Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Cognia Inc

EIN 20-8613765 · Alpharetta, GA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

COGNIA, INC IS DEDICATED TO LEADING AND EMPOWERING THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL LEARNERS REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL WHILE CREATING A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERY LEARNER. WE DRIVE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION THROUGH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT SERVICES, ASSESSMENT, ACCREDITATION, RESEARCH, INNOVATION POLICY AND TECHNOLOGY.

Income
$140.4 million
Spending
$126.2 million
Spent on programs
85%
Reserves
2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 95%
Employees
521
Highest pay
$1.3 million, president/ceo

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

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 50% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    85% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (education, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    0 of 25

    0 of 0 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 (2)
  1. $46.8 million spent. Cognia, Inc. develops and applies research-based accreditation and school improvement standards, processes, procedures, expertise, and tools that cross state, regional, and international boundaries to effect continuous school improvement through ongoing external checks, support, and feedback. It currently serves as a trusted partner to nearly 36,000 schools and school systems-employing more than five million educators and enrolling over 20 million students-across the United States and 84 other countries.
  2. $59.9 million spent. Cognia provides large-scale, special population and targeted educational assessment services and products to various state and local educational systems in the United States.

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 July 2007.

    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.