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Clarke School for the Deaf

EIN 04-2104008 · Northampton, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CLARKE PROVIDES CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING WITH THE LISTENING, LEARNING AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.

Income
$10.0 million
Spending
$10.4 million
Spent on programs
60%
Reserves
5.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 49%
Employees
135
Volunteers
100
Highest pay
$282,270, interim cfo (end 11/2024)

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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    60% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 37 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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 (4)
  1. $3.1 million spent. CLARKE SCHOOL PROGRAMS: CLARKE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE LED BY CREATIVE AND COMMITTED PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY, EDUCATION OF THE DEAF AND LISTENING AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT. CHILDREN RECEIVE DAILY AUDITORY SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY; SMALL CLASS SIZES PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION AND CLASSROOMS ARE DESIGNED FOR THE UNIQUE ACOUSTICAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS. CURRICULUM FOR ALL AGES IS ALIGNED WITH STATE AND NATIONAL STANDARDS AND FAMILIES ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LEARNING THROUGH FREQUENT COMMUNICATION AND CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS. CLARKE'S PRESCHOOL PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF SCHOOLS IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS: CANTON, MA, NORTHAMPTON, MA, AND NEW YORK, NY; THROUGH CLARKE PENNSYLVANIA, INC., LOCATED IN PHILADELPHIA, PA AND THROUGH CLARKE SCHOOL FOR HEARING AND SPEECH FLORIDA, LOCATED IN JACKSONVILLE, FL. SEVERAL SITES OFFER ONSITE SUMMER AND LITERACY-BASED SCHOOL YEAR SERVICES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR IN ADDITION TO ON-SITE AUDIOLOGICAL SERVICES. EACH CHILD RECEIVES INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS, WITH GOALS OF DEVELOPING AUDITION, SPEECH AND AGE-APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE AS WELL AS DEVELOPING SENSORY AWARENESS, FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS, COGNITION AND SOCIAL SKILLS. CLARKE'S SUMMER PROGRAMS, DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS, ARE LED BY EXPERIENCED TEACHERS OF THE DEAF AND THROUGH A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES FOSTER LEADERSHIP AND INDEPENDENCE WHILE ENHANCING LISTENING, COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL SKILLS. APPROXIMATELY 60 CHILDREN SERVED.
  2. $1.5 million spent. CLARKE MAINSTREAM SERVICES: THROUGH A VARIETY OF CUSTOMIZABLE SEVICES, CLARKE PROFESSIONALS HELP CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS MAKE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS INTO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS AND THRIVE AMONG THEIR HEARING PEERS. CLARKE'S ITINERANT TEACHER PROGRAM SENDS TEACHERS OF THE DEAF TO MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS TO WORK WITH CHILDREN WITH HEARING LOSS AND TO SUPPORT AND TRAIN THE EDUCATORS WORKING WITH THOSE STUDENTS. CLARKE'S COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL EVALUATIONS ARE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. CLARKE'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES PROVIDE SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS AND PROFESSIONALS WITH ASSISTANCE IN PLANNING, DIRECT INSTRUCTION, STAFF ORIENTATIONS, TEACHER CONSULTATIONS AND ADJUSTMENT COUNSELING. CLARKE'S MAINSTREAM PUBLICATIONS ISSUE RESOURCES (BOOKS, PAMPHLETS AND NEWSLETTERS) GEARED SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS. APPROXIMATELY 326 CHILDREN SERVED.
  3. $812,170 spent. CLARKE EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS: CLARKE'S EARLY CHILDHOOD/PARENT INFANT PROGRAMS SERVE CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING FROM BIRTH THROUGH THREE YEARS OF AGE. THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAM HELPS PARENTS LEARN TO USE LISTENING AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES TO ENHANCE THEIR CHILD'S COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND OFFERS SUPPORT AND EDUCATION, ON-SITE AUDIOLOGICAL SERVICES AND ASSESSMENTS FOR SENSORY AIDS SUCH AS COCHLEAR IMPLANTS. IN ADDITION TO THE CENTER AND HOME-BASED PROGRAMS, FAMILIES ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE SERVICES THROUGH CLARKE'S TELEVISIT PROGRAM IN WHICH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PROFESSIONALS COACH PARENTS AND OBSERVE INFANTS VIA WEBCAM. APPROXIMATELY 141 CHILDREN SERVED.
  4. $785,708 spent. TVISIT TELESERVICES PROGRAM OFFERS A FULL RANGE OF CUSTOMIZED LISTENING AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE (LSL) SERVICES VIRTUALLY FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND THEIR FAMILIES. APPROXIMATELY 20 CHILDREN SERVED.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1938.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.

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