Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED)

What Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) does

Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) is a 501c3 non-profit international consortium of more than 180 colleges and schools of education across the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, founded in 2007 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching under Dr. Lee Shulman's leadership. CPED's core mission is redesigning and strengthening the Education Doctorate (EdD) as a professional practice doctorate through its proprietary CPED Framework—comprising a definition of the EdD, six Guiding Principles, seven Design-Concepts, and a Dissertation in Practice (DiP) model grounded in applied research methods. Headquartered at the University of Pittsburgh School of Education since 2015, the consortium operates with a small core staff of approximately two full-time personnel (Executive Director Jill A. Perry and Coordinator of Operations and Development Monica Dupree Wilkerson), supplemented by voluntary faculty and administrator governance through its Board of Directors, Deans Council, and Delegates Council.

CPED's core product is institutional membership at $2,500 per year, which grants all faculty, administrators, and students at a member institution access to the consortium's network, resources, convenings, webinars, and committees. The consortium delivers an annual October Convening (the 2024 edition drew 450 participants to the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, the largest in its history), monthly webinars on EdD program design, CPED Improvement Groups (CIGs) for focused member collaboration, and a Resource Center housing curricula, signature pedagogies, advising models, and assessment rubrics. Supplemental products include the peer-reviewed journal Impacting Education (launched 2016), The Coming of Age of the Education Doctorate book series with Myers Education Press (launched 2021), and a searchable Dissertation in Practice database of over 18,000 dissertations from 90+ member institutions co-developed with OnlineEdDPrograms.com. Additional revenue streams include $300 new-member application fees, paid facilitation services for EdD program (re)design offered on-site or virtually, non-member webinar access, and convening registration fees ($400–$425 faculty, $200 students).

The consortium's go-to-market is community-led, with growth driven primarily by member referrals and word-of-mouth among schools of education. CPED recruits new institutional members annually through a formal Call for Membership, with applications reviewed by committee and new members inducted at the annual convening. Beyond grants from the Carnegie Foundation ($700,000 FIPSE, 2010) and WT Grant Foundation ($500,000, 2017), CPED is member-funded through institutional dues and operates without venture capital or private equity backing.

Name

Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED)

Legal name

Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate

Website

https://cped.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CPED is a 501c3 international consortium of 180+ colleges and schools of education that strengthens the Education Doctorate through its proprietary CPED Framework, institutional membership ($2,500/year), annual convenings, peer-reviewed journal, and a 18,000+ dissertation database.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Doctoral Program Consortium

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional Development / CPD Requirement Administration for Licensure (EDADAJAL), Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Education doctorate consortium
• Doctoral program design
• Scholarly practitioner preparation
• Professional development education
• Higher education membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Membership Dues: CPED charges member institutions an annual membership fee of $2,500. Institutions are billed in mid-spring and payment is due by August 1st. Membership provides access to all CPED resources, convenings, webinars, committees, the Resource Center, and the CPED network. Membership is by institution only; any faculty, administrators, or students at a member institution may participate.
2. Convening Registration Fees: CPED generates revenue through registration fees for its annual convening. Early bird rates are $400 for faculty and $200 for students; regular registration is $425 for faculty and $200 for students. Additional pre-convening workshops are offered for a $50 fee each. Registration includes meals, refreshments, and learning materials.
3. Application Fee: New institutional applicants pay a $300 application fee as part of the membership application process.
4. Facilitation Services: CPED offers facilitation services for EdD program design or redesign to both members and non-members, provided in-person or virtually. CPED facilitators work on-site with faculty and administrators to support the (re)design process.
5. Non-Member Webinar Fees: Non-members may participate in CPED's monthly webinars for a small fee, providing a revenue stream and touchpoint for prospective members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CPED is an international consortium that sells institutional membership to colleges and schools of education for the purpose of designing, redesigning, and strengthening Education Doctorate (EdD) programs. Members receive access to the proprietary CPED Framework, a Resource Center of curricula and rubrics, the annual Convening, monthly webinars, the peer-reviewed journal Impacting Education, a book series, Improvement Groups, and on-site or virtual facilitation services for EdD program design. Non-member institutions and individuals can also purchase webinar access, convening registration, and facilitation services for EdD program redesign.

