Regional Office of Education 17

What Regional Office of Education 17 does

Regional Office of Education #17 (ROE 17) is a public government entity operating as an intermediate agency between the Illinois State Board of Education and local school districts across four Central Illinois counties — DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, and McLean. The organization exercises statutory supervision over 30 public school districts and 17 private schools within its jurisdiction, performing regulatory functions mandated by the Illinois School Code, including teacher licensure oversight, health and life safety inspections of school buildings, truancy intervention, and school district boundary changes. ROE 17 also delivers direct services such as bus driver training, GED/High School Equivalency records processing, professional development for educators, and operates specialized programs including the Central Illinois Bridge Academy (mental health support for at-risk students), the Regional Alternative School, HILIA (services for students with low-incidence disabilities), STAR Adult Literacy, and the JDC Education Program at the McLean County Juvenile Detention Center.

The organization's underlying technology stack consists entirely of standard third-party platforms with no proprietary systems identified. ROE 17 uses Learning Stream for professional development and bus driver training registration, ShareFile for secure document submission, the ELIS (Educator Licensure Information System) managed by ISBE for license processing, Constant Contact for email newsletters, Blubrry for podcast hosting, and Skyward for job postings. The technology layer functions as service delivery infrastructure rather than a competitive differentiator.

ROE 17's revenue model is primarily government-funded through Illinois State Board of Education allocations and regional school district support, supplemented by nominal administrative service fees (e.g., $10 per GED/HSE transcript request, $10 per bus driver training, $25–$100 for substitute/paraprofessional license applications) and professional development workshop fees with graduate credit options via partnerships with Lindenwood University and Concordia University Chicago. The organization employs approximately 332 staff and serves educator, district, and student segments across its four-county region without traditional go-to-market motion; service delivery occurs through direct in-person engagement at its Bloomington headquarters and field-based outreach to districts.

Name

Regional Office of Education 17

Legal name

Regional Office of Education #17

Website

https://roe17.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Regional Office of Education #17 is an Illinois government entity serving as an intermediate regulatory and service agency for 30 public school districts across DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, and McLean counties, providing educator licensure, professional development, truancy intervention, and specialized student programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adult Learner Support Services (Advising, Case Management, Wraparound Supports) (EDAAABAJ), Juvenile Justice Education Programs (Detention & Correctional Education) (EDAJAEAB), Charter Alternative & At-Risk Schools (Continuation, Credit Recovery, Juvenile) (EDAJACAE), Credit Recovery & Alternative Adult High School (EDAAABAC)

Keywords

• Educator licensure services
• School district oversight
• Professional development training
• Truancy intervention services
• Special education support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding from Illinois State Board of Education allocations and regional school district support. Revenue supports operational costs, staff salaries, and program delivery across all services.
2. Administrative Service Fees: Nominal fees for specific services including GED/HSE transcript and certificate requests ($10 per document plus $2 credit card fee), bus driver training ($10 per driver), and work permit processing.
3. Professional Development Fees: Workshop and professional development course registration fees support program delivery. Graduate credit partnerships with Lindenwood University provide additional revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ROE 17 is a state-government intermediate education agency that provides regulatory oversight, educator licensure support, professional development, and direct student services to 30 public school districts and 17 private schools across four Central Illinois counties (DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, and McLean). Core offerings include educator licensure assistance via ELIS, in-person and on-demand professional development workshops, health and life safety inspections of school buildings, truancy intervention, homeless student outreach, work permits for minors, bus driver training, GED/high school equivalency records, and specialized programs such as the Central Illinois Bridge Academy, STAR Adult Literacy, HILIA low-incidence services, Regional Alternative School, and Juvenile Detention Center education.

Product overview

Regional Office of Education 17 is a government educational support agency serving McLean and DeWitt Counties in Illinois, offering a diverse portfolio of services organized into three main categories: Direct Educational Services (Bus Driver Training, GED/High School Equivalency Records, Health Life Safety Inspections, Homeless Outreach, Home School Information, Secure File Upload, Transition Services, Truancy Outreach, and Work Permits for Minors); Educator Licensure Services (Professional Development, ELIS How-To Support, Administrator Licensure, Alternative Licensure Programs, CTE Licensure, Out-of-State Support, Retired Teacher Services, Paraprofessional Licensure, Professional Educator Licensure, and Substitute Teaching Support); and Specialized Programs (Juvenile Detention Center Education, Central Illinois Bridge Academy for mental health support, STAR Adult Literacy, HILIA for hearing/vision services, Regional Alternative School, and ROE 17 Lead Hub for leadership development). The organization also operates the ROE 17 POD podcast and partners with career centers across the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HILIA: Heart of Illinois Low Incidence Association - provides services for children with deafness, hearing impairment, and visual impairment across DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, and McLean counties

