Positive Regard Network
Positive Regard Network is a private Massachusetts-headquartered network of six specialized therapeutic day schools and 19 programs serving over 9,000 students with language-based, developmental, and behavioral disabilities across Western Massachusetts and Connecticut, funded via LEA IEP contracts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersHolyoke, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Positive Regard Network does
Positive Regard Network (PRN) is a private, Holyoke, Massachusetts-headquartered educational services organization that operates a portfolio of six specialized therapeutic day-school programs — Center School, SEC (Special Education Collaborative), SBS, SSDC, CEC (Connecticut Education Center), and Curtis Blake Day School — collectively running 19 programs that serve more than 9,000 students across Western Massachusetts and Connecticut. PRN delivers highly structured therapeutic programming for students with language-based learning disabilities, intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health diagnoses, and social-emotional and behavioral challenges, pairing licensed special education teachers with BCBA-certified behavior analysts, clinical and school psychologists, and trained interventionists. Its instructional IP is built on validated methodologies including Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LiPS), the Orton-Gillingham approach, Symbol Imagery, Comprehension Strategies Instruction, Story Grammar Marker/ThemeMaker, and the Social Thinking curriculum, with academic programming aligned to Common Core and SBAC/MCAS standards and a broad supportive services layer (art, music, agriculture, vocational training, pet therapy, biking, OT/PT/SLP, and swim therapy).
The business is referral-driven: all students enter through Local Education Authority (LEA) placements backed by an active Individualized Education Plan (IEP), making revenue contractually anchored to public-school district budgets rather than to direct consumer purchase. Distribution is regional and delivered through physical school locations, with no disclosed public pricing and no consumer-facing transaction channel. PRN also monetizes its clinical IP externally via a Professional Development Services line offering IMSLEC- and IDA-accredited Orton-Gillingham training leading to Dyslexia Practitioner certification, plus Science of Reading professional development tailored to districts. Founder John Foley's philosophy of "unconditional positive regard" is the stated cultural anchor, and the organization operates with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or funding history, indicating a self-funded, mission-driven operating model with multi-decadal operating history through its oldest program, Curtis Blake Day School.
Positive Regard Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Positive Regard Network
- Legal name
- Positive Regard Network
- Website
- https://positiveregard.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Positive Regard Network is a private Massachusetts-headquartered network of six specialized therapeutic day schools and 19 programs serving over 9,000 students with language-based, developmental, and behavioral disabilities across Western Massachusetts and Connecticut, funded via LEA IEP contracts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Positive Regard Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Therapeutic/Behavioral & Residential Treatment K–12 Schools (EDAJABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Related Therapy Services (Speech, Occupational, Physical, Feeding) (EDAJAKAD), Mental Health Counseling & Therapy Services (K–12) (EDAJALAG), Specialized Learning Support (Dyslexia/LD Coaching, Assistive Strategies) (EDAJALAJ), Special Education & Learning Differences Learning Centers (Dyslexia/ADHD/IEP Support) (EDANAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Positive Regard Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Holyoke
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Positive Regard Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Educational Services to Public Schools: PRN provides educational services and support to public schools, operating therapeutic private day schools. Revenue is generated through contracts with Local Education Authorities (LEAs) for serving students with IEPs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Positive Regard Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Positive Regard Network (PRN) operates therapeutic private day schools and delivers educational, clinical, behavioral, and outreach services to public schools and families through six specialized sub-brand programs — Center School, SEC, SBS, SSDC, CEC (Connecticut Education Center), and Curtis Blake Day School — collectively forming 19 programs that serve more than 9,000 students referred by Local Education Authorities with valid IEPs. Services include licensed special-education teaching, BCBA-certified behavior analysts, clinical/school psychology, intensive interventionists, and ancillary therapies (art, music, agriculture, vocational training, pet therapy, biking, OT/PT/SLP, swim therapy) using methodologies such as Lindamood LiPS, Orton-Gillingham, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and Social Thinking.
Product overview
Positive Regard Network (PRN) is an educational services organization operating as a platform of multiple distinct therapeutic school programs and educational services. The network comprises six sub-brand programs: Center School, SEC (Special Education Collaborative), SBS, SSDC, CEC (Connecticut Education Center), and Curtis Blake Day School. These programs collectively serve over 9,000 students across 19 programs, offering services including licensed special education teaching, behavioral intervention (BCBA), clinical services, therapeutic programming (art, music, agriculture, vocational training, pet therapy, biking, OT/PT/SLP, swim therapy), and professional development. Curtis Blake Day School specializes in language-based learning disabilities using Orton-Gillingham and Lindamood LiPS methodologies. CEC provides intensive therapeutic day school services for students with developmental disabilities and mental health needs. The network draws from over 25 years of experience serving Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Center School: Special education school program within the PRN network
- SEC
- SBS
- SSDC
- Connecticut Education Center (CEC)
- Curtis Blake Day School
Products and services
- Center School Therapeutic school program within the Positive Regard Network serving students with educational and behavioral needs, admitted by LEA referral with a valid IEP.
- SEC (Special Education Collaborative)
- SBS (Student Behavioral Services)
- SSDC (Student Stabilization and Diagnostic Center)
- CEC (Connecticut Education Center)
- Curtis Blake Day School Day school operating for over 40 years providing instruction to students with language-based learning disabilities, integrating multiple methodologies including Orton-Gillingham, Lindamood LiPS, and Visualizing and Verbalizing programs.
- Professional Development Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 9,000 students served across 19 programs
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Positive Regard Network
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Positive Regard Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Positive Regard Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Tate BehavioralminorTate Behavioral is linked as an external partner/resource on PRN's website navigation, suggesting a collaborative relationship for behavioral services or referrals.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Positive Regard Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Melmark: Melmark provides therapeutic day school, residential, and clinical services for individuals with autism, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and behavioral health needs — directly comparable to PRN's CEC program and behavioral services (SBS) offering.
- Bancroft: Bancroft provides special education day schools, residential services, and outpatient therapies for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and brain injuries — overlapping with PRN's CEC intellectual/developmental disability focus and clinical model.
- May Institute: May Institute provides special education day and residential schools, ABA services, and clinical supports for children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities — directly comparable to PRN's special education day school and BCBA-driven model.
- The Vanguard School: The Vanguard School is a private special education day school serving students with learning, language, and social-emotional challenges — directly comparable to Curtis Blake Day School and CEC's mission.
- Specialized Education Services Inc (SESI): SESI operates therapeutic day schools and in-district programs for students with special needs across multiple states, contracting with school districts in a model closely aligned with PRN's LEA-driven referral approach.
- Kennedy Krieger Institute: Kennedy Krieger operates special education day schools and pediatric rehabilitation programs for students with developmental disabilities and neurobehavioral disorders, overlapping with PRN's CEC day school and OT/PT/SLP therapy stack.
- The New England Center for Children (NECC): NECC operates day and residential special education programs for students with autism and related disabilities in Massachusetts, sharing PRN's geographic base, IEP-driven admissions model, and clinical staffing structure (BCBAs, special educators).
- ChanceLight Behavioral Health, Therapy & Education: ChanceLight operates therapeutic day schools and behavioral health programs serving K–12 students with special needs via district contracts — the same LEA/IEP-driven business model PRN uses for Center School and SEC.
Broad incumbents
- Catapult Learning: Catapult Learning delivers K–12 educational services and intervention programs, including special education and Title I support, to public schools. It is a broader incumbent than PRN but operates in an overlapping district-contracted services category.
- Learn It Systems: Learn It Systems provides special education, behavioral health, and related services to school districts nationally, making it a scaled incumbent peer to PRN's SEC-style in-district support model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Positive Regard Network social profiles
Digital presencePositive Regard Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Positive Regard Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Positive Regard Network subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Positive Regard Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Positive Regard Network 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 Positive Regard Network
What does Positive Regard Network do?
Positive Regard Network (PRN) operates therapeutic private day schools and delivers educational, clinical, behavioral, and outreach services to public schools and families through six specialized sub-brand programs — Center School, SEC, SBS, SSDC, CEC (Connecticut Education Center), and Curtis Blake Day School — collectively forming 19 programs that serve more than 9,000 students referred by Local Education Authorities with valid IEPs. Services include licensed special-education teaching, BCBA-certified behavior analysts, clinical/school psychology, intensive interventionists, and ancillary therapies (art, music, agriculture, vocational training, pet therapy, biking, OT/PT/SLP, swim therapy) using methodologies such as Lindamood LiPS, Orton-Gillingham, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and Social Thinking.
Is Positive Regard Network a public or private company?
Positive Regard Network is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Positive Regard Network founded?
Positive Regard Network was founded in -1.
Where is Positive Regard Network based?
Positive Regard Network is headquartered in Holyoke, United States, in the North America region.
How does Positive Regard Network make money?
One revenue line is on record: educational Services to Public Schools.
Who are Positive Regard Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Melmark, Bancroft, May Institute, The Vanguard School, Specialized Education Services Inc (SESI), Kennedy Krieger Institute, The New England Center for Children (NECC) and ChanceLight Behavioral Health, Therapy & Education. Broad incumbents are Catapult Learning and Learn It Systems.
Does Positive Regard Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Positive Regard Network.
What industry is Positive Regard Network in?
Positive Regard Network's product category is Special Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAI, Therapeutic/Behavioral & Residential Treatment K–12 Schools, with a secondary code of EDAJAKAD, Related Therapy Services (Speech, Occupational, Physical, Feeding). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.