Educate! history

Under the KinderCare system, Sylvan languished, as diversifying beyond its means had dragged down KinderCare’s profits until it was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1992.

The in-school tutoring arm of Sylvan had begun just as the company went public in December 1993 at $11 a share.

By 1994, Sylvan was providing programs and teachers for disadvantaged children in several school systems across the country: ten in Baltimore, four in the District of Columbia, and more in Pasadena, Texas.

Nevertheless, Sylvan forged ahead with its testing services and by 1995 Sylvan had entered into a $140 million deal to acquire Minnesota-based Drake Prometric LP, a company with nearly the same amount of annual sales, $42 million, as Sylvan.

Sylvan’s successful operations as a franchiser also garnered attention, and the company was named among the top ten on the Franchise Times 1996 list of Top 200 Franchises, a list that included McDonald’s and General Nutrition Centers.

Barrett, Amy, “Lessons for the Tutors: Sylvan Learning Systems Fast Rise Leads to Growing Pains,” Business Week, November 17, 1997.

In 1998, the company acquired Schülerhilfe, a tutoring business with more than 900 centers across Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Somerville, Sean, “Sylvan’s Choice: Bigger Isn’t Better,” Baltimore Sun, March 5, 2000.

The businesses that formed Educate together accounted for $220 million in annual sales in 2002, or about a third of their former parent company’s revenues.

Educate’s service to K–12 schools was renamed Catapult Learning in 2004.

“Company Interview: Christopher Hoehn-Saric, Kevin Shaffer; Educate, Inc.,” Wall Street Transcript, June 20, 2005.

Catton, Grant, “Educate Offer: Likely Not Much Bumping,” Mergers & Acquisitions Report, October 2, 2006.

“Laureate’s CEO Teaches Buyout 101,” BusinessWeek Online, January 30, 2007.

Baltimore Police release footage of officer opening fire after being struck by moving vehicle May 21, 2021