Product overview

The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) is an international consortium of over 150 colleges and schools of education offering a unified membership-based platform for strengthening the Education Doctorate (EdD). The core offering is institutional membership, which provides access to collaborative networks, resources, and professional development. Key products include the CPED Framework for EdD program design, the peer-reviewed journal "Impacting Education," the book series "The Coming of Age of The Education Doctorate" published with Myers Education Press, and the searchable Dissertation in Practice database. The consortium also delivers annual Convenings, Improvement Groups (CIGs), a Resource Center, facilitation services, and three awards (Program of the Year, Dissertation in Practice of the Year, and David G. Imig Distinguished Service Award) that recognize excellence in EdD program development and scholarly practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CPED Institutional Membership Annual institutional membership ($2,500 per institution) for colleges and schools of education that grants all faculty, administrators, and students access to the CPED Framework, Resource Center, Convenings, Improvement Groups, monthly webinars, the Impacting Education journal, and the consortium's peer network.
• Annual CPED Convening Multi-day annual conference for EdD faculty, administrators, students, and graduates featuring professional development sessions, networking, and collaborative work on EdD program improvement. Registration is $400–$425 for faculty and $200 for students; pre-convening workshops are $50 each.
• Impacting Education Journal CPED's peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to advancing the preparation of PK–20 educational leaders through research and innovative practices related to EdD program design and outcomes.
• Coming of Age of the Education Doctorate Book Series Multi-volume book series published in partnership with Myers Education Press exploring EdD program redesign, scholarly practice, leadership preparation, and practitioner inquiry.
• Dissertation in Practice Searchable Database Free, searchable online database of more than 18,000 EdD dissertations-in-practice and capstones from CPED member institutions, curated in collaboration with OnlineEdDPrograms.com.
• CPED Resource Center Online digital library providing CPED member institutions with program design resources, curricula, signature pedagogies, advising/mentoring strategies, writing support models, program assessment tools, and archived webinar and convening content.
• Facilitation Services for EdD Program (Re)Design Paid consulting service in which CPED facilitators work on-site or virtually with faculty and administrators to support EdD program design or redesign using the Backward Mapping Process and CPED Framework. Available to both member and non-member institutions.
• CPED Improvement Groups (CIGs) Member groups organized around specific topics, contexts, or components of EdD program design that support collaborative learning and the development of best practices among member institution faculty.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 18,000 dissertations in practice accessible through CPED's searchable database from 90+ member institutions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Pittsburgh School of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015In September 2015, CPED accepted an offer by the University of Pittsburgh to move its headquarters and serve as CPED's academic home. CPED relocated to the School of Education, where Executive Director Jill A. Perry was appointed as a research associate professor. This partnership provides institutional infrastructure and academic affiliation for CPED's operations. The University of Pittsburgh won the 2023 Program of the Year Award.
• Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of TeachingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007CPED was founded in 2007 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching under the leadership of then President Dr. Lee Shulman. The Foundation provided initial funding and the organizational impetus to redesign doctoral preparation for professional practitioners. Lee Shulman's vision and moral compass shaped CPED's founding principles. The Foundation's backing under the leadership of CADREI (Council for Academic Deans of Research Education Institutions) established CPED's legitimacy. In 2017, CPED also partnered with the Carnegie Foundation on the iLEAD (Improvement Leadership Education and Development) initiative.
• Myers Education PresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMyers Education Press (MEP) publishes CPED's book series, 'The Coming of Age of the Education Doctorate,' which highlights scholarship and innovation from the CPED consortium. The series explores program redesign, scholarly practice, leadership preparation, and practitioner inquiry. MEP hosts and distributes these publications, making them available through its press warehouse platform.
• National Center on School University Partnerships (NCSUP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSUP extends the iLEAD (Improvement Leadership Education and Development) network established in 2017 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. iLEAD was a professional community of district-university partnerships using continuous improvement methods to develop leaders and educators. NCSUP continues this work, expanding the network's reach.
• International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership (ICPEL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerICPEL (formerly the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration) is committed to the practice and study of educational administration. Established in 1947, it continues to serve the interests of professors of educational administration and practicing school leaders. CPED collaborates with ICPEL on shared goals of advancing educational leadership preparation.
• OnlineEdDPrograms.comcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOnlineEdDPrograms.com supports practitioners in finding the right EdD program by offering resources and information about the EdD and its components. Together with CPED, OnlineEdDPrograms.com developed a free, searchable database of EdD dissertations from CPED member institutions, containing over 18,000 dissertations from 90+ institutions. This partnership enhances CPED's digital presence and provides value to prospective EdD students.
• American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAACTE is listed as a 'Friend of CPED,' having long-standing collaborative relationships that have helped build CPED's network and share its learning within the teacher education community.
• University Council of Educational Administration (UCEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCEA is listed as a 'Friend of CPED,' with collaborative relationships that have helped expand CPED's network and disseminate its research and program innovations in educational leadership preparation.
• AERA SIG 168: Graduate and Post-Doctoral Education across the DisciplinesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERA SIG 168 focuses on graduate and post-doctoral education across disciplines. Listed as a 'Friend of CPED,' this relationship supports CPED's academic discourse and research dissemination within the educational research community.
• Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerASHE is listed as a 'Friend of CPED.' CPED co-hosted an event with ASHE in September 2026 titled 'What PhDs Need to Know About EdDs' to explore differences between the EdD and PhD and how EdD programs are structured, aiming to build understanding and support for the EdD among higher education faculty.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• OnlineEdDPrograms.com: OnlineEdDPrograms.com is a GTM/marketing partner of CPED that co-developed the searchable dissertation database. It serves prospective EdD students with information about programs, making it a complementary but distinct player in the EdD ecosystem.
• Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE): ASHE is a 'Friend of CPED' that recently co-hosted events with CPED exploring EdD vs PhD distinctions. Both organizations serve higher education faculty and researchers, with ASHE's focus on higher education research complementing CPED's EdD-specific focus.

