Renaissance, a leader in pre-K–12 education technology, has recently announced the acquisition of GL Education, a provider of formative assessments for schools and school groups in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and over 100 countries worldwide. The deal was completed on March 31, 2023.
The acquisition supports Renaissance’s mission to accelerate students’ growth and learning on an international scale through a suite of integrated solutions. With GL Education, Renaissance can reach and impact more students and teachers, delivering personalized teaching solutions with differentiated insights.
However, the company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.
Commenting on the acquisition, Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance, Chris Bauleke said:
Together with Renaissance’s interconnected solutions, GL Education’s formative assessments further empower our educators and help leaders leverage data to make a meaningful change based on each student’s needs. We look forward to joining GL Education in driving growth for our students both in the US and abroad.
Renaissance aims to accelerate learning for all children and adults of all ability levels and ethnic and social backgrounds worldwide. The platform is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth, helping all students build a strong foundation for success. More than 40 per cent of US schools currently rely on Renaissance solutions for data and insights to equitably move to learn forward. As technology continues to change, and as teachers and students connect in new ways, its commitment to accelerating learning is unwavering—both inside and outside the classroom.
The startup believes that children learn better when it all works together; that EdTech should support—but never replace—the teacher; and that a commitment to quality, innovation, and teamwork results in the best products for educators and students.
As a part of the transaction, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, served as financial advisor to Renaissance and financial sponsors Francisco Partners and Blackstone. At the same time, Baird advised GL Education, backed by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP).
Chief Executive Officer of GL Education, Greg Watson, added:
GL Education’s mission has always been to enable every child to realize their full potential. Together with Renaissance, our high-quality formative assessments will support school leaders worldwide in developing and tailoring an educational experience as unique as their students. We are thrilled to see what’s in store for the future.
GL Education’s mission is to help enable every child to realize their full potential by taking a ‘whole student view’ which considers the ability to achieve, current attainment, and any barriers to learning they may have. The company works with partners, including King’s College London and the University of York, to ensure that its assessments are the most rigorous, academically sound and in line with current best practices in education. Its assessments are also widely used by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to measure the impact of its intervention research.
