What Pickaway County Educational Service Center does

Pickaway County Educational Service Center (PCESC) is a public educational service center established on June 13, 1914, and operating as a political subdivision of the State of Ohio under Ohio Revised Code Section 3311.05. It is headquartered in Circleville, Ohio at 424 E. Mound Street and serves as a regional shared-services agency for the four public school districts in Pickaway County: Logan Elm Local, Teays Valley Local, Westfall Local, and Circleville City. The organization employs approximately 90 staff, more than double the 42-person headcount at the start of Ty Ankrom's superintendency in 2006.

PCESC's service portfolio centers on specialized educational and student support services that individual small districts could not sustain independently. Core offerings include speech and language pathology (994 students served), occupational therapy, school psychology, special education coordination, preschool identification, ESL services, and McKinney-Vento homeless education. The organization also operates two alternative-learning programs: PACE (Pickaway Academy Center for Excellence), a K-12 digital academy with accredited online curriculum, and PASS Academy, an in-person alternative placement program co-located at the Mound Street headquarters. Additional revenue-generating services include the Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers ($50 training fee), WebCheck fingerprinting ($30-$60 per check), and 11-county regional bus driver training.

PCESC's revenue model is multi-stream: statutorily-allocated state funding, contracted service agreements with the four county districts, competitive grants (including a $200,000/year 21st Century Grant renewable for five years and a $5,000 Ohio STEM Learning Network Classroom Grant), and fee-for-service transactions. The organization operates under oversight of a locally-elected five-member Governing Board and is led by Superintendent Tom Kitchen (succeeding Ty Ankrom in mid-2023) and Treasurer Kristin O'Dell. PCESC has held the Ohio Department of Education's High Performing ESC designation for at least ten consecutive years through 2025.

Name

Pickaway County Educational Service Center

Legal name

Pickaway County Educational Service Center

Website

https://pickawayesc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pickaway County Educational Service Center is a public Ohio educational service agency providing shared special education, therapy, and student support services to all four Pickaway County public school districts from its Circleville headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Support Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Student Support & Related Services (Counseling, SEL, Health, Safety) (EDAJAAAK), District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ), Special Needs / Paratransit Student Transportation Services (EDAEADAH), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Educational service center
• Special education services
• School therapy services
• Professional development workshops
• Substitute teacher training

Headquarters

HQ city

Circleville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Funding: ESCs receive some state funding to support operations as public not-for-profit agencies unable to generate funds through taxation.
2. Contracted Services to Districts: Primary revenue source from contracted delivery of services to school districts for special education, therapy services, professional development, and other educational support.
3. Grant Funds: Competitive public dollars and grant funds including 21st Century Grant ($200,000 annually, renewable for 5 years) and Ohio STEM Learning Network Classroom Grant ($5,000).
4. Fee-for-Service: WebCheck Fingerprinting services (BCI $30, FBI $35, Both $60) and OCST Online Training ($50) provide additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pickaway County Educational Service Center is a public education agency that coordinates and delivers shared educational, therapeutic, and student support services to four Pickaway County school districts (Logan Elm Local, Teays Valley Local, Westfall Local, and Circleville City). It operates two core academic programs — PACE (a K-12 digital academy) and PASS Academy (an alternative learning environment) — and provides specialized services including speech/language pathology, occupational/physical therapy, school psychology, special education coordination, preschool coordination, ESL, mental health resources, McKinney-Vento homeless education, substitute teacher training, WebCheck fingerprinting, and school bus driver training across an 11-county region.

Product overview

Pickaway County Educational Service Center is a public education agency providing a comprehensive portfolio of educational support services and programs. The core offerings include PACE (Pickaway Academy Center for Excellence) - a digital academy for K-12 students with accredited online curriculum, and PASS Academy (Pickaway Academic Success Solutions) - an alternative learning environment program. Supporting these primary programs are specialized services including Speech/Language Pathology, Occupational/Physical Therapy, School Psychology, Special Education Coordination, Preschool Coordination, and ESL Services. The ESC also coordinates Mental Health Resources, McKinney-Vento Homeless Education, the annual Autism Summit, WebCheck Fingerprinting, School Bus Driver Training, and the Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers training program. Additional coordination includes the Family and Children First Council, Business Advisory Council with Pickaway WORKS, professional development workshops with university partners, and an equipment rental program for adaptive devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• P.A.C.E. (Pickaway Academy Center for Excellence): A digital academy providing an alternative learning environment for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, offering a blended format to meet individual learning styles.
• PASS Academy (Pickaway Academic Success Solutions)
• Ohio Center for Substitute Teachers (OCST)
• Pickaway WORKS

Products and services

• PACE (Pickaway Academy Center for Excellence)

Quantifiable outcome

• 994 students provided speech and language therapy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Teays Valley Local SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Pickaway County school districts receiving comprehensive educational services including special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological services through PCESC coordination.
• Westfall Local SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Pickaway County school districts receiving comprehensive educational services including special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological services through PCESC coordination.
• Logan Elm Local SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Pickaway County school districts receiving comprehensive educational services including special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological services through PCESC coordination.
• Circleville City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of four Pickaway County school districts receiving comprehensive educational services including special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological services through PCESC coordination.
• Pickaway-Ross Career & Technical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and technical education partner receiving services and coordination from PCESC for student support programs.
• Ashland UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement for workshops and classes that can earn college credit through Ashland University, providing continuing education opportunities for educators.
• Grand Canyon UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement for workshops and classes that can earn college credit through Grand Canyon University.
• University of PhoenixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement for workshops and classes that can earn college credit through University of Phoenix.
• Fairfield County ESCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Drive to Succeed program providing driver education scholarships to eligible students in Pickaway County through joint ESC collaboration.
• Pickaway WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint business advisory council coordinating workforce development services for all Pickaway County school districts.
• Cook Center for Human ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing mental health resources and Parent Guidance mental health series recordings for families in Pickaway County.
• ParentGuidance.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health resource partner providing online resources and Parent Guidance Mental Health Series recordings.
• Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA)coreOthersTrade association membership providing advocacy, professional development, and recognition programs including the Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Awards.
• Pickaway County Board of Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with DD board for special education services, Autism Summit, and coordinated services for children with developmental disabilities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA): The statewide trade association of Ohio's ESCs, of which PCESC is a member. Provides advocacy, professional development, and recognition programs including the Franklin B. Walter All-Scholastic Awards; comparable as the industry-body counterpart to individual ESCs.
• Logan Elm Local Schools: One of PCESC's four contracted customer districts in Pickaway County. Not a peer in a competitive sense, but a key customer and partner that PCESC supports with special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological services.
• Teays Valley Local Schools: One of PCESC's four contracted customer districts. Useful as a customer reference point illustrating the type of K-12 district PCESC serves rather than as a competitive peer.

Direct peers

• Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center: One of the largest Ohio county ESCs, providing special education, therapy, and administrative services to Cleveland-area districts. Directly comparable in statutory mission and service portfolio to PCESC, though at much larger scale.
• Hamilton County Educational Service Center: Ohio county ESC serving Cincinnati-area districts with special education coordination, professional development, and shared services. Mirrors PCESC's mandate and service mix under the same Ohio Revised Code framework.
• Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center: Mid-Ohio ESC serves multiple counties in central Ohio, providing special education, therapy services, and professional development to member districts under the same Ohio ESC statutory model as PCESC.
• Fairfield County Educational Service Center: A neighboring Ohio county ESC that has an existing partnership with PCESC on the Drive to Succeed program. Operates the same statutory model (Ohio Revised Code 3311.05), delivering special education, therapy, and professional development services to its local districts.
• Franklin County Educational Service Center: Another Ohio county ESC serving the Columbus-area districts. Operates the same statutory ESC model as PCESC, providing specialized services, professional development, and coordination functions to member school districts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PickawayCountyESC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pickaway-county-educational-service-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Pickaway County Educational Service Center