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Appletree Institute for Education Innovation Inc

EIN 04-3331760 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE INSTITUTE IS TO PROVIDE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND COGNITIVE FOUNDATIONS THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND.

Income
$19.0 million
Spending
$20.4 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
4.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 69%
Employees
206
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$334,085, president &

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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 40% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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

    12 of 13 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. $17.8 million spent. ATI IS A WASHINGTON, DC-BASED NONPROFIT COMMITTED TO PROVIDING YOUNG CHILDREN WITH THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND COGNITIVE FOUNDATIONS THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. ATI IS ACHIEVING ITS MISSION IN THREE RELATED WAYS: RESEARCH AND INNOVATION. ATI IS A RESEARCH ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE TEACHING AND LEARNING CHALLENGES FACING YOUNG CHILDREN. AS PART OF ITS ONGOING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, ATI IN 2010 BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF A PROPRIETARY, COMPREHENSIVE, AND EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL, CALLED EVERY CHILD READY, FOR THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. EVERY CHILD READY WAS DEVELOPED WITH SUPPORT FROM A US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION READING FIRST GRANT, A FIVE-YEAR INVESTING IN INNOVATION GRANT (ALSO FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION), AS WELL AS WITH FUNDING FROM NUMEROUS MAJOR PHILANTHROPIES. APPROXIMATELY 183 NON-APPLETREE CLASSROOMS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, CONNECTICUT, MISSOURI, NEW YORK CITY, AND TEXAS NOW USE EVERY CHILD READY OR ITS RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. ATI IS CONSTANTLY IMPROVING AND REFINING EVERY CHILD READY BASED UPON ITS REAL-WORLD USE IN THESE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS ITS OWN ONGOING RESEARCH AND EVOLVING BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF EARLY EDUCATION. IN ADDITION, ATI IS A THOUGHT LEADER IN ITS FIELD, WORKING WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPROVE EARLYEDUCATION OUTCOMES. DIRECT EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. IN SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025, ATI PROVIDED FULL-SCHOOL MANAGEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 495 THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS IN WASHINGTON, DC, AT ACHIEVEMENT PREP CHARTER SCHOOL, LEARN DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, ROCKETSHIP RISE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, ROCKETSHIP LEGACY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, AND ROCKETSHIP INFINITY COMMUNITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, APPLETREE MANAGED THE EARLY-EDUCATION PROGRAM AT HARMONY DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL. ALL THESE SCHOOLS USE ATIS EVERY CHILD READY INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL. SUPPORT FOR OTHER EARLY-EDUCATION SCHOOLS. ATI PROVIDED THE EVERY CHILD READY INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL TO THE EIGHT CAMPUSES OF APPLETREE EARLY LEARNING PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL (AELPCS) IN SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025. ATI ALSO PROVIDED CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND GRANTS AND SHARED WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO AELPCS, AND, IN ADDITION, LEASES AND SUBLEASES FACILITIES TO AELPCS. ATI AND AELPCS ARE RELATED PARTIES AS THEY SHARE COMMON BOARD MEMBERS. ATIS EXPERT STAFF OF EDUCATORS ALSO SUPPORTED OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN WASHINGTON, DC, AS WELL AS CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MISSOURI, NEW YORK CITY, AND TEXAS. ATI PROVIDED THESE SCHOOLS WITH EVERY CHILD READY CURRICULUM AND RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. ATI IS A WASHINGTON, DC-BASED NONPROFIT COMMITTED TO PROVIDING YOUNG CHILDREN WITH THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND COGNITIVE FOUNDATIONS THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. ATI IS ACHIEVING ITS MISSION IN THREE RELATED WAYS: RESEARCH AND INNOVATION. ATI IS A RESEARCH ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE TEACHING AND LEARNING CHALLENGES FACING YOUNG CHILDREN. AS PART OF ITS ONGOING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, ATI IN 2010 BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF A PROPRIETARY, COMPREHENSIVE, AND EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL, CALLED EVERY CHILD READY, FOR THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. EVERY CHILD READY WAS DEVELOPED WITH SUPPORT FROM A US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION READING FIRST GRANT, A FIVE-YEAR INVESTING IN INNOVATION GRANT (ALSO FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION), AS WELL AS WITH FUNDING FROM NUMEROUS MAJOR PHILANTHROPIES. APPROXIMATELY 183 NON-APPLETREE CLASSROOMS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, CONNECTICUT, MISSOURI, NEW YORK CITY, AND TEXAS NOW USE EVERY CHILD READY OR ITS RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. ATI IS CONSTANTLY IMPROVING AND REFINING EVERY CHILD READY BASED UPON ITS REAL-WORLD USE IN THESE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS ITS OWN ONGOING RESEARCH AND EVOLVING BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF EARLY EDUCATION. IN ADDITION, ATI IS A THOUGHT LEADER IN ITS FIELD, WORKING WITH FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL POLICYMAKERS AND ADVOCATES TO UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO IMPROVE EARLYEDUCATION OUTCOMES. DIRECT EDUCATION OF CHILDREN. IN SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025, ATI PROVIDED FULL-SCHOOL MANAGEMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 495 THREE- AND FOUR-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS IN WASHINGTON, DC, AT ACHIEVEMENT PREP CHARTER SCHOOL, LEARN DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, ROCKETSHIP RISE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, ROCKETSHIP LEGACY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, AND ROCKETSHIP INFINITY COMMUNITY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, APPLETREE MANAGED THE EARLY-EDUCATION PROGRAM AT HARMONY DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL. ALL THESE SCHOOLS USE ATIS EVERY CHILD READY INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL. SUPPORT FOR OTHER EARLY-EDUCATION SCHOOLS. ATI PROVIDED THE EVERY CHILD READY INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL TO THE EIGHT CAMPUSES OF APPLETREE EARLY LEARNING PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL (AELPCS) IN SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025. ATI ALSO PROVIDED CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND GRANTS AND SHARED WRAP AROUND SERVICES AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO AELPCS, AND, IN ADDITION, LEASES AND SUBLEASES FACILITIES TO AELPCS. ATI AND AELPCS ARE RELATED PARTIES AS THEY SHARE COMMON BOARD MEMBERS. ATIS EXPERT STAFF OF EDUCATORS ALSO SUPPORTED OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN WASHINGTON, DC, AS WELL AS CHARTER SCHOOLS IN MISSOURI, NEW YORK CITY, AND TEXAS. ATI PROVIDED THESE SCHOOLS WITH EVERY CHILD READY CURRICULUM AND RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.

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 November 6, 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 March 1997.

    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 November 4, 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.