What EmpowerK12 does

EmpowerK12 (EK12) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered at 80 M St SE in Washington, DC. The organization partners with DC Public Schools, DC Public Charter Schools, and DC education policymakers to provide data tools, training, and convening services that help school districts turn data into action and improve student outcomes. EK12 was founded by Josh Boots, who previously served as KIPP DC's first Data Director and a member of OSSE's Assessment and Accountability team.

The core product platform centers on the Bold Improvement Portal — equity-emphasized dashboards with predictive analytics and holistic improvement measures — supplemented by the ThriveK12 student and educator wellbeing survey system and a suite of public-facing dashboards covering DC accountability scores, report card metrics, CAPE assessments, NAEP results, and post-pandemic recovery scorecards. Underlying technology is described as a data analytics and visualization platform with predictive analytics capabilities, though no specific ML models or third-party AI vendors are named. Adjacent service offerings include Data-Driven Schools professional development, Improvement Metrics coaching, Strategy Design + Support, and the Teach + Lead Bold Networks learning community.

The business model is nonprofit-funded: revenue derives from grants, donations, and service contracts with school districts and education organizations. Distribution is exclusively direct district partnerships within the Washington, DC metropolitan area, with no disclosed geographic expansion. The team is small (6 employees), led by Founder/Executive Director Josh Boots, Managing Director of Data Analytics Kristen Wolfe, Director of School Improvement Jesika Currie, and Director of Engagement & Operations Preety Patidar.

Name

EmpowerK12

Legal name

EmpowerK12

Website

https://empowerk12.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EmpowerK12 is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with DC Public Schools and charter schools to deliver equity-focused data dashboards, predictive analytics, professional development, and wellbeing surveys that help districts turn data into improved student outcomes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Data Analytics

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Alert, Intervention, Attendance & Engagement Analytics (EDAFAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavior, Discipline, PBIS/MTSS & Intervention Tracking (EDAFAEAJ), Executive Functioning & Behavioral Support Tools (ADHD, SEL/Behavior Tracking, Routines) (EDAFAKAG)

Keywords

• Education data analytics
• K-12 school improvement
• Equity-focused dashboards
• Student wellbeing surveys
• Predictive analytics education

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Education Services and Consulting: EmpowerK12 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides data tools, training, and improvement services to school districts. Revenue appears to come from grants, donations, and potentially service contracts with school districts and education organizations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

EmpowerK12 provides data tools, training, and trusted convening spaces to help DC school districts turn data into action that accelerates student outcomes. Its core product is the Bold Improvement Portal—an equity-emphasized dashboard platform with predictive analytics—paired with ThriveK12 wellbeing surveys and a suite of public DC performance dashboards. Complementary services include data literacy training, improvement coaching, strategy design support, and peer learning networks for educators and school leaders.

Product overview

EmpowerK12 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides a platform of data tools, training services, and collaborative initiatives to help DC school districts turn data into action. The core offering centers on the Bold Improvement Portal with equity-emphasized dashboards featuring predictive analytics, supplemented by the ThriveK12 wellbeing survey system. A suite of public-facing dashboards (DC Accountability Scores, DC Report Card Metrics, DC CAPE, DC NAEP, and multiple DC Recovery Scorecards) makes school data accessible to all stakeholders. Training services include Data-Driven Schools professional development, Improvement Metrics coaching, Strategy Design + Support, and Teach + Lead Bold Networks. Key initiatives include the DC Bold Schools recognition program, DC Data Hub convenings, DC Math Hub, and the Capital AI Ed Collective for responsible AI exploration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bold Improvement Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2023-24, EK12 partners at Optimize or Transform level outperformed similar districts on state assessments in achievement and improvement in math and reading
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gallaudet UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2026Gallaudet University will host the city's first AI Education Summit in Spring-Summer 2027, bringing together students, school leaders, educators, policymakers, and researchers to discuss challenges and opportunities for responsible AI utilization in schools.
• Education Forward DCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation Forward DC sponsors the DC Students Succeed Scorecard, a coalition of over 40 education, health, and community organizations dedicated to ensuring success for DC students.
• SchoolTalkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided guidance on student survey development for the ThriveK12 wellbeing survey initiative.
• Center for Health and Health Care in Schools at GWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with EK12 on the DC Student and Educator Wellbeing study, providing expertise in school-based mental health.
• District Department of Behavioral HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the ThriveK12 wellbeing initiative through the Coordinating Council.
• DC Schools and Support OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapital AI Education Collective partners with local schools, support organizations, universities, and businesses to learn about Responsible AI in education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mathematica Policy Research: Mathematica conducts large-scale education program evaluation and policy research for districts and government agencies, comparable to EK12's research publications and outcome-evaluation work, but at far larger scale and breadth.
• American Institutes for Research (AIR): AIR is a major behavioral and social-science research organization delivering education evaluation, assessment, and technical assistance to districts and states, comparable to EK12's policy research and improvement analytics capabilities.
• RAND Corporation (Education Division): RAND's education division produces policy research, program evaluation, and data analysis for districts and government, mirroring EK12's research and accountability work but with national scope and deeper resources.

Direct peers

• Bellwether Education Partners: Bellwether is a national education nonprofit that partners with school systems on strategy, talent, and policy advising, paralleling EK12's Strategy Design + Support and district-improvement consulting offerings.
• Kickboard: Kickboard provides behavior tracking, PBIS, and SEL data tools for K-12 schools, overlapping with EK12's wellbeing measurement and intervention-tracking positioning. Both target school leaders seeking data-driven student support systems.
• Panorama Education: Panorama provides a K-12 data platform covering student wellbeing/social-emotional surveys, college and career readiness, and equity dashboards, directly overlapping with EK12's Bold Improvement Portal and ThriveK12 Surveys. It operates nationally and at greater scale, competing for the same district-improvement budget.
• Branching Minds: Branching Minds offers an MTSS and intervention-tracking platform for K-12 schools, mapping closely to EK12's intervention analytics and equity-focused dashboard capabilities. Both sell into district-level improvement and student-support workflows.
• TNTP: TNTP partners with school districts on improvement, teacher effectiveness, and student outcomes research, closely paralleling EK12's school-improvement coaching, data analysis, and district partnership model.
• Teaching Lab: Teaching Lab partners with districts on professional development and instructional improvement using data-informed cycles, closely comparable to EK12's Teach + Lead Bold Networks and Improvement Metrics coaching services.

Emerging players

• EdReports: EdReports provides public-facing review and data products to help educators evaluate instructional materials, overlapping with EK12's public dashboard and transparency ethos in K-12 data, though focused on curriculum rather than outcomes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empowerk12

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 EmpowerK12