Sylvan provides personalized learning programs and primarily serves students in primary and secondary education.

It was founded by former school teacher W. Berry Fowler, who had also worked with the educational company The Reading Game.

In 1986, having over 500 franchises, Sylvan went public on the NASDAQ exchange and used funds to develop corporate learning centers in key cities.

By July 1987, KinderCare, then based in Montgomery, AL, owned the majority of stock and moved the company to Alabama.

In 1997 the company had an annual revenues of $246 million, and in addition to tutoring centers, Sylvan had expanded to offer teacher training, computerized testing, distance learning, and other services.