Literacy Design Collaborative
Literacy Design Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops K-12 disciplinary literacy curriculum and professional learning programs. Its Real Works curriculum and CoreTools platform serve over 940 districts and 107,000 educators across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Literacy Design Collaborative does
Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 and headquartered in New York that develops K-12 disciplinary literacy curriculum and professional learning programs for school districts and teachers. The organization originated as a spin-off from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Common Core implementation grant-making strategy, launched by Chad Vignola to create a national hub for rigorous instructional practice. LDC's core product is the Real Works curriculum—standards-aligned modules spanning ELA, Social Studies, and Science that combine approximately 10 hours of instruction per module with performance tasks, complex texts, SCALE-validated rubrics, instructional plans, student workbooks, and formative assessments. The curriculum is delivered through LDC CoreTools, a web-based platform that also supports online professional learning, student work analysis, and PLC facilitation, and serves 940+ districts, 107,000+ educators, and 2.4+ million students across the United States.
LDC's broader portfolio includes several cohort-based professional learning programs: the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) Program, a three-year gradual-release model for school instructional leaders; Literacy for Civic Life (LCL), a year-long fellowship for secondary teachers; and Dialogue 250, a civic literacy fellowship co-developed with Purdue University's College of Education and the James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship. Technology integrations include automated essay scoring via SRI International's ATSE and LLM AI-based narrative feedback on student writing through a Cambiar partnership, both aligned to LDC-SCALE rubrics.
LDC operates a multi-stream revenue model anchored by federal grant funding. Education Innovation and Research (EIR) and USDOE i3 grants fund large-scale implementations in LAUSD, NYCDOE, and Kentucky school systems. Enterprise-tier ILT Program licensing ranges from $2,500 per ILT member (District/School-led) to $50,000 per year per cohort up to 20 members (LDC-Led) under multi-year contracts, with an additional $500 per-teacher licensing fee. Individual teachers pay $750 for the LCL fellowship with two-year access to curriculum modules. Distribution blends enterprise field sales to district leadership, self-serve individual teacher enrollment, and event-driven cohort fellowships hosted at Purdue University. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; an independent CRESST (UCLA) study across 110+ schools confirmed 7.1-9.4 months of additional learning growth over matched pair control students, and LDC received the Carnegie Foundation's 2019 Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement award.
Literacy Design Collaborative firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Literacy Design Collaborative
- Legal name
- Literacy Design Collaborative
- Website
- https://ldc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Literacy Design Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that develops K-12 disciplinary literacy curriculum and professional learning programs. Its Real Works curriculum and CoreTools platform serve over 940 districts and 107,000 educators across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Literacy Design Collaborative industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Educational Curriculum and Professional Development
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Literacy & ELA Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Literacy Foundations (Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension) Platforms (EDAFAOAD), Literacy & Reading Intervention Technology (EDAJAMAF), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD), Teacher Tools for Language & Literacy (Lesson Planning, Assignments, Feedback) (EDAFAOAN), Assessment-Integrated Curriculum & Practice Workbooks (EDAGAAAH), Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA)
Keywords
Where Literacy Design Collaborative is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Literacy Design Collaborative business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Teacher Fellowship Fees: Individual teachers pay $750 per teacher for the Literacy for Civic Life (LCL) fellowship. Discounts available for multiple teachers from the same school/district. Includes 2-year access to curriculum modules and professional learning resources.
- ILT Program Licensing: LDC-Led option: $50,000 per year for ILT cohort up to 20 members, includes licensing fee for 25 teachers. District/School-led option: $2,500 per ILT member plus $500 licensing fee per teacher. Multi-year engagements with gradual release model over 3 years.
- Federal Grant Funding: LDC operates under Education Innovation and Research (EIR) grants from the U.S. Department of Education to fund curriculum and professional learning implementations in LAUSD, NYCDOE, and Kentucky school systems. Additional American History/Civics Seminars grant funds Dialogue 250 program.
- Curriculum Set Licensing: Districts can select from LDC's sets of ELA, Social Studies, and Science curricular modules on an a-la-carte basis. Professional development services (in-person or virtual) available as customized offerings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Dialogue 250 Fellowship - $2,000 teacher stipend for civic literacy program |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | ILT Program - LDC-Led: $50,000 per year for cohort up to 20 ILT members |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | ILT Program - District/School-led: $2,500 per ILT member plus $500 per teacher |
| Subscription | Annual | Literacy for Civic Life (LCL) Fellowship: $750 per teacher |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Literacy Design Collaborative product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Literacy Design Collaborative develops and distributes standards-aligned K-12 disciplinary literacy curriculum (Real Works) for ELA, Social Studies, and Science, delivered through the LDC CoreTools web-based platform. Each module bundles a performance task, focus standards, SCALE-validated rubrics, complex texts, instructional plans, student workbooks, and formative assessments. Complementary professional development programs (ILT Program, Dialogue 250, LCL) train teachers and instructional leadership teams to implement the curriculum through job-embedded PLCs and gradual release of responsibility models.
Product overview
Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) offers a unified literacy education ecosystem consisting of the Real Works Curriculum as its core K-12 product, the CoreTools online platform for curriculum delivery and professional learning, and several professional development programs including the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) Program, Dialogue 250 civic literacy fellowship, and Literacy for Civic Life (LCL) fellowship. The company also operates EIR grant programs in partnership with LAUSD, NYCDOE, and Kentucky schools. LDC's approach integrates validated SCALE rubrics, standards-aligned texts from ELA, Social Studies, and Science disciplines, and online/hybrid professional learning experiences.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Real Works: K-12 curriculum built on rich, diverse readings by renowned, award-winning authors and disciplinary experts, strategically paired with authentic, engaging, and real-world standards-driven writing opportunities.
- Dialogue 250 (D250)
- Literacy for Civic Life (LCL)
Products and services
- Real Works Curriculum
- LDC CoreTools
- Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) Program
- Dialogue 250 (D250) Civic Literacy Fellowship
- Literacy for Civic Life (LCL) Fellowship
- EIR Grant-Funded Implementations
- Professional Development Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Students achieve 7.1 to 9.4 months of additional learning growth compared to matched pair control students
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Literacy Design Collaborative
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Literacy Design Collaborative technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Literacy Design Collaborative partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and advisory.
- Purdue University College of EducationcoreLDC partners with Purdue University's College of Education for the Dialogue 250 civic literacy fellowship. Purdue conducts Teacher Seminars, provides expertise in democratic citizenship education, and hosts in-person professional development sessions on campus.
- Purdue James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic CitizenshipcoreCo-developer of Dialogue 250 curriculum and professional learning experiences focused on civic literacy and engagement around U.S. History primary sources.
- Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE)coreSCALE validates LDC's writing performance tasks and rubrics to ensure alignment with standards (CCSS, NGSS, C3). SCALE validation confirms that LDC assessments measure intended standards and produce reliable, comparable results across schools.
- National Writing ProjectadvisoryTanya Baker, Director of National Programs at National Writing Project, serves on LDC's Board of Directors, connecting LDC to NWP's network of university-based local writing project sites.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Literacy Design Collaborative competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Great Minds: Non-profit publisher of K-12 core curricula including Wit & Wisdom (ELA) and Geodes (early literacy). Direct competitor in the standards-aligned ELA curriculum space, with similar teacher-led PD and a comparable K-12 school district go-to-market motion.
- EL Education: Non-profit K-12 curriculum and professional learning provider with standards-aligned ELA, science, and social studies modules and an established network of partner schools. Highly comparable to LDC in mission (rigor, equity, teacher-empowerment) and product category (disciplinary literacy curriculum + PD).
- National Writing Project (NWP): Non-profit network of university-based writing teacher development programs with deep reach into K-12 ELA classrooms. Closely aligned with LDC's mission of improving writing instruction and a partner via Tanya Baker's board seat; serves as a PD-style peer rather than a direct curriculum competitor.
- Expeditionary Learning (now Outward Bound USA-affiliated network): K-12 school design and curriculum organization focused on project-based, rigorous instruction including disciplinary literacy. Highly comparable to LDC in design philosophy, school partnership model, and standards-aligned ELA/literacy curriculum.
- Open Up Resources: Non-profit K-12 OER curriculum provider offering standards-aligned ELA and math curricula with open licensing. Comparable to LDC in mission (rigorous, standards-aligned, equity-focused curriculum) and distribution model (open/free core content with paid PD and customization).
Broad incumbents
- McGraw-Hill Education: Large K-12 instructional materials and assessment publisher with ELA, literacy, and social studies programs (e.g., Wonders, StudySync). Overlaps with LDC's standards-aligned ELA curriculum and PD category, with broader subject coverage and a more commercial GTM motion.
- Carnegie Learning: Established K-12 literacy and math curriculum provider (including adaptive literacy products like iLit) with embedded professional development. Comparable to LDC in ELA/literacy focus and school district GTM, but operates as a larger for-profit with broader product portfolio.
- Amplify: Large K-12 curriculum and assessment company (Amplify CKLA, Amplify ELA, mCLASS reading assessment). Comparable to LDC in ELA/literacy curriculum and assessment focus, with stronger technology integration and a for-profit, venture-backed growth model.
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH): Major K-12 textbook and curriculum publisher with comprehensive ELA programs (e.g., Into Reading, Read 180) and extensive professional development offerings. Overlaps with LDC's ELA/literacy curriculum category, with broader subject coverage and longer-tenured district relationships.
Others
- Public Consulting Group (PCG Education): Consulting and technology services firm working with K-12 districts on instructional improvement, assessments, and large-scale implementations. Adjacent to LDC in operating with federal/state-funded school district programs and PD delivery, though broader in scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Literacy Design Collaborative social profiles
Digital presenceLiteracy Design Collaborative compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Literacy Design Collaborative financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Literacy Design Collaborative leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles26 records
Literacy Design Collaborative funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Literacy Design 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 Literacy Design Collaborative
What does Literacy Design Collaborative do?
Literacy Design Collaborative develops and distributes standards-aligned K-12 disciplinary literacy curriculum (Real Works) for ELA, Social Studies, and Science, delivered through the LDC CoreTools web-based platform. Each module bundles a performance task, focus standards, SCALE-validated rubrics, complex texts, instructional plans, student workbooks, and formative assessments. Complementary professional development programs (ILT Program, Dialogue 250, LCL) train teachers and instructional leadership teams to implement the curriculum through job-embedded PLCs and gradual release of responsibility models.
Is Literacy Design Collaborative a public or private company?
Literacy Design Collaborative is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Literacy Design Collaborative founded?
Literacy Design Collaborative was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Literacy Design Collaborative based?
Literacy Design Collaborative is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Literacy Design Collaborative make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Teacher Fellowship Fees are the primary driver. The others are ILT Program Licensing, federal Grant Funding and curriculum Set Licensing.
Who are Literacy Design Collaborative's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Great Minds, EL Education, National Writing Project (NWP), Expeditionary Learning (now Outward Bound USA-affiliated network) and Open Up Resources. Broad incumbents are McGraw-Hill Education, Carnegie Learning, Amplify and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH). Public Consulting Group (PCG Education) is listed as an others.
Does Literacy Design Collaborative have an API?
No public API is recorded for Literacy Design Collaborative.
What industry is Literacy Design Collaborative in?
Literacy Design Collaborative's product category is K-12 Educational Curriculum and Professional Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAFAF, Literacy & ELA Instruction (School-Delivered), with a secondary code of EDAFAOAD, Literacy Foundations (Phonics, Reading Fluency, Comprehension) Platforms. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.