Broad incumbents

• EDUCAUSE: EDUCAUSE is a large membership organization serving higher education IT and learning professionals. While not a direct peer, it represents a model of successful higher education consortium that has achieved scale through technology-enabled services, providing a relevant benchmark for CPED's growth potential.
• Council of Graduate Schools (CGS): CGS is a membership organization of institutions offering graduate degrees, including doctoral programs. While broader than CPED, it serves many of the same institutional members and addresses graduate education policy issues including the EdD vs PhD distinction.
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): CAEP is the primary accreditor for educator preparation programs, including EdD programs. As the standards-setting body for educator preparation, its accreditation requirements directly shape the EdD program design work that CPED supports.
• Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: The Carnegie Foundation founded CPED in 2007 and remains a strategic partner. As a broader education policy and improvement organization with multiple programs, it represents the umbrella organization from which CPED emerged and shares deep institutional ties.

Direct peers

• National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (ICPEL): ICPEL (formerly NCPEA) is a strategic partner of CPED focused on the practice and study of educational administration. Both organizations serve overlapping audiences of educational leadership faculty and researchers, with complementary missions in advancing the field.
• University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA): UCEA is a consortium of higher education programs preparing educational leaders and is also a 'Friend of CPED.' Both organizations focus on educational leadership preparation and serve similar institutional members, making them directly comparable in mission and member base.
• American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE): AACTE is a national membership organization for colleges and schools of education that serves as a 'Friend of CPED.' Both organizations serve overlapping institutional members focused on educator preparation, making AACTE a natural peer for understanding the EdD/education policy ecosystem.
• National Center on School-University Partnerships (NCSUP): NCSUP is a strategic partner of CPED that manages the iLEAD network. Both organizations focus on improving educational outcomes through university-school partnerships and serve similar audiences in the educational leadership preparation space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/cpededd.bsky.social
• Facebookfacebook.com/cpedinitiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cped
• Instagraminstagram.com/cped_edd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED)