Franchise Directory

For Educate, the name says it all. Its portfolio of companies includes Sylvan Learning Center which offers tutoring to students in pre-K through 12th grade. Certified teachers provide personalized instruction in reading, writing, math, study skills, and test prep for college entrance and state exams via more than 1,100 primarily franchised centers throughout the US and Canada. Educate also owns Smarterville, the maker of Hooked on Phonics and Hooked on English learning materials. Educate offers online tutoring services for Sylvan and Catapult students.

With children’s tutoring and test preparation services continuing to be a growth industry despite the recession, it’s no wonder Sylvan Learning Centers remains in the top 100 of our AllStar list again this year.

The company’s overall rank did decline somewhat as its growth slowed from a ranking of #103 last year to #288; the company’s financial strength ranking also went down from #215 to #242. However, Sylvan franchisees continue to benefit from the company’s longevity and the strong brand awareness created by its system size and nationwide presence.

In 2009, Sylvan Learning Centers was named one of the 25 Top Franchises for Hispanic American Ownership by Poder Enterprise magazine. The company offers in-house financing, is on the SBA’s Franchise Registry, and participates in the IFA’s VetFran program.

Last Year's AllStar Rank: 33

Full Disclosure Award
This company gets a nod for disclosing financial performance representations in Item 19 of its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). For an explanation of why this is important, read The Importance of Item 19 in the Franchise Disclosure Document.