Ember Charter School for Mindful Education Innovation & Transformat
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
We endeavor to ignite, empower and transform young people of great promise into social entrepreneurs, engineers, and global leaders through our innovative, holistic and progressive human development school model. At Ember we teach and employ mindfulness as our primary metacognitive tool to facilitate healing and develop self-efficacy. We combine this practice with an equal commitment to nurturing self-love and -esteem using culturally responsive and affirming techniques rooted in empowerment and agency to support the development of a holistic growth mindset.
- Income
- $10.4 million
- Spending
- $12.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- -5.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 89%
- Employees
- 175
- Volunteers
- 5
- Highest pay
- $307,606, partner
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
Weak: 20 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 113% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 22% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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: 90 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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)
- $10.5 million spent. REGULAR EDUCATION - ECSFMEIT was authorized to receive its charter in September 2009 by the New York City Department of Education. ECSFMEIT was issued its charter by the Board OF the Regents of New York State Education Department in January 2010.ECSFMEIT uses its innovative management structure called the Ember to operate its charter school, one that takes advantage of the unique strengths of the professional-partnership organizational model to maximize the acquisition, development and retention of top human capital to serve our students, achieve our mission and realize our vision. The Ember is a hybrid of the traditional nonprofit-charter school structure and the professional service firm (the management structure used by law firms, medical practices, investment banks, etc.): while like the traditional nonprofit in that the Board of Trustees maintains ultimate control and close supervision over the organization, the Trustees delegate the day to day management, leadership and operation of the school to a small group of its teacher-leaders (the Partners), who, like law firm partners who continue to practice law, will continue to teach fulltime and divide the school-wide level responsibilities among the group, each Partner taking on a distinct leadership/management role. The remaining classrooms in the school will be staffed with Associates (both Senior and Junior), who are teachers with anywhere from 0 to 5 years of teaching experience or equivalent. Like all top law firms, the expectation will be that every Associate is working towards becoming a Partner, a teacherleader who is ready to join in partnership with their colleagues to open and lead more schools. ECSFMEIT does not have one traditional Principalinstead the current SIX (6) Partners are the co-school leaders, delegated full authority over the school as a group (as a partnership); with the support of an Executive Officer and administrative staff to manage and operate the day to day business and operations of the school, the Partners will be able to focus on their twin responsibilities of teaching (students and Associates), and leading (serving as the strategic planners and decision makers for the enterprise). As a group, the Partners report directly to the Board of Trustees and are held accountable for the success of the charter school. ECSFMEIT began with three (3) Associates and three (3) Partners, where each Partner managed and supervised a specific set of enterprise level responsibilities (Business-Operations (Managing Partner), Instruction-Assessment-Data (Pedagogy Partner), and Special Education/ELLs/Special Family Matters (Stakeholder Services Partner)).DURING THE FISCAL YEAR END JUNE 30, 2017 ECSFMEIT ADDED A FOURTH "PARTNER." DURING THE FISCAL YEAR END JUNE 30, 2022 ECSFMEIT ADDED THE FIFTH AND SIXTH "PARTNER."Ember Charter Schools is a merger between two innovative schools, Teaching Firms of American (K-6)and The Anew School (7-11), designed to foster and developer the untapped potential our students who are traditionally, and unfairly, labeled "at-risk". We believe that when given access to opportunity, any child can reach their potential, becoming a community leader today and well into the future.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.
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.