SPALDING EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL

What SPALDING EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL does

Spalding Education International (SEI) is a non-profit corporation headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, founded in 1986 by Romalda Bishop Spalding to perpetuate THE SPALDING METHOD®, a structured literacy approach to teaching spelling, reading, and writing. The organization's flagship curriculum, The Writing Road to Reading (first published in 1957, now in its 6th edition), is supported by 82+ products including grade-level Teacher's Guides (K-6), 70 Phonogram Cards, Leveled Readers, Home Educator Student Materials, and classroom posters, sold primarily through a Shopify-powered e-commerce store at spalding.org. SEI's core technology is the proprietary methodology itself — an explicit, systematic, and multisensory phonemic instruction system that integrates phonemic awareness, systematic phonics with handwriting, spelling dictation, word analysis, and sentence construction; it is the only literacy program accredited by both IMSLEC and the International Dyslexia Association, and holds ESSA Level 3 alignment with LXD Research and an ICEIE Silver Effectiveness badge.

The company generates revenue through six streams: instructor certification and professional development courses (Reading Foundations, Effective Strategies for Writing and Reading, Coach Training, Home Educator Course), Spalding Certified Teacher (SCT) and Spalding Certified Teacher Instructor (SCTI) certification fees ($500 plus travel), one-time product sales of books and teaching materials, recurring digital memberships (Spalding Resource Center at $150/year, Phonograms Web App at $4/month, Decodables, Rule Videos, plus a free tier), virtual and in-person K-7 tutoring, and onsite professional development delivered by certified instructors. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce, enterprise sales to schools and districts, a channel partner network of 80+ SCTIs and 100+ SCTs across the US and Australia, and an international licensee in Australia with courses delivered in China, South Korea, Singapore, London, Manila, Honduras, and Indonesia.

SEI serves a horizontal customer base of K-6 general and special education teachers, education specialists (curriculum, intervention, speech/reading), school administrators, homeschool parents, professional tutors, and adult learners with dyslexia or ESL needs. The company is governed by a Board of Directors led by Dr. Ron Sipus and managed by CEO Dr. Rebekah Baker and CFO Kerri Porter, with a lean team of 21 employees. Recent strategic activity centers on building an evidence stack (2024 ESSA Level 3, ICEIE Silver, Johns Hopkins Evidence for ESSA listing), expanding digital products (Web App, iOS app, Rule Videos Membership), and extending international reach through licensee and partner models rather than direct overseas expansion.

Name

SPALDING EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL

Legal name

Spalding Education International

Website

https://spalding.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spalding Education International is a Phoenix-based non-profit that sells THE SPALDING METHOD structured literacy curriculum, professional development courses, teacher certifications, and instructional materials to K-6 teachers, schools, homeschool parents, tutors, and dyslexia/ESL learners across the US and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Structured Literacy / Orton-Gillingham Intervention Services (EDAKAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Literacy & Reading Intervention Technology (EDAJAMAF), Literacy & ELA Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAF), Orton-Gillingham & Structured Literacy Enrichment (EDAMAJAH), Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF)

Keywords

• Structured literacy curriculum
• Teacher professional development
• Phonics instruction programs
• Literacy education services
• Teacher certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Development Courses: Instructor certification courses (Reading Foundations, Effective Strategies for Writing and Reading) and Coach Training courses offered to teachers and educators. Fees vary by course type and cohort.
2. Teacher/Parent Courses: Courses for parents and home educators to learn and implement The Spalding Method at home. Delivered online with self-paced video units.
3. Product Sales: Sale of educational materials including Teacher's Guides, Leveled Readers, Phonogram Cards, Notebooks, Posters, Paper, and The Writing Road to Reading 6th Edition textbook.
4. Memberships: Recurring memberships including Spalding Resource Center ($150/year), Spalding Phonograms Web App, Decodables, and Rule Videos. Also includes Free Resources membership.
5. Tutoring Services: Virtual and in-person tutoring sessions taught by Spalding Certified Teachers for grades K-7, focusing on Systematic Phonics, Reading Fluency, Vocabulary, Sentence Construction, and Comprehension.
6. Certification Fees: Fees for Spalding Certified Teacher (SCT) and Spalding Certified Teacher Instructor (SCTI) certification processes, including demo observations and cohort fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Spalding Education International delivers a structured literacy program (THE SPALDING METHOD) for grades K-6 plus tutoring through grade 7, combining explicit, systematic, and multisensory phonemic instruction for reading, spelling, and writing. The company sells The Writing Road to Reading textbook, professional development courses, teacher certifications (SCT/SCTI), digital memberships, physical teaching materials, and tutoring services to schools, districts, homeschool families, and individual educators across the US and internationally.

Product overview

Spalding Education International offers THE SPALDING METHOD, a structured literacy program for teaching spelling, reading, and writing through explicit, systematic, and multisensory phonemic instruction. The product portfolio centers on The Writing Road to Reading (6th Edition) as the core program, supported by professional development courses (Reading Foundations, Effective Strategies for Writing and Reading, Coach Training, and Home Educator courses), Spalding Resource Center digital membership with videos and materials, Spalding Phonograms Web App and iOS App for student practice, Spalding Certified Teacher (SCT) and Teacher Instructor (SCTI) certification programs, tutoring services (virtual and in-person for K-7), professional development options, and physical teaching materials including Phonogram Cards, Teacher's Guides for grades K-6, Leveled Readers, Home Education materials, and classroom posters. The company also offers accreditation for schools implementing the method.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Writing Road to Reading: The core literacy program book and methodology behind THE SPALDING METHOD® for teaching spelling, reading, and writing.
• THE SPALDING METHOD®
• Reading Foundations Course
• Effective Strategies for Writing and Reading Course

Products and services

• The Writing Road to Reading (6th Edition) The foundational textbook and program behind THE SPALDING METHOD, introducing students to phonograms, spelling, reading, and writing through explicit, systematic, and multisensory instruction. The 6th edition includes updated research on instructional components, handwriting, and morphology.
• Reading Foundations Course A 45-hour training course teaching educators to implement the foundations of THE SPALDING METHOD, covering phonemic awareness, systematic phonics with handwriting, spelling, vocabulary, language rules, morphology, sentence construction, and lesson planning. Offered as onsite or hybrid format.
• Effective Strategies for Writing and Reading Course An advanced course covering higher-level strategies including syllable division, composition strategies, reading comprehension, oral reading fluency procedures, and literary appreciation for implementing THE SPALDING METHOD at deeper levels. Offered onsite or via Zoom.
• Coach Training Course Hybrid training to become a Spalding Coach, learning to successfully coach teachers implementing THE SPALDING METHOD using the Spalding Spelling Lesson checklist with online training and onsite coaching days. $1,000 first participant registration including travel fees.
• Online Home Educator Course A comprehensive self-paced online course for parents to learn and implement THE SPALDING METHOD at home, covering 70 phonograms, the marking system, and spelling procedures. Includes 10 hours of video content and Reading Foundations Supplemental Teacher Guide E-book.
• Spalding Resource Center A digital membership providing 24/7 access to hundreds of videos, lessons, materials, course refresher videos, objective-aligned activities, and digital products. Priced at $150 per year.
• Spalding Phonograms Web App A web-based application for practicing phonograms, helping students learn the phonics connection between speech sounds and written symbols. Includes access to Free Resources. Priced at $4.00 per month membership.
• Spalding Phonograms iOS App A mobile app available on Apple App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (requires iOS 7.0 or later) for practicing phonograms with oral phonogram review and differentiated practice features.
• Spalding Decodables Membership A 1-year digital membership providing access to decodable texts for practicing reading skills aligned with THE SPALDING METHOD.
• Spalding Rule Videos Membership A 1-year membership providing access to instructional videos explaining English language rules and spelling rules used in THE SPALDING METHOD.
• Spalding Certified Teacher (SCT) Certification A teacher certification program requiring completion of Reading Foundations and Effective Strategies courses with grades of A, minimum two years implementing the method, and five demonstration observations. Prerequisite for SCTI certification. $500 plus travel fees for onsite observations.
• Spalding Certified Teacher Instructor (SCTI) Certification An advanced instructor certification for teaching Spalding courses, requiring SCT certification, two Reading Foundation courses, two Effective Strategies courses, and four years implementing THE SPALDING METHOD with demo observations. $500 plus travel fees for onsite Demo 7 observation.
• Free Resources Membership A free membership providing access to recommended literature, writing organizers, spelling assessments, analysis activities, and reading organizers.
• Tutoring Services Virtual one-on-one and small group tutoring (max 3 students per grade level) for grades K-7, taught by Spalding Certified Teachers, covering systematic phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, sentence construction, and comprehension.
• Onsite Professional Development and Staff Development Ongoing professional development options including pre-recorded videos, onsite sessions, teacher observations with personalized coaching, and custom professional development facilitated by Spalding Certified Teacher Instructors for schools and districts.
• Phonogram Cards Card sets for teaching 70 phonograms, available as individual set ($15.00, 87 cards) or classroom set ($25.00, 87 cards) for multi-sensory phonics instruction.
• Teacher's Guides Grade-level teacher guides (Kindergarten through 6th grade) available in Classic Physical, Web-Based Book, and Reading Foundations Supplemental versions, priced at $55-$80 per grade level.
• Leveled Readers Decodable readers organized by level, with Level 1 Complete Set at $100.00 and Level 2 Complete Set at $120.00 for guided reading practice.
• Home Educator Student Materials Student materials for homeschool families including spelling lesson materials for Kindergarten ($42), First Grade ($48), Second Grade ($44), and Third-Sixth Grade ($31).
• Classroom Posters Educational posters including Spalding Manuscript Alphabet Letter Line ($18), Cursive Alphabet Letter Line ($18), Primary Rule Pages ($35), Feature and Letter Formation ($18), Syllable Division Patterns ($15), Parts of Speech ($40), Text Structure ($28), and Mental Action Posters ($28).

Quantifiable outcome

• 80-86% student proficiency in ELA
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, historic and core.

• Reading Reform FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Partner in NYC Department of Education Literacy Intervention Pilot Project (2015-2016) focusing on professional development and coaching for Spalding approach implementation.
• Rose Institute for Learning and Literacy at Manhattanville CollegestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Research partner in NYC DOE Pilot Project, investigating how Spalding training impacted teachers' instructional methods, beliefs, and assessment of student literacy learning.
• Chaminade UniversityhistoricStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980Established the Spalding Institute to carry on The Writing Road to Reading method. Awarded Romalda Spalding honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1975.
• LXD ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership conducting correlational studies examining the relationship between Spalding-trained teachers and student literacy outcomes. LXD Research conducted the Arizona ESSA Level 3 Efficacy Study (2022-2023) examining 3rd-5th grade state test scores.
• ICEIE (International Certification of Evidence of Impact in Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party evidence certification body that reviewed Spalding's research studies and awarded Silver Effectiveness badge based on 2024 research findings.
• IMSLEC (International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation body that provides accreditation for The Spalding Method, recognizing it as meeting standards for multisensory structured language education.
• IDA (International Dyslexia Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation partner providing IDA accreditation for The Spalding Method, recognizing its effectiveness for students with dyslexia.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wilson Language Training: Wilson Language Training offers the Wilson Reading System, a structured literacy/Orton-Gillingham-based intervention program targeting students with dyslexia and reading difficulties. Like Spalding, Wilson combines IMSLEC-accredited teacher training with curriculum materials, and is one of the most direct competitors in structured literacy professional development.
• Reading Horizons: Reading Horizons delivers structured literacy intervention tools and teacher training for elementary schools, with a particular focus on at-risk and struggling readers. It targets the same school district buyers and competes head-to-head with Spalding for structured literacy curriculum budgets.
• Really Great Reading: Really Great Reading provides structured literacy curriculum and teacher training programs aligned with the science of reading. It addresses the same K-6 explicit phonics and decoding use case as Spalding, and sells directly into schools and districts.
• 95 Percent Group: 95 Percent Group provides structured literacy professional development, screening, and intervention programs for K-12 schools. It targets the same school district buyers as Spalding with a comparable teacher-training-plus-curriculum model, and is a leading rival in structured literacy adoption.
• Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE): IMSE offers Orton-Gillingham-based structured literacy training and certification for teachers, mirroring Spalding's SCT/SCTI certification model. It is a direct competitor in the Orton-Gillingham professional development category with comparable course pricing and target buyers.

Broad incumbents

• Benchmark Education Company: Benchmark Education provides K-12 literacy and ELA curriculum materials with structured literacy alignment. It competes with Spalding's curriculum side but as a broader educational publisher with a wider product portfolio rather than a single specialized methodology.
• Lexia Learning: Lexia Learning (a Cambium Learning Group company) provides the Lexia Core5 and PowerUp Literacy digital reading intervention programs. It competes with Spalding for K-12 literacy budgets but takes a technology-first, blended-learning approach rather than Spalding's teacher-led methodology.
• Voyager Sopris Learning: Voyager Sopris Learning offers literacy intervention programs (including LANGUAGE!, Voyager Passport) for K-12 schools and districts. It is a broader incumbent in the literacy intervention space, with overlapping buyer profiles but a wider product portfolio than Spalding's single-method focus.
• Wiley Bats (John Wiley & Sons Education): Wiley publishes the Wiley Bats reading program (formerly Batsford) and other K-12 educational titles, competing with Spalding's textbook and curriculum publishing arm. As a major educational publisher, it competes at the materials layer rather than the training/teacher certification layer.

Emerging players

• Heggerty: Heggerty provides explicit phonemic awareness curriculum for K-2 classrooms, addressing a foundational literacy segment that overlaps with Spalding's phonics instruction. It has grown rapidly and competes for early-elementary literacy budget within the same school district buyers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/login
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheSpaldingMethod
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpaldingMethod
• Instagraminstagram.com/spaldingeducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spalding-education-international

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 SPALDING EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL