CREST Collaborative
CREST Collaborative is a Massachusetts public special education collaborative operating six programs from Pre-K through adult services for 16 member school districts across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, funded by district budgets and Massachusetts DDS contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersAndover, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CREST Collaborative does
CREST Collaborative is a public educational collaborative established under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 4E, headquartered at 20 Shattuck Road, Andover, MA. It provides specialized special education and related services to students whose needs exceed what their home school districts can deliver locally, spanning Pre-K through adult services. The organization operates six distinct programs — EPIC (intensive special needs and medically fragile), Essex Lower Academy (social-emotional disabilities, Pre-K–8), Essex Upper Academy (emotional, behavioral, and specific learning needs, grades 8–12+), Lifeways and Lifeworks (autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities), Merrimack Academy (complex at-risk backgrounds, grades 8–12), and Visions (adult services for individuals 22+ via Massachusetts DDS contracts) — plus Camp Stepping Stone, a fully licensed summer program on Stiles Pond in Boxford, MA. Services are delivered either at the Andover campus or via itinerant staff embedded in students' home schools across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
The organization is governed by a Board of Directors comprising representatives from each member school committee and funded primarily through local school committee budgets from its 16 member public school districts (including Amesbury, Andover, Dracut, Georgetown, Greater Lawrence Technical, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lowell, Masconomet, Methuen, Newburyport, North Andover, Pentucket, Triton, and Tri-Town School Union). Non-member districts pay published tuition rates; the Visions adult program is funded via Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) contracts for Community Based Day Services (CBDS) and Group Supported Employment. Approximately 126 employees support the operation. The FY2027 Tuition & Service Rates are publicly published, and the annual billing cadence is structured around district fiscal years. Core technology is administrative rather than product-defining, with PowerSchool deployed as the parent/student portal. Leadership comprises Executive Director Robert Jokela, Program Director Bill Bryant, Director of Finance and Operations J. Eric Boes, and Director of Human Resources Dr. Elizabeth Conway. CREST marked its 50th anniversary of special education service in December 2025.
CREST Collaborative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CREST Collaborative
- Legal name
- CREST Collaborative
- Website
- https://crestcollaborative.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- CREST Collaborative is a Massachusetts public special education collaborative operating six programs from Pre-K through adult services for 16 member school districts across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, funded by district budgets and Massachusetts DDS contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CREST Collaborative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialized Inclusive / Co-Taught Special Education Programs (EDAKAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Autism-Specific Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAA)
Keywords
Where CREST Collaborative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Andover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
CREST Collaborative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Member District Funding: CREST is governed and funded by member districts through local school committee budgets. Member districts pay into the collaborative to provide special education services to their students.
- Non-Member District Tuition: CREST accepts students from both member and non-member districts. Non-member districts pay tuition rates for their students to attend CREST programs.
- Fee-for-Service Programs: Provides educational services including special education, vocational education, and professional development programs. Funding also comes from government sources such as Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS) for adult programs like Visions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Member District Services |
| Unit Pricing | Annual | Non-Member District Tuition |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
CREST Collaborative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CREST Collaborative is a public special education collaborative that delivers specialized educational programs for students with diverse and complex needs, including intensive special needs, multiple disabilities, medical fragility, social-emotional disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and complex at-risk backgrounds. It operates six distinct programs from Pre-K through adult services, provides itinerant services in students' home school districts, and operates a licensed summer camp (Camp Stepping Stone) on Stiles Pond.
Product overview
CREST Collaborative is a public special education collaborative offering a portfolio of specialized educational programs designed for students with diverse needs. The organization operates seven distinct programs across elementary, middle, high school, and adult education levels: EPIC serves students with intensive special needs and medical fragility; Essex Lower Academy and Essex Upper Academy address social-emotional and behavioral challenges; Lifeways and Lifeworks support students with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities; Merrimack Academy serves students with complex at-risk backgrounds; Visions provides adult services for individuals 22+ through community-based day services and supported employment; and Camp Stepping Stone offers a summer camp experience on Stiles Pond. With programs spanning Pre-K through adult services, CREST provides a continuum of support from early intervention through transition to adult services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EPIC: Program for students with intensive special needs, multiple disabilities and those who are medically fragile. Grades Pre-K-12+.
- Essex Lower Academy
- Essex Upper Academy
- Lifeways
- Lifeworks
- Merrimack Academy
- Visions
- Camp Stepping Stone
Products and services
- EPIC A program for students with intensive special needs, multiple disabilities, and those who are medically fragile. Serves Grades Pre-K through 12+ at the CREST campus in Andover, MA.
- Essex Lower Academy A program for students identified with primary social-emotional disabilities. Serves Grades Pre-K through 8 at the CREST campus.
- Essex Upper Academy A program for students who have a documented history of emotional, behavioral, and specific learning needs. Serves Grades 8 through 12+.
- Lifeways A program for students with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities. Serves Grades K through 12+.
- Lifeworks A program for students with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities. Serves Grades 8 through 12+, focused on transition services and life skills development.
- Merrimack Academy A program for students with emotional, behavioral, or academic needs, or students with complex at-risk backgrounds. Serves Grades 8 through 12.
- Visions An adult program for individuals 22 and over who receive Community Based Day Services (CBDS) or Group Supported Employment contracts through the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS).
- Camp Stepping Stone A fully licensed summer camp program on Stiles Pond in Boxford, MA, providing students with a unique outdoor learning environment for continued learning and recreation during summer months.
Companies that use CREST Collaborative
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CREST Collaborative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CREST Collaborative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SEEM CollaborativecorePartnership for annual Special Olympics Game Day. CREST Collaborative, in partnership with SEEM Collaborative and other area collaboratives, hosts annual Special Olympics events for students with special needs.
- North Shore CollaborativecorePartnership for annual Special Olympics Game Day. Collaboratives work together to provide athletic opportunities for students with special needs across the region.
- Valley CollaborativecorePartnership for annual Special Olympics Game Day. Regional collaboration for special needs athletics and community building.
- St. John's Preparatory SchoolminorHost venue for annual Special Olympics Game Day events. St. John's Preparatory School campus in Danvers hosts the collaborative special needs athletics event.
- Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services (DDS)coreVisions adult program operates under DDS contracts (CBDS and Group Supported Employment) for individuals 22 and over with developmental disabilities.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CREST Collaborative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Minuteman Special Education Collaborative: Massachusetts collaborative providing specialized services and programs for students with autism, emotional/behavioral needs, and developmental disabilities. Direct peer — closest match on intensive SPED program mix (autism, social-emotional, developmental).
- The Education Cooperative (TEC): Massachusetts educational collaborative serving districts in the western suburbs of Boston. Direct peer — same Chapter 40, Section 4E structure with comparable special education program offerings and tuition-based funding model.
- SEEM Collaborative: Massachusetts public educational collaborative serving special education students across member districts in the Merrimack Valley/North Shore region. Direct peer — same Chapter 40, Section 4E structure, overlapping geography, and explicit partnership with CREST on Special Olympics Game Day.
- Valley Collaborative: Massachusetts public educational collaborative serving the Merrimack Valley. Direct peer — same Chapter 40, Section 4E authorization, overlapping districts (Andover region), and confirmed CREST partner on Special Olympics Game Day.
- LABBB Collaborative: Massachusetts educational collaborative providing special education, adult services, and professional development to member districts in the Lexington/Arlington/Belmont/Burlington/Bedford area. Direct peer — same public-collaborative model, similar program breadth including adult services.
- Pioneer Valley Collaborative: Massachusetts educational collaborative serving western MA member districts with special education and adult services. Direct peer — same Chapter 40 structure and comparable adult-services component (similar to CREST's Visions).
- South Shore Educational Collaborative: Massachusetts public educational collaborative serving south-of-Boston districts with special education, therapeutic, and adult programs. Direct peer — same Chapter 40, Section 4E authorization and comparable K-12 + adult service continuum.
- ACCEPT Education Collaborative: Massachusetts educational collaborative serving member districts with specialized special education programs. Direct peer — same public-collaborative structure and overlapping referral base of districts seeking outsourced SPED services.
- North Shore Collaborative: Massachusetts special education collaborative serving north-of-Boston districts. Direct peer — same statutory structure, overlapping service territory, and confirmed CREST partner on regional Special Olympics programming.
Broad incumbents
- The New England Center for Children: Private, nationally recognized special education school and autism research center based in Massachusetts. Comparable in that it serves students with autism and developmental disabilities with intensive clinical programming, but operates as a private nonprofit rather than a public collaborative and draws from a national/international referral base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CREST Collaborative social profiles
Digital presenceCREST Collaborative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CREST Collaborative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
CREST Collaborative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CREST Collaborative M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CREST Collaborative
What does CREST Collaborative do?
CREST Collaborative is a public special education collaborative that delivers specialized educational programs for students with diverse and complex needs, including intensive special needs, multiple disabilities, medical fragility, social-emotional disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and complex at-risk backgrounds. It operates six distinct programs from Pre-K through adult services, provides itinerant services in students' home school districts, and operates a licensed summer camp (Camp Stepping Stone) on Stiles Pond.
Is CREST Collaborative a public or private company?
CREST Collaborative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CREST Collaborative founded?
CREST Collaborative was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CREST Collaborative based?
CREST Collaborative is headquartered in Andover, United States, in the North America region.
How does CREST Collaborative make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Member District Funding is the primary driver. The others are non-Member District Tuition and fee-for-Service Programs.
Who are CREST Collaborative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Minuteman Special Education Collaborative, The Education Cooperative (TEC), SEEM Collaborative, Valley Collaborative, LABBB Collaborative, Pioneer Valley Collaborative, South Shore Educational Collaborative, ACCEPT Education Collaborative and North Shore Collaborative. The New England Center for Children is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does CREST Collaborative have an API?
No public API is recorded for CREST Collaborative.
What industry is CREST Collaborative in?
CREST Collaborative's product category is Special Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAAAK, Specialized Inclusive / Co-Taught Special Education Programs, with a secondary code of EDAKAAAA, Autism-Specific Schools & Programs. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8300.