Our Story
The Educational Cooperative of Chattanooga began with a deep passion for education and a realization that one size doesn't fit all. As a small cooperative, we pride ourselves on personal attention and dedication to every student's success. Our approach is rooted in quality and integrity, ensuring that everything we do reflects our commitment to excellence, equity, and collaboration.
Our Mission
The Educational Cooperative of Chattanooga is committed to working with our community to build cultural, educational, and social literacy. Whether you're interested in learning to read and write or you are looking to expand your understanding of the world around us, EdCoop is ready--and able--to support you.
What Makes Us Unique
An amazing fact about EdCoop is its broad and expansive experience with academic, cultural, and social literacies! Decades of work, thousands of hours, and countless moments of developing awareness, overcoming stumbling blocks, and seeking to understand serve as the foundation of the work being done at EdCoop. We encourage anyone interested in asking questions, learning more, or growing to join the work!
Meet Coop
Coop is the soul of EdCoop! Clever, creative, and self-sufficient, Coop loves to work with others, is always learning, and is ready to help out! Be sure to say, "hi!"
Meet Mandy McAllister
Mandy McAllister, founder and heart of EdCoop, has been serving individuals, families, and groups for decades! Her passion and sheer love of exploring tough questions and difficult moments drives her to support others every day! Mandy has a Master's in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in reading and early literacy, but she has had the unique opportunity to do much more than teach a single grade or subject.
Mandy has taught special education, ESL, and has served as a curriculum coordinator; she has served students in group homes, alternative education programs, and those receiving home-bound instruction. Over the years, Mandy has been found in Montessori, virtual, and brick-and-mortar classrooms, as well as small, private schools and large, public schools.
Beyond this extensive K-12 experience, Mandy has also had the fortune to teach in higher education, including a large, nonprofit public institution, a small, for-profit college, and a community college.
In addition, Mandy has provided private tutoring, consulting, and editing support to individuals and families for nearly 4 decades. She is well-versed in current best-practices, is in regular communication with families, teachers, administrators today, and strives to maintain her own professional growth and development. At the end of every day, Mandy will be your biggest cheerleader!
It is this experience, passion, and vision that drove Mandy to establish Educational Cooperative of Chattanooga, an organization committed to serving the literacy needs of individual children, adults, and organizations as they strive to be better informed, critical readers, writers, and thinkers. We do this by partnering with others who share the same dream for our families and communities: strong, healthy, inclusive spaces that are safe and productive. Spaces in which each voice matters, is heard, and is considered. Spaces in which options for the future are creative, exciting, and possible.
This is the vision of EdCoop. This is the vision we hold for you. Please check us out!
