Web app that scours its repository of lesson plans to recommend various strategies for teachers to try out, Grodd says. “We use all our content that we’ve been developing for years, but we’ve now curated (it) in a very specific way to our new business model,” he says.
BetterLesson’s previous business model was to let teachers upload lesson plans and interact with each other on its website for free, but then it charged school districts to use a premium set of software tools. Revenue was doubling each year, Grodd says. “We built that up to a nice-sized business, but ultimately it didn’t get us excited,” he says.
BetterLesson will continue to allow teachers to share and use educational content on its site for free, but it has wound down the premium tools business to focus on the professional development offering, Grodd says.
The startup began testing that service with free pilot programs during the 2014-2015 school year, and it began charging for it this school year. The service is being used by schools in 19 states via deals with more than 20 school districts and a partnership with the National Education Association, Grodd says. He projects annual revenue will triple this year, but BetterLesson isn’t profitable yet.
It’s still early, but Grodd says feedback about the teacher development service has been positive, with customers reporting improved student performance and boosted teacher morale. “Teachers feel like it’s working,” he adds.
Now, BetterLesson will have to prove that the model works consistently. It could be difficult to convince a lot more school districts to switch to its professional development service, considering schools often have limited resources and can be slow to make purchases.
The new funding will enable the startup to expand its sales team and hire more mentors, Grodd says. Right now, 10 of BetterLesson’s 33 full-time employees are coaches, and the company also has an unspecified number of part-time coaches. “We’re growing quickly,” Grodd says. “We’re looking to double that [staff] number as quickly as possible over the coming year.”
