The Learning Collective
The Learning Collective is a boutique education consulting firm that provides strategic planning, school quality reviews, charter renewal support, and board development services to charter schools, charter school authorizers, school districts, and education non-profits across more than ten U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Learning Collective does
The Learning Collective (TLC) is a boutique education consulting firm founded in 2003 by Adam Aberman and headquartered in Los Angeles, with team members distributed across Chicago, New Orleans, and Oakland. The firm provides strategic planning facilitation, school quality reviews, charter school application and renewal evaluations, technical assistance, and board development services to charter schools, charter school authorizers, traditional public schools, school districts, state education departments, and education-focused non-profits across more than ten U.S. states. Its clients include Chicago Public Schools, the Tennessee State Board of Education, SUNY Charter Schools Institute, the New York State Education Department, the California Department of Education, and New Orleans Public Schools, among others. TLC occupies a distinctive dual position advising both charter schools and the authorizers that oversee them, which it leverages for cross-perspective evaluation work.
The firm's core deliverables are human-delivered professional services rather than software. TLC has developed several proprietary evaluation tools including a School Quality Review rubric, a three-stage Strategic Planning Framework (assessment, vision/mission, SMART Goals), a Culture & Climate Rubric co-developed with Chicago Public Schools and grounded in CASEL indicators, and a Blended Learning Planning Process and Evaluation Tool co-developed with E.L. Haynes Public Charter School under Carnegie Corporation of New York funding. The firm's emerging service lines include AI Implementation Advisory for schools and school turnaround work delivered in partnership with Venn Education. There is no proprietary technology platform, no software product, and no app — services are delivered as consulting engagements.
TLC generates revenue through project-based and multi-year consulting engagements with educational institutions, billed on a quote-based professional services model. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm operates without external funding, without a parent company, and without disclosed M&A activity, and has remained an independently-owned private entity for over twenty years. The company employs approximately five core consultants with extended bench support for site visits, and markets primarily through conference presentations (NACSA, SXSW EDU, CCSA), thought-leadership blog content, and referral partnerships with organizations such as NACSA, Venn Education, and Impact Charters. TLC's documented client outcomes include a 100% charter renewal success rate for schools it has prepared and a track record of 250+ current and 100+ proposed charter schools assessed since founding.
The Learning Collective firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Learning Collective
- Legal name
- The Learning Collective
- Website
- https://thelearningcollective.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Learning Collective is a boutique education consulting firm that provides strategic planning, school quality reviews, charter renewal support, and board development services to charter schools, charter school authorizers, school districts, and education non-profits across more than ten U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Learning Collective industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK)
Keywords
Where The Learning Collective is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Learning Collective business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Consulting Engagements: TLC generates revenue through fee-for-service consulting engagements with educational institutions. Services include strategic planning facilitation, school quality reviews, charter renewal preparation, board development, technical assistance, and evaluation services. Engagements are typically project-based or multi-year partnerships with charter schools, authorizers, school districts, and state education agencies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Consulting services for charter schools and authorizers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
The Learning Collective product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Learning Collective provides strategic planning, school quality reviews, technical assistance, board development, and evaluation services for charter schools, charter school authorizers, traditional public schools, school districts, and state education agencies. Services are delivered through fee-for-service consulting engagements that often span multi-year partnerships, and include proprietary methodologies such as a School Quality Review rubric, a 3-stage Strategic Planning Framework, and a Culture & Climate Rubric.
Product overview
The Learning Collective is an education consulting firm offering a portfolio of professional services for educational institutions rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include strategic planning facilitation, school quality reviews, charter school application and renewal evaluations, technical assistance, and board development. The company has developed proprietary tools including a Culture & Climate Rubric (used with Chicago Public Schools) and Remote Learning Evaluation Protocols. Emerging services include AI Implementation Advisory for schools. Their work is delivered through consulting engagements rather than a SaaS platform, with services often bundled in multi-year partnerships with school districts, charter authorizers, and state education departments across 10+ states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Planning Services Comprehensive strategic planning facilitation for schools, districts, and educational organizations including vision/mission development, SWOT analysis, SMART goal formulation, and action step creation, typically producing a 2-3 year strategic roadmap.
- School Quality Reviews Multi-day on-site or remote evaluations of educational institutions examining academics, culture and climate, social-emotional learning, and overall school effectiveness, based on TLC's proprietary rubric.
- Charter School Application Evaluations
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% charter renewal rate for schools TLC prepared for renewal
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Learning Collective
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Learning Collective technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
The Learning Collective partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Venn EducationcoreTLC and Venn Education have partnered to work with charter schools on school turnaround engagements. Venn Education is a consulting firm devoted to advancing quality public education. The partnership combines TLC's strategic planning and evaluation expertise with Venn's school turnaround capabilities. They have collaborated on school needs assessments, planning, and support services for struggling schools. David Hartman is the founder of Venn Education.
- NACSA (National Association of Charter School Authorizers)coreTLC has been increasingly partnering with NACSA to improve charter school authorizing nationally. TLC participates in NACSA conferences and co-presents findings with charter authorizer clients. NACSA is the leading national organization supporting charter school authorizers.
- Central Michigan University (Center for Charter Schools)coreTLC provides technical assistance and evaluation services for CMU's 57 authorized charter schools. Collaborated to create a guide for Michigan schools on COVID-19 pandemic planning. TLC evaluates new school applications and provides ongoing evaluation support for CMU-authorized schools.
- SUNY Charter Schools InstitutecoreTLC has been a client of SUNY Charter Schools Institute since 2003, evaluating charter renewal applications and developing protocols and rubrics. Ongoing relationship spanning over 20 years, making it one of TLC's longest-standing partnerships.
- Chicago Public Schools (Office of Innovation and Incubation)coreCPS has engaged TLC to lead in-person renewal visits and report writing for dozens of its authorized charter schools since approximately 2014. TLC has developed rubrics and protocols with CPS, including a Culture & Climate Rubric based on CASEL standards. TLC has conducted 57 renewal visits from 2022-2024 with CPS.
- New York State Education DepartmentcoreTLC provides oversight processes, renewal visits, and application reviews for NYSED's Charter School Office. Ongoing evaluation and consulting engagement.
- Washington State Charter School CommissioncoreTLC conducts new school application reviews, commissioner trainings, and evaluates authorized schools' operations for the Washington State Charter School Commission. Ongoing engagement.
- Nevada State Public Charter School AuthorityminorTLC was hired to evaluate applications for prospective blended learning charter schools in Nevada. Part of broader work evaluating blended learning applications for multiple authorizers.
- Indiana Charter School BoardminorTLC evaluates new charter school applications for the Indiana Charter School Board, including evaluations of blended learning charter school proposals.
- Mississippi Charter School Authorizer BoardminorTLC leads evaluation of renewal applications for the Mississippi Charter School Authorizer Board, including both new and renewal charter application reviews.
- San Bernardino County Superintendent of SchoolscoreTLC created protocols for SBCSS to evaluate the county's charter schools, trained county staff on evaluation processes, and led evaluations of charter schools.
- Tennessee State Board of EducationcoreTLC led the strategic planning and goal-setting process for the Tennessee State Board of Education, developing a five-year Master Plan for all 1,700 public schools in Tennessee representing approximately 1,000,000 students during the 2019-20 academic year.
- Idaho Public Charter School CommissionminorTLC evaluated the Idaho Public Charter School Commission as a primary authorizer, part of TLC's work evaluating authorizers across multiple states.
- Oklahoma Public School Resource CenterminorTLC engaged in strategic planning projects with authorizers through partnership with Oklahoma Public School Resource Center.
- Carnegie Corporation of New YorkminorCarnegie Corporation of New York funded the development of TLC's blended learning planning process and evaluation tool developed with E.L. Haynes Charter School.
- Dan Pasek (Impact Charters)minorAdam Aberman of TLC partnered with Dan Pasek of Impact Charters to provide a free 3-hour board retreat combining 60 years of collective experience working with schools as a marketing/lead generation initiative.
- Impact ChartersminorPartnership with Impact Charters for joint delivery of free board retreats as a demand generation strategy combining complementary expertise.
- Coalition of Public Independent Charter Schools (CPICS)minorTLC actively participated on the National Coordinating Committee to create CPICS, focused on shaping practices, informing policies, and increasing collaboration of independent charter schools across the country. TLC plays a role in this industry advocacy initiative.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Learning Collective competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bellwether Education Partners: Bellwether is a national education-focused nonprofit consulting firm serving school districts, CMOs, and education philanthropies on strategic planning, evaluation, and policy — a comparable boutique-style advisor with broader scope than TLC but operating in the same K–12 strategy/evaluation niche.
- Venn Education: Venn Education is TLC's named partner on school turnaround engagements and focuses on advancing quality public education through consulting — directly comparable in charter/district turnaround and strategic planning work.
- Public Impact: Public Impact is an education consulting and research firm that advises school districts, charter schools, and state agencies on strategy, talent, and turnaround — comparable to TLC's strategic planning and school improvement engagements.
- The TASA Group: The TASA Group is an education consulting firm providing school improvement, leadership coaching, and strategic planning services to schools and districts — directly comparable to TLC's technical assistance and turnaround offerings.
- SchoolWorks: SchoolWorks is a national education consulting firm specializing in school quality reviews, charter school application and renewal evaluations, and authorizer support — directly overlapping TLC's core services for charter schools and authorizers in multiple states.
- Class Measures: Class Measures is an education evaluation and consulting firm that conducts charter school performance reviews, surveys, and analytics — overlapping TLC's school quality review and data analytics offerings.
- National Charter Schools Institute: The National Charter Schools Institute is an education organization that provides charter authorizer oversight, new school application evaluation, and renewal support — closely comparable to TLC's authorizer-side engagement work in multiple states.
Emerging players
- Creighton & Company (Charter Authorizer Consulting): Creighton provides charter school authorizer consulting, application reviews, and oversight training — emerging niche player in the same authorizer-services space where TLC has 20+ years of track record.
Others
- National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA): NACSA is the leading national membership and standards body for charter school authorizers; TLC partners with NACSA on national charter authorizing initiatives, making it an industry-shaping peer (rather than direct competitor) in the authorizer support ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- EdTec (Charter School Management Corp): EdTec is a larger, established back-office and management consulting provider for charter schools and CMOs, offering services that include strategic planning and operational support — a broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities to TLC's advisory work.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Learning Collective social profiles
Digital presenceThe Learning Collective financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Learning Collective leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The Learning Collective funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Learning Collective 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 The Learning Collective
What does The Learning Collective do?
The Learning Collective provides strategic planning, school quality reviews, technical assistance, board development, and evaluation services for charter schools, charter school authorizers, traditional public schools, school districts, and state education agencies. Services are delivered through fee-for-service consulting engagements that often span multi-year partnerships, and include proprietary methodologies such as a School Quality Review rubric, a 3-stage Strategic Planning Framework, and a Culture & Climate Rubric.
Is The Learning Collective a public or private company?
The Learning Collective is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Learning Collective founded?
The Learning Collective was founded in 2003. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Learning Collective based?
The Learning Collective is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Learning Collective make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Services - Consulting Engagements.
Who are The Learning Collective's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bellwether Education Partners, Venn Education, Public Impact, The TASA Group, SchoolWorks, Class Measures and National Charter Schools Institute. Creighton & Company (Charter Authorizer Consulting) is listed as an emerging player. National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) is listed as an others. EdTec (Charter School Management Corp) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Learning Collective have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Learning Collective.
What industry is The Learning Collective in?
The Learning Collective's product category is Education Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAB, K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits, with a secondary code of EDADALAK, Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.