential coaching program, the TARSS program, and a broad catalog of Develop-approved continuing education courses.

Product overview

CEED offers a comprehensive suite of professional development courses and programs for early childhood educators in Minnesota. The core offerings include the RIOS (Reflective Interaction Observation Scale) training series for reflective supervision, CLASS observation certification training, and the TARSS program supporting trainers and RBPD specialists. Course delivery includes on-demand/self-paced courses, instructor-led virtual courses, and in-person training events. Key programs include the RBPD Credential (coaching training), infant mental health courses, early math education courses, and adult learning/trainer development courses. The organization serves multiple audiences: coaches, consultants, early childhood educators, trainers, and course writers through both individual courses and cohort-based credential programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CEED: Center for Early Education and Development - An applied research center sharing knowledge to guide early childhood policies and practices.
• TARSS
• RIOS

Products and services

• RIOS Training Series (RIOS 1, 2, and 3)
• CLASS 2nd Edition Pre-K-3rd Observer Certification Training
• Infant Mental Health-Informed Reflective Supervision/Consultation
• Early Math Theory and Practice
• Mind in the Making: Essential Life Skills for Children and Adults
• RBPD Credential
• TARSS (Trainer and Relationship-Based Professional Development Specialist Support) Program
• Embedding Reflective Practice in Early Childhood Programs
• Adult Learning 1
• Adult Learning 2
• Course Writer 1
• Course Writer 2
• Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP 2015)
• Getting to Know Parent Aware's Observation Tool
• Six Principles of Quality Coaching
• Environment Rating Scales (ERS) Training

Quantifiable outcome

• RIOS course counts toward Endorsement as Reflective Supervisor by the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant and supporting.

• Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021TARSS (Trainer and Relationship-Based Professional Development Specialist Support) program is sponsored by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, providing training and professional development to Minnesota's early childhood trainers and coaches.
• Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership yielded a freely accessible library of child development resources and an online course on infant mental health and reflective practice that is free for child welfare workers.
• Mind in the Making (Families and Work Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEED offers an 8-module online course called Mind in the Making: Essential Life Skills for Children and Adults, based on Ellen Galinsky's book, exploring the science of executive function.
• Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental HealthsignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Alliance partnered with CEED to review RIOS 3 content, ensuring alignment with their competency guidelines for Endorsement as a Reflective Supervisor.
• Zero to ThreesignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIOS framework published and available through Zero to Three. Required materials for RIOS courses include guides published by Zero to Three.
• Child Care Aware of MinnesotasignificantGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing partnership to ensure coaches have training and guidance needed to work with educators using the CLASS tool. Child Care Aware is part of the early childhood network CEED serves.
• University of Minnesota Institute of Child DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEED is a center within the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota, providing institutional support and research collaboration.
• University of Minnesota Child Development Laboratory School (CDLS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeachers at CDLS share strategies for embedding early math practices in programming, featured in the Early Math Theory and Practice course.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Erikson Institute: Graduate school and professional development provider focused on early childhood education, serving educators through certificate and continuing education programs with research-based curricula - directly comparable to CEED's applied research + PD model.
• Start Early (formerly Ounce of Prevention Fund): Early childhood research, policy, and program organization providing professional development, technical assistance, and dual-generation programming. Comparable to CEED in operating as a research-to-practice intermediary for early childhood systems.
• Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health: Credentialing body for infant mental health endorsement. CEED's RIOS 3 course is designed to satisfy Alliance endorsement competencies, making Alliance a partner-credentialing counterpart and a comparable provider of reflective supervision standards and training.
• Zero to Three: National organization advancing infant mental health and early development. Publishes RIOS materials for CEED and offers parallel infant mental health training and reflective supervision resources, overlapping significantly with CEED's infant mental health course portfolio.
• Bank Street College of Education: Graduate school with deep early childhood education programs and professional development offerings for educators and leaders. Comparable to CEED in combining research with practitioner-facing PD, particularly for teacher training and reflective practice.
• HighScope Educational Research Foundation: Research-driven early childhood organization offering curriculum, training, and professional development for educators using the HighScope approach. Directly comparable to CEED's applied-research-plus-PD structure serving early childhood practitioners.
• Teachstone: Creator and licensor of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS). CEED delivers CLASS observer certification and reliability testing using Teachstone's IP, making Teachstone both a licensor and a direct competitor in the observer certification market CEED serves.
• WestEd: Nonprofit research, development, and service agency providing professional development and program quality support for educators across multiple states. Operates as a comparable applied-research center that translates evidence into PD, similar in model to CEED though at much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children): The largest national professional association for early childhood educators. Sets accreditation standards and offers professional development resources that overlap with CEED's credentialing and PD offerings, but operates at a broader scope rather than a regional research-center model.

Regional players

• Child Care Aware of Minnesota: Minnesota-focused child care resource and referral organization that partners with CEED on CLASS coaching training. Operates in the same regional market with overlapping educator audiences, but is more narrowly focused on parent referral and coaching rather than research and curriculum development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umn-ceed

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Center for Early Education and Development