Products and services

• Bus Driver Training Initial permit training required for new school bus drivers and annual refresher courses for permit renewals, conducted through Learning Stream registration system. $10 per driver.
• GED / High School Equivalency Records Processing of GED, HiSET, and TASC transcripts, certificates, and verifications for tests taken in DeWitt-Livingston-Logan and McLean counties. $10 per document plus $2 credit card fee.
• Health Life Safety Inspections Annual inspections of public school buildings to ensure compliance with Building Specifications for Health and Safety in Public Schools, and review of construction plans for code compliance.
• Homeless Outreach Services Support for homeless students under McKinney-Vento Act including immediate enrollment, school choice, transportation, services, and dispute resolution assistance.
• Transition Services (STEP Program) Secondary Transitional Experience Program providing job training, placement, and career exploration for students with disabilities in partnership with DHS Division of Rehabilitation Services.
• Truancy Outreach Truancy Intervention Support Services for chronically truant students, including outreach, truancy notices, home visits, roundtable meetings, and truancy hearings.
• Work Permits for Minors Issuance of work permits for minors under 16, verifying age, physical capability, and that employment does not interfere with education.
• Annexation-Detachment and Regional Board of School Trustees Elected board overseeing petitions for school district boundary changes, district withdrawal from Joint Agreements, and asset division approvals for new districts.
• Educator Licensure Support Services Comprehensive licensure support including Substitute Teaching (SUB, STS), Professional Educator License (PEL), Paraprofessional License (PARA), Administrator, Career & Technical Educator (CTE), Alternative Licensure, and Out-of-State/Country Applicant support, plus license renewal assistance via the ELIS system.
• Professional Development Classes and Workshops In-person professional development classes for teachers and administrators through Learning Stream platform, with graduate credit options through Lindenwood University ($125-$375 for 1-3 hours of credit).
• On-Demand Learning / Online Professional Development Online professional development courses through partnership with Kane County Regional Office of Education, with graduate credit options through Concordia University Chicago.
• School Improvement Services Instructional coaching for Math, Science, School Leadership, and SEL/PBIS support for district and school improvement.
• Technology and Digital Learning Support Learning Technology Center services including connectivity assistance, digital learning consultation, network/technical support, and professional learning through LTC partnership.
• Central Illinois Bridge Academy Mental health support program for students at risk of hospitalization or returning from hospitalization, with small class sizes and individualized academic and mental health plans.
• STAR Adult Literacy Adult Volunteer Literacy program providing ESL instruction and Adult Basic Education through trained volunteer tutors, funded annually by Illinois Secretary of State Literacy Office since 1985.
• HILIA (Heart of Illinois Low Incidence Association) Services for children with low incidence eligibility of Deafness, Hearing Impairment, and Visual Impairment, including specialized instruction and ISU Laboratory Schools programming across DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, and McLean counties.
• Regional Alternative School (RAS) Alternative education program at Bloomington and Flanagan campuses serving students needing alternative educational settings.
• Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) Education Educational services for students detained at McLean County Juvenile Detention Center with licensed teachers providing individualized instruction.
• ROE 17 Lead Hub Leadership development hub partnering with ROEs across Illinois to develop organizational leaders for continuous school improvement, including Learning While Leading and Future Leaders Advocacy Program sub-initiatives.
• Home School Information Guidance and resources for families choosing homeschooling, including information on Illinois compulsory attendance law requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cognia accredited organization meeting rigorous standards for productive learning environments and effective leadership since 2021

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary regulatory partner. ROE 17 performs intermediate agency functions between ISBE and local school districts, carrying out regulatory functions as directed by the Illinois School Code.
• Lindenwood UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate credit provider for ROE 17 professional development courses. Offers 1, 2, or 3 hour graduate credits for workshop participation.
• Kane County Regional Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide online professional development classes for educators through shared platform and course offerings.
• Concordia University ChicagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraduate credit provider for some on-demand professional development offerings.
• Bloomington School District #87coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHILIA programming collaboration. District is part of consortium providing services for students with low incidence disabilities (deafness, hearing impairment, visual impairment).
• Illinois State University Laboratory SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHILIA programming partner. Thomas Metcalf School and University High School provide educational services for braille readers, sign language users, and students needing intensive listening, speech, and language services.
• Learning StreamcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline registration platform used for professional development classes, bus driver training, and other ROE 17 courses.
• Illinois Secretary of State Literacy OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual grant funder for STAR Adult Literacy program. Grant has been awarded annually since 1985.
• Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide association providing peer support, advocacy, and collaboration among Regional Offices of Education.
• Learning Technology Center (LTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerISBE-funded program supporting PK-12 districts with technology initiatives, professional learning, access/connectivity, and digital learning consultation. ROE 17 serves as regional contact point.
• Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTEP program partnership for transition services supporting students with disabilities in employment and community participation.
• Bushue Background ScreeningminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAuthorized fingerprinting provider for substitute teacher background checks. Charges $65 cash or $68 debit/credit card.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Learning Stream: Online registration platform provider used by ROE 17 for professional development classes, bus driver training, and substitute training. A technology vendor enabling ROE 17's PD delivery rather than a competing agency.
• Bloomington District #87: One of the largest public school districts served by ROE 17 and an HILIA programming partner. Not a competitor but a primary customer and collaborator, illustrating the recipient side of ROE 17's service delivery model.
• Lindenwood University: Graduate credit partner that monetizes ROE 17's professional development workshops. Comparable in function to a continuing education provider and a key revenue-adjacent partner for educator credentialing.
• Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS): Statewide association of Regional Superintendents that provides peer support, advocacy, and collaboration among all Illinois ROEs. Not a direct operating peer but a coordinating body that shapes ROE 17's policy environment and service standards.
• Illinois Secretary of State Literacy Office: Annual grant funder of ROE 17's STAR Adult Literacy program since 1985. A state-level funding partner rather than a peer operator, but shapes the adult literacy service line.

Direct peers

• Kane County Regional Office of Education: Another Illinois Regional Office of Education that ROE 17 partners with to share online professional development platforms. Functions as a parallel intermediate agency between ISBE and local districts, with a comparable regulatory mandate and service mix across its county footprint.

Regional players

• Learning Technology Center (LTC): ISBE-funded program supporting PK-12 districts with technology initiatives, professional learning, and digital learning consultation. ROE 17 serves as a regional contact point for LTC, creating overlapping service domains in educational technology support.

Broad incumbents

• Illinois State Board of Education: State-level education authority that directs ROE 17's regulatory functions. Operates at a broader geographic and policy scale and funds ROE 17, but shares the same statutory framework and serves the same K-12 ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/regional-office-of-education-17

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Regional Office of Education 17