Chicago Public Education Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CHICAGO PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND (THE FUND) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IMPROVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN CHICAGO BY INVESTING IN THE TALENTED EDUCATORS WHO LEAD THEM.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $7.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 41.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 83%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $424,341, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 41.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 94% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 48% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2521 of 22 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
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (3)
- $3.5 million spent. PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORTSPROGRAMS: AFFINITY, DESIGN, LEADERSHIP BRIDGE, MALOTT, MASTERCLASS, NETWORK, PIPELINE, PROGRAM PILOTS, & SELTHE FUND INVESTS IN DIRECT-TO-SCHOOL LEADER SUPPORT THROUGH A ROBUST PROGRAM SUITE. FUND PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO ALL SCHOOL LEADERS (PRINCIPALS), ASPIRING PRINCIPALS (ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS, AND TEACHER LEADERS), AND PRINCIPAL SUPERVISORS (NETWORK CHIEFS AND DEPUTY CHIEFS) IN CHICAGO'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OUR PROGRAMS SERVE EDUCATORS ACROSS THE CITY IN MANY SCHOOL TYPES, INCLUDING ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL, CHARTER, AND DISTRICT SCHOOLS. WE HARNESS REAL-TIME DATA ON SCHOOL LEADERS' NEEDS AND STUDENT OUTCOMES TO PILOT AND OFFER EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. IN 2024, OUR PROGRAMS SERVED 151 PRINCIPALS, 193 ASPIRING PRINCIPALS, AND 34 PRINCIPAL SUPERVISORS, IMPACTING 139,000 STUDENTS.THE FUND'S PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES (PLCS) ARE SEMESTER-LONG, PRINCIPAL-LED COHORTS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT REFLECTIVE PRACTICE, IDEA EXCHANGE, AND PRACTICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. FACILITATED BY EXPERIENCED PRINCIPALS WITH DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS, THESE LEARNING COMMUNITIES REMAIN ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR PROGRAMS, SERVING 93 UNIQUE SCHOOL LEADERS AND ASPIRING SCHOOL LEADERS IN 2024. THE FUND'S MASTERCLASS LEARNING SERIES OFFERS A FOCUSED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE TAILORED TO THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF SCHOOL LEADERS AND SUPERVISORS. IN 2024, SIX EXPERT SCHOOL LEADERS LED ACCESSIBLE, TIME-SENSITIVE SESSIONS FOR 73 PRINCIPALS AND 93 ASPIRING PRINCIPALS. IN RESPONSE TO OUR 2023 LSC MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, WE ALSO OFFERED A NEW MASTERCLASS IN 2024, WHICH FOCUSED ON STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, TRANSPARENT DECISION-MAKING, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SCHOOL LEADERS AND THEIR LSCS.THROUGH THE MALOTT EDUCATOR FELLOWSHIP, THE FUND PROVIDES INTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COACHING TO SCHOOL LEADERS IN COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING DISTINCT CHALLENGES SUCH AS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND STUDENT MOBILITY. WE LAUNCHED THE FELLOWSHIP IN 2023 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO'S CENTER FOR URBAN EDUCATION LEADERSHIP AND WISE LEADERSHIP CONSULTING. IN 2023, THE FIRST COHORT OF MALOTT FELLOWS INCREASED THEIