Kaymbu
e learning modules and/or virtual training sessions Marketing 4 hours 0 hours King of Prussia, PA and online learning modules and/or virtual training sessions Wonder of Learning - Kaymbu 4 hours 0 hou
From the filings
+3.583% units YoYHQ-led decisions
The Goddard School
Youth servicesSoftware purchasing at The Goddard School is controlled at the franchisor level, with key decision-makers including President and CEO Darin Harris and Chief School Support Services Officer Jacqueline Burls. The system mandates a specific franchise management system, Goddard Connect, Kaymbu, and the Wonder of Learning Digital Platform across all 665 franchised locations. With average unit volume of $2.6 million and a 3.58% year-over-year unit growth rate, the addressable market for complementary software is substantial.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
665
665 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+3.583%
vs prior filing
AUV
$2.60M
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
7%
of gross sales
Ad fund
4%
national + local
Initial fee
$135K
per unit
Investment range
$2.55M–$8.97M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
11%of gross sales (FY2026)
15% reference
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
20 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 4 explicit no's; 10 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We will have independent access to the information and data collected by and produced by your computer system; there is no contractual limitation on our right to access this information and data.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
You shall submit to us, no later than the third business day of each month during the term of this Agreement, a signed statement in the form we prescribe that accurately reflects all Gross Receipts during the preceding month and any other data or information as we may require.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We and our affiliates are approved suppliers to our franchisees.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
The following independent franchisee organization has asked to be included in this disclosure document: The Independent Association of The Goddard Schools Franchisees (IAGSF), A Chapter of the American Association of Franchisees & Dealers, PO Box 10158, Palm Desert, CA 92255-1058, telephone 619-209-3775, email iagsf…
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 11
We also may modify specifications to our computer systems, including all hardware, software and firmware and network infrastructure, including a router and firewall (IT Security), network equipment / wireless access point devices, and telephone systems, including telecommunications infrastructure products and support…
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
0Item 8
In 2025, neither we nor Goddard Manager nor its affiliates, recognized any revenue in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in connection with required sales or leases or services to School franchisees.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
We may receive fees and other payments from suppliers and others in connection with your purchases and we may use the fees for our own purposes.
Item 8 gives this proportion in one of two shapes: separate percentages for establishing the business and for operating it, or one figure covering "establishing and operating" together. Where they are separate, answer with the operating percentage; where the passage gives only the combined figure, answer with that. What percentage of the franchisee's purchases must come from designated or approved suppliers?
25Item 8
Approximately 95% of your total purchases in connection with the establishment of your School and approximately 25% of your overall purchases in operating the School must be purchased through Purchase Orders we issue, from approved suppliers or in accordance with our standards and specifications.
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 11
Either we or you will own the telephone number depending on the telephone service you choose.
Data and IT
Must the franchisee comply with PCI, data-security or cybersecurity standards set by the franchisor?
YesItem 11
You must install, configure endpoint security and data loss threat prevention software we specify and authorize us to monitor endpoint security and data loss threat prevention software on your computer systems.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 11
We will use our commercially reasonable efforts to maintain high standards of quality, appearance, professionalism and service of the System and to that end will conduct periodic inspections of the School, as we deem advisable.
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 11
We will have the right to add to or otherwise modify the Manual as we deem necessary and you must comply with those changes at your expense, except any addition or modification will not materially alter your fundamental status and rights under the Franchise Agreement.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 12
You may operate the School (including any Annex or Satellite Location) only at the location we have approved.
Marketing
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 7
When you sign the Franchise Agreement, you must pay us an initial marketing fee of $50,000 for a building size range of from 8,600 square feet to 10,000 square feet
Operations
Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?
YesFranchise agreement
You shall develop the School, including any approved Annex, in the manner prescribed by us for Goddard Schools, including the implementation of the System, and shall use in the development and operation of the School only those approved suppliers we designate or those brands and types of equipment and supplies which…
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesFranchise agreement
You shall develop the School, including any approved Annex or Satellite Location, in the manner prescribed by us for Goddard Schools, including the implementation of the System, and shall use in the development and operation of the School only those approved suppliers we designate or those brands and types of…
People
Does the franchisor require minimum staffing levels or specific roles?
YesItem 15
You must have one full-time director, and any additional full-time directors we may deem appropriate in our sole business judgment for the School.
Point of sale
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We will have independent access to the information and data collected by and produced by your computer system; there is no contractual limitation on our right to access this information and data.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 11
We may, in our sole business judgment, require that you attend and successfully complete additional training after your School opens or a transfer is complete.
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesFranchise agreement
At our request, you shall attend and fully complete supplemental or refresher training programs, which may take place over two or more consecutive weeks, and any sales meetings, operations meetings, marketing meetings and conventions that may be offered by us from time to time during the term of the franchise.
The filing answers no to 4 questions
- Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?Franchise agreement
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Item 11
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 11
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
The vendor opportunity at The Goddard School
The Goddard School operates 665 franchised early childhood education centers, all independently owned and operated. With an average unit volume of $2.6 million and a 7% royalty rate, the system generates significant per-unit revenue, making it an attractive target for software vendors serving the youth services segment. Unit growth sits at 3.58% year-over-year, signaling steady expansion and a growing installed base for any approved technology solution.
No company-owned units are disclosed in the 2026 FDD, meaning every location is a franchisee. This structure typically means the franchisor sets technology standards, but franchisees may have some autonomy in non-mandated categories unless the franchisor exercises a designated-supplier model. The absence of Item 8 procurement language in our extract means the specific procurement model is not publicly detailed in this filing.
Who controls software purchasing
Purchasing authority rests at the franchisor level. The executive team listed in Item 1 includes Darin Harris, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Jacqueline Burls, Senior Vice President and Chief School Support Services Officer of Goddard Manager. Burls’ role overseeing school support services makes her a likely stakeholder for operational and educational technology decisions. CFO Timothy J. Dwyer and Chief Legal Officer Cynthia Turner are also named, indicating that financial and legal review are part of any enterprise software evaluation.
Dr. Lauren Loquasto, Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, oversees curriculum and academic programming, which ties directly to the mandated Wonder of Learning Digital Platform. Any software that touches classroom operations or teacher workflows would likely require her input.
Mandated and current tech stack
The 2026 FDD mandates four technology components: a Franchise Management System (FMS), Goddard Connect, Kaymbu, and the Wonder of Learning Digital Platform. The FMS is not identified by a specific vendor name in the extract, but it is listed as a mandated system, meaning all franchisees must use it for franchise operations. Goddard Connect likely serves as an internal communication or portal system. Kaymbu is a known early education communication and documentation platform, and the Wonder of Learning Digital Platform supports the brand’s proprietary curriculum.
These mandates create both opportunity and barrier. If your software integrates with or complements these systems, you have a clear path to relevance. If you compete with a mandated tool, you face an uphill battle unless the franchisor opens a review cycle.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Item 8 of the FDD does not provide an extract in our corpus, so the procurement model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—is not disclosed. Vendors should inquire directly about supplier qualification processes.
Renewal terms offer a timing signal. The initial franchise term is 15 years, with a 5-year renewal option. Renewal conditions include substantial compliance, completion of required training, payment of a renewal license fee, and signing the then-current form of Franchise Agreement. This means that as franchisees approach renewal, they may be required to adopt updated technology standards, creating a natural window for new software mandates to roll out across the system.
How to read the The Goddard School FDD
The full 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is embedded below. It contains the legal and operational disclosures that govern the franchise relationship, including Item 11 (franchisor’s obligations) and Item 17 (renewal, termination, transfer). For software vendors, the most actionable sections are typically Item 8 (restrictions on sources of products and services) and Item 11, where technology mandates and support obligations are detailed. Review these sections to understand where your product fits within the franchisor’s required or recommended stack.
For a ranked target list of franchise systems aligned to your software category, reach out to FranCloud.
Questions vendors ask
The Goddard School, answered from the filing
Purchasing decisions are centralized at the franchisor level. Key executives include President and CEO Darin Harris and Chief School Support Services Officer Jacqueline Burls, who oversees school operations and support.
The 2026 FDD mandates a Franchise Management System (FMS), Goddard Connect, Kaymbu, and the Wonder of Learning Digital Platform. No specific POS vendor is named in the disclosed mandates.
There are 665 franchised locations. The number of company-owned units is not disclosed in the most recent FDD.
The FDD does not disclose a specific procurement model in Item 8. It is not stated whether the system uses designated suppliers, approved suppliers, or an open procurement process.
Franchise agreements have a 15-year initial term, with a 5-year renewal option. Renewal requires written notice, substantial compliance, and signing the then-current agreement, creating potential windows around renewal cycles.
The FDD is filed with state franchise regulators in 2026. You can view the embedded PDF viewer below to read the full document.
Source
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FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment The Goddard School files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
754 operators run 754 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit754
Top states by locations
| TX | 78 |
|---|---|
| NJ | 74 |
| PA | 61 |
| OH | 51 |
| MD | 43 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind The Goddard School
holding_vehicle of Sycamore Partners.
Sibling brands
Related Youth services brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.