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The Center for Education Reform
The Center for Education Reform reported $11.7 million in revenue and $22.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $98.53 went to program services, $0.73 to management and general costs and $0.74 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $547,821 (FOUNDER AND CEO). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 360% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $23MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 98.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.7% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.7% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.8% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $547,821 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.43% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 10 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.1 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 7 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense"grant making"the center for Education Reform administers the yass prize for sustainable, transformational, outstanding and permissionless education, which provides financial awards to selected schools and education providers which provide outstanding education to underserved populations, as well as manages related grants under the yass foundation for education
"communications"the center for Education Reform provides ready access to thousands of pieces of information about education annually. Cer develops and markets important information to the general public through materials and publications, websites, conferences, meetings, and through abundant contact with the news media; to ensure that the issues around education are well-understood by parents, policymakers, and the general public. Annually cer provides information and firsthand knowledge about education programs and policies to more than 1000 media representatives, whose news coverage further…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOUNDER AND CEO Director/trustee, officer, 65.00 hrs/week | $547,821 | $0 | $0 | $547,821 |
| COO Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $411,379 | $0 | $21,779 | $433,158 |
| EXECUTIVE VP Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $370,120 | $0 | $23,000 | $393,120 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,461 | $0 | $28,296 | $174,757 |
| DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,029 | $0 | $9,142 | $147,171 |
| DIRECTOR OF DATA AND TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $125,656 | $0 | $4,628 | $130,284 |
| SENIOR PARTNERSHIP MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $114,789 | $0 | $9,536 | $124,325 |
| CREATIVE DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 30.00 hrs/week | $104,682 | $0 | $4,896 | $109,578 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Center for Education Reform (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $959K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b7 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 519
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| FORBES MEDIA Advertising services | $850,100 |
| STRADA COLLABORATIVE INC Roadtrip nation production | $287,500 |
| SKADDEN ARPS SLATE MEAGHER & FLOM LLP Legal fees | $260,342 |
| CAREFULLY CRAFTED Database management | $222,500 |
| GSV SUMMIT LLC Sponsorship | $200,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to The Center for Education Reform totaling $30,018 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Center for Education Reform's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Center for Education Reform, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Center for Education Reform spent in 2024, $98.53 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of The Center for Education Reform's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Center for Education Reform reported that 98.5% of its $22.6 million in expenses went to program services, 0.7% to management and general and 0.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Center for Education Reform pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Center for Education Reform reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $547,821, for the role of FOUNDER AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Center for Education Reform get its money?
Of $11.7 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 98.8% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Center for Education Reform a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1847187 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503219349305095 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349304886 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022 (amended), object 202443109349300629 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021 (amended), object 202413109349301576 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133199349317463 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043179349300729 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1847187: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.