Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education

What Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education does

Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education (MAASE) is a nonprofit professional association serving special education administrators across Michigan. It operates as a state affiliate aligned with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the International Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), and is staffed by a small leadership team based in Lansing, MI. The organization has operated for over 50 years, advocating on IDEA-related policy and reporting it has helped secure nearly $500M in additional special education funding for Michigan.

MAASE's core offerings include individual and institutional membership, an annual Summer Institute conference drawing 800+ attendees, a five-track PARA Pathways Learning Series for paraeducator certification and train-the-trainer programs, the HORIZON+SE Leadership Academy, and Project SEARCH Michigan workforce transition programming. Member engagement and association operations run on the Novi AMS platform. Revenue is generated through membership dues, conference and training registration fees, and a tiered corporate partner sponsorship program (Premier, Signature, and Website Partners) that connects law firms, edtech vendors, and staffing firms with the membership base.

MAASE's business model is that of a regional professional association: non-dues revenue (conferences, certification, sponsorships) supplements membership fees, and advocacy influence is leveraged to maintain institutional positioning with the Michigan Department of Education and Intermediate School Districts. The organization operates exclusively within Michigan and is structurally dependent on state-level special education funding flows.

Name

Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education

Legal name

Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education

Website

https://maase.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education (MAASE) is a Lansing-based nonprofit professional association serving special education administrators across Michigan, providing membership, advocacy, annual conferences, and paraeducator certification aligned with IDEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for special education administrators and professionals. All membership applications must be approved by the Board of Directors. Members receive access to professional development, advocacy resources, networking, and member-only content.
2. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees for professional learning events including Summer Institute (800+ attendees annually), SLIP Winter Conference, Special Education Leadership & Accountability Summit, Hot Topics in Special Education Law, and various training programs. Pricing varies by membership status and ticket type.
3. Sponsorships and Partnership Opportunities: Corporate sponsorships and partnership tiers (Premier Partner, Signature Partner, Website Partner) providing visibility at events, conferences, and on website to special education administrators and decision-makers.
4. Certification and Training Programs: Train-the-Trainer certification programs for paraeducator training, including certification fees and program materials for districts with 50+ paraeducators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MAASE is a nonprofit professional membership association that provides leadership development, collaboration, and policy advocacy services for special education administrators across Michigan. It delivers an annual Summer Institute conference serving 800+ attendees, a Paraeducator Learning Series with certified trainer programs, professional learning events, and advocacy initiatives that have helped secure nearly $500 million in additional special education funding for Michigan schools.

Product overview

MAASE is a professional association providing leadership development, collaboration, and advocacy services for special education administrators in Michigan. Rather than a traditional SaaS product, MAASE offers a portfolio of programs including the annual Summer Institute conference, the Paraeducator Learning Series with certified trainer programs, Project SEARCH workforce development, MITTIN initiatives, professional learning events (SLIP Conference, Leadership Summits, Adaptive Schools Training), the Field Notes podcast, and membership services through the Member Compass portal. The organization uses Novi AMS association management software to deliver its services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MAASE Summer Institute Annual professional development conference featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, attorney presentations, and networking for 800+ special education administrators in Michigan, typically held at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.
• MAASE Paraeducator Learning Series / Train the Trainer Program Certification program for paraeducators and trainers covering Early Childhood, Transportation, Transition-Aged Students, and Bootcamp Level 1 & 2 curricula aligned with Council for Exceptional Children standards.
• Project SEARCH Michigan School-to-work transition program serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, implemented across Michigan sites in partnership with businesses and vocational rehabilitation services.
• MAASE Events and Professional Learning Portfolio of professional learning events including SLIP Winter Conference, Special Education Leadership & Accountability Summit, Mi SELS legislative summit, and Adaptive Schools Foundation Seminar.
• Member Compass Portal Online member portal enabling access to Member Directory, event registration, invoice management, and legislative updates for MAASE members.
• MITTIN Project MAASE initiative focused on supporting special education administrators through collaborative learning, professional development, and multi-tiered system of supports resources.
• HORIZON+SE Leadership Academy Leadership academy program supporting inclusive leadership development for special education professionals in Michigan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ special education leaders trained annually at Summer Institute
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, premier and minor.

• Thrun Law FirmcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal services partner providing specialized law firm sponsorship. Thrun Law Firm is recognized as an advocate for schools and education clients in Michigan.
• Clark HillcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational law firm with education law practice providing sponsorship and exhibitor support.
• BlazerWorkscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational staffing services partner supporting special education recruitment and staffing solutions.
• Positive Behavior Supports CorpcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvider of positive behavior support services and training for special education settings.
• Michigan Council for Exceptional ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState affiliate of national CEC organization, collaborating on professional development and advocacy for exceptional children.
• Dotcom TherapycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTeletherapy services provider offering speech therapy and other services to schools.
• Parallel LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSignature Partner providing online platform for live virtual assessments and therapy sessions supporting students with learning differences. Helps schools deliver high-quality special education services and reduce backlogs.
• GoalbookpremierStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremier Partner offering goal-setting and progress monitoring tools for special education IEPs and general education.
• PresenceLearningcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline therapy and assessment platform providing special education related services to schools.
• RenaissancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEducation technology company providing assessment and learning analytics solutions.
• Institute for Multi-Sensory EducationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides multi-sensory education programs and professional development for reading instruction, particularly for dyslexia intervention.
• Maxim Healthcare StaffingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare staffing services supporting special education-related healthcare needs in schools.
• Public Consulting GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm providing policy, finance, and implementation consulting for education agencies.
• Michigan Project SEARCHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationally recognized school-to-work transition program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. MAASE provides program oversight and professional learning support for Michigan sites.
• MAASE MITTIN ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-tiered system of supports (MTSS) initiative providing professional learning and resources for special education administrators. Includes statewide PLC participants and presenters.
• Educators Legal Services, PLLCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal services firm specializing in education law providing member support.
• Medical Decision LogicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare analytics and decision support technology provider.
• Detroit Institute for ChildrenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization providing services for children with disabilities in the Detroit area.
• BrollyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducation technology company providing insurance and compliance solutions for schools.
• Winsor LearningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLearning solutions provider focused on systematic and explicit instruction.
• Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization for special education administrators. MAASE is a subdivision of CASE, providing national affiliation and resources.
• Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState organization for ISD administrators. MAASE collaborates on SEILN (Special Education Instructional Leadership Network) initiatives.
• Michigan Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState education agency providing policy guidance, updates, and collaboration on Office of Special Education initiatives.
• Karoub AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernmental affairs and lobbying firm representing MAASE's legislative interests at the Michigan state level.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA): COPAA trains and supports attorneys and advocates for students with disabilities. It is adjacent to MAASE's mission around IDEA compliance and special education law, and shares MAASE's legal-services partners (e.g., Thrun Law Firm, Clark Hill) but serves advocates rather than administrators.

Direct peers

• Michigan Council for Exceptional Children (Michigan CEC): Michigan CEC is MAASE's state-level sister affiliate and an explicit partner. It serves a highly overlapping audience of Michigan special educators with similar professional development and advocacy offerings, making it the closest in-state peer.
• National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE): NASDSE represents state-level special education directors and aligns closely with MAASE's administrative and policy-advocacy focus. Comparable in mission around IDEA implementation, federal funding advocacy, and capacity-building for state special education leadership.
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC): CEC is the largest international professional organization for special and gifted education, with which MAASE's Paraeducator Learning Series curriculum is explicitly aligned (CEC Core Competencies and High Leverage Practices). CEC is a direct peer in membership-based professional development for special educators.
• National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET): NASET is a national membership association serving special education professionals with publications, training, and advocacy. It is comparable to MAASE in its member-driven model and focus on professional development for special education practitioners, though its audience is teacher-facing rather than administrator-facing.
• Council for Administrators of Special Education (CASE): CASE is the international parent organization for special education administrators, of which MAASE is explicitly a state subdivision. CASE offers overlapping leadership development, advocacy, and resources, making it the most directly comparable organization to MAASE, though operating at a national rather than state scale.
• Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA): LDA is a national nonprofit providing advocacy, resources, and professional development around learning disabilities. Comparable to MAASE in its member-driven advocacy and educator-training model within the special education ecosystem.

Emerging players

• International Dyslexia Association (IDA): IDA focuses on dyslexia and literacy-based learning differences with accreditation, professional development, and advocacy programs intersecting with MAASE's special education administrator audience and partner ecosystem (e.g., Institute for Multi-Sensory Education, Winsor Learning).

Broad incumbents

• AASA (American Association of School Administrators): AASA is a national association for superintendents and school system leaders, providing advocacy and professional development that overlaps with MAASE's superintendent-facing member benefits. Broader in scope than MAASE, but a comparable membership-association model for education administrators.
• ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development): ASCD is a broad, established educator association serving administrators and instructional leaders with professional development resources. Comparable to MAASE in delivering professional learning to school leaders, though ASCD operates across all curriculum areas rather than specializing in special education.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maasemichigan
• Facebookfacebook.com/maasemichigan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maase4all

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education