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D C Preparatory Academy

EIN 02-0550253 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

DC PREP'S MISSION IS TO BRIDGE THE EDUCATIONAL DIVIDE IN WASHINGTON, DC BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WITH THE ACADEMIC PREPARATION AND PERSONAL CHARACTER TO SUCCEED IN COMPETITIVE HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

Income
$80.7 million
Spending
$66.2 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
-5.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 81%
Employees
519
Volunteers
85
Highest pay
$280,238, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 63% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $55.6 million spent. AT DC PREP, OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY CHILD WILL BE PREPARED ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE. WE HAVE BIG DREAMS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND MAKE THOSE DREAMS A REALITY THROUGH DAILY EFFORT, FOCUS, AND SUPPORT OF ONE ANOTHER AND OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. DC PREP CURRENTLY OPERATES SIX TUITION-FREE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE OPEN TO ANY CHILD IN WASHINGTON, ENROLLING MORE THAN 2,100 STUDENTS IN GRADES PRESCHOOL THROUGH 8TH GRADE. HISTORICALLY, 89% OF DC PREP STUDENTS ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND 8% ARE HISPANIC; OVER 65% OF STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED "AT RISK" BECAUSE THEY ARE HOMELESS, IN FOSTER CARE, OR THEIR FAMILIES QUALIFY FOR GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.DC PREP HAS A TWIN FOCUS ON HIGH-QUALITY, RIGOROUS ACADEMICS AND HOLISTIC SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL GROWTH. DURING OUR 22 YEARS AS A CHARTER NETWORK, WE HAVE ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT RESULTS ACROSS STUDENT OUTCOMES (INCLUDING ALUMNI SUCCESS), QUALITY REPORTS, AND AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS. IN OUR 22-YEAR HISTORY, DC PREP HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN AMONG THE HIGHEST PERFORMING NETWORKS OF PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL. EACH YEAR, DC PREP CAMPUSES ARE RECOGNIZED BY LOCAL NONPROFIT EMPOWERK12 FOR OUTSIZED ACADEMIC GAINS AMONG ITS AT-RISK STUDENTS. IN 2024, ANACOSTIA MIDDLE CAMPUS AND EDGEWOOD MIDDLE CAMPUS WERE NAMED EMPOWERK12 BOLD PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS. ALL THREE MIDDLE CAMPUSES WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE DC MATH HUB AND EMPOWER K12 IN THEIR 2024 DC MATH REPORT FOR FASTEST GROWING MATH SCORES CITYWIDE. ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR ALUMNI HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO A COLLEGE-PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL, EARNING A CUMULATIVE $13 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT. OUR ALL-TIME HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE IS 94%, COMPARED TO THE CITYWIDE RATE OF 75%. OUR ALUMNI GRADUATE COLLEGE AT FOUR TIMES THE RATE OF THEIR PEERS, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.ALL DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS MUST UNDERGO THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS EVERY FIVE YEARS TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR OPERATION IN THE CITY. THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS IS CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATION TO EVALUATE AN LEA'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST A NUMBER OF PERFORMANCE STANDARDS EVALUATING LEADERSHIP, LEARNING, AND RESOURCE CAPACITY. IN ITS MOST RECENT ACCREDITATION REVIEW BY COGNIA, DC PREP EARNED AN INDEX OF EDUCATION QUALITY (IEQ) SCORE OF 387 OUT OF A POSSIBLE 400 POINTS. THE FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE OF INSTITUTIONS IN COGNIA'S ACCREDITATION NETWORK IS 278-283.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2003.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.