95 Percent Group, an educational company whose mission is to help educators identify and address the needs of struggling readers, has recently announced the acquisition of the Hill Reading Achievement Program (HillRAP) from Hill Learning Center, a non-profit dedicated to serving students with learning differences based in Durham, North Carolina.
HillRAP is a technology-based, structured literacy intervention solution for students who persistently struggle to learn to read, including those with dyslexia. It represents the first acquisition for 95 Percent Group, a mission-driven provider of comprehensive, proven literacy curriculum and related professional development training for teachers. Though, the terms of the transaction were not disclosed by the company.
Speaking about the acquisition, Chief Executive Officer of 95 Percent Group, Brad Lindaas, said:
This begins an exciting chapter for 95 Percent Group. We are entering a new market and opening up greater opportunities to serve more schools and students who need us. HillRAP not only provides us with a mission-aligned product that supports our overall vision for offering schools a comprehensive phonics ecosystem, but it also provides us with a proven digital solution. 95 Percent Group will invest in the ongoing development and innovation of HillRAP, expanding its capabilities to improve the literacy skills and lives of more students.
95 Percent Group, founded in 2005, is focused on reading improvement in Pre-K through Grade 12 students. The company achieves this through its dedicated and customized approach. It offers comprehensive education consulting, diagnostic assessments, and instructional materials designed to drive intervention and increase student achievement. Using an approach that is aligned with structured literacy, the platform focuses on providing educators with whole-class and small-group literacy solutions as well as developing foundational knowledge about The Science of Reading to deliver evidence and research-based instructional strategies.
The platform has grown from one woman’s mission to help struggling readers into a national company serving schools and school districts in all 50 states and the USVI. It employs a team of consultants who are experts in literacy instruction and passionate about helping schools improve student achievement. The startup’s client base includes state departments of education, regional offices of education, several large urban school districts, and more than 1,800 school districts and 3,200 schools.
Commenting on the latest development, Partner of Leeds Equity Partners, Scott VanHoy, said:
We are excited about the acquisition of HillRAP given its track record of increasing student literacy levels. HillRAP’s Tier 3 intervention instruction, with evidence-based methodologies and digital innovation, supports learners with the greatest needs. This is particularly important as reading is necessary for students to succeed in all school subjects and is critical for success later in life.
Founded in 1993, Leeds Equity is a New York-based private equity firm dedicated exclusively to partnering with management teams in the education, training, and information services industries (the “Knowledge Industries”). It currently manages over $4 billion of capital across a broad spectrum of companies within the Knowledge Industries. The firm seeks to leverage its sector-focused expertise and market insights to create long-term value for its partner companies and investors.
Schools and districts have long relied upon 95 Percent Group’s teacher-centric resources and robust professional learning to support Tiers 1 and 2 literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading. As a Tier 3 intervention program, HillRAP provides direct, explicit, mastery-based instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. As a digital solution, it supports learning that can be delivered in-person or remotely, while equipping teachers with data-driven insights into student learning and progress. In line with all product offerings in the 95 Percent Group product ecosystem, HillRAP has a strong basis in evidence.
Established in 1977 by George Watts Hill, Hill Learning Center’s mission is to transform students with learning differences into confident, independent learners. It offers student and educator programs grounded in equitable, research-based, differentiated instruction for students with learning and attention challenges. The company’s vision is that all students with learning differences and attention challenges receive the instruction and support they need – regardless of where they attend school or whether they have a formal diagnosis.
As part of the deal, Polsinelli served as legal counsel to Leeds Equity Partners. Schell Bray served as legal counsel to Hill Learning Center.
Managing Director of Leeds Equity Partners, Eric Geveda, added:
HillRAP enhances 95 Percent Group’s ability to serve educators in assisting struggling readers and driving improved literacy levels. We intend to continue to expand 95 Percent Group’s product offering to more holistically address the needs of early education reading and writing instruction through both organic investment and acquisitions.
