Learning Forward
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EVERY EDUCATOR ENGAGES IN EXEMPLARY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SO EVERY STUDENT EXCELS.BELIEFS:1.PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT IMPROVES EDUCATOR EFFECTIVENESS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO STUDENT LEARNING.2. ALL EDUCATORS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO IMPROVE THEIR PRACTICE.3. MORE STUDENTS ACHIEVE WHEN EDUCATORS ASSUME COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR STUDENT LEARNING.4. SUCCESSFUL LEADERS CREATE AND SUSTAIN A CULTURE OF LEARNING.5. EFFECTIVE SCHOOL SYSTEMS COMMIT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR ALL ADULTS AND STUDENTS.
- Income
- $10.0 million
- Spending
- $8.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 60%
- Employees
- 30
- Volunteers
- 310
- Highest pay
- $247,083, 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
Good: 81 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 25% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% 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.
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $2.3 million spent. CONFERENCES, NETWORKS AND ONLINE/VIRTUAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES -, INSTITUTES, AND WEBINARS SUPPORT MEMBERS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, EDUCATOR COMPETENCY, AND STUDENT SUCCESS. LEARNING FORWARD'S 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE ATTRACTED 2,825 EDUCATORS WHO, OVER THE 4 DAYS OF THE CONFERENCE, ATTENDED OVER 250 SESSIONS, GAINED NEW KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, ENGAGED IN MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS, NETWORKING, AND ACQUIRING RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO HELP THEM IN THEIR ORGANIZATION AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT WORK.ACADEMY - SINCE 1991, THERE HAVE BEEN 42 ACADEMY CLASSES WITH MORE THAN 1,800 ACADEMY GRADUATE MEMBERS. EACH CLASS HAS HELD 12-FACE-TO-FACE SESSIONS TOTALING 96 HOURS PER CLASS, EQUALING 3,936 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WITHIN THE ACADEMY PROGRAM. EACH YEAR, A NEW ACADEMY CLASS GRADUATES.
- $2.1 million spent. - GRANT-FUNDED PROJECTS - GRANT FUNDED PROJECTS TARGET PARTICULAR INITIATIVES FOCUSED ON ADVANCING THE FIELD OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, IMPROVING ORGANIZATION AND INDIVIDUAL EFFECTIVENESS AND PRODUCING HIGHER LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE FOR BOTH EDUCATOR, IND STUDENTS. IN FY 2024. LEARNING FORWARD RECEIVED GRANT FUNDS OF $1,661,880 EARNED GRANT FUNDS OF $1,779,417 AND HAS UNEARNED GRANT FUNDS OF $695,615 AS OF JUNE 30, 2024. - A. THE CHARLES & LYNN SCHUSTERMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION PROVIDED A GRANT FOR FEDERAL POLICY AND ADVOCACY. - B. THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION THROUGH THE COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION PROVIDED GRANTS TO IMPLEMENT A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK ACROSS A NETWORK OF 10 NORTH TEXAS MIDDLE SCHOOLS. C. THE WALLACE FOUNDATION PROVIDED A GRANT TO LEARNING FORWARD TO HELP DISSEMINATE WALLACE EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES THROUGH PUBLICATIONS AND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. THESE RESOURCES WILL BE USED TO HELP SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS, AND STATES IMPROVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. - D. THE WALLACE FOUNDATION ALSO PROVIDED A GRANT TO LEARNING FORWARD TO MANAGE THE EQUITY-CENTERED PIPELINE INITIATIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY. LEARNING FORWARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING THREE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CONVENINGS FOR THE EIGHT PARTICIPATING DISTRICTS DURING EACH YEAR OF THE GRANT. - E. THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PROVIDED ANOTHER GRANT TO CONTINUE A CURRICULUM-BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORK TO IMPLEMENT THE NEWLY REVISED STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. - F. THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION PROVIDED TWO GRANTS TO SPONSOR AN ISSUE OF THE LEARNING PROFESSIONAL TO SPREAD NETWORKS FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT WORK, LESSONS LEARNED, AND PUBLIC GOODS TO THE BROAD EDUCATION COMMUNITY. THE GATES FOUNDATION PROVIDED A GRANT TO LAUNCH AN IMPROVEMENT NETWORK THAT WILL INCREASE EQUITABLE STUDENT OUTCOMES AND POSITIVELY AFFECT THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS USING CURRICULUM-BASED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN TEXAS AND NEW YORK.
- $1.4 million spent. LEARNING FORWARD CONSULTANTS SPENT OVER 165 DAYS IN FY25, SUPPORTING 32 CLIENTS FROM 22 STATES, TERRITORIES, AND REGIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONS, 1 UNIVERSITY, 8 EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS, AND 20 UNIQUE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, LEARNING FORWARD ASSISTED 15 SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND REGIONAL EDUCATION CENTERS IN EVALUATING THE QUALITY OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING BY ADMINISTERING THE STANDARDS ASSESSMENT INVENTORY IN 333 SCHOOLS.
- $684,911 spent. PUBLICATIONS: PUBLICATIONS INCREASE THE KNOWLEDGE OF EDUCATORS ON ISSUES RELEVANT TO IMPROVING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, ACCELERATING SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, AND ELEVATING ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS. LEARNING FORWARD PUBLISHES THE LEARNING PROFESSIONAL, THE LEARNING FORWARD JOURNAL, SIX TIMES EACH YEAR BOTH IN PRINT AND ONLINE.MEMBERSHIP - MEMBERSHIP IN LEARNING FORWARD PROVIDES SUPPORT, NETWORKING, LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND PUBLICATIONS, FOR ALL INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING TEACHERS, BUILDING AND SYSTEM-LEVEL LEADERS, POLICYMAKERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND THE PUBLIC. LEARNING FORWARD'S VALUE AS A LEADER IN IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT HAS ALLOWED IT TO MAINTAIN A GROWING NUMBER OF PAID MEMBERSHIPS THAT NOW EXCEEDS 20,000 MEMBERS.
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 June 1993.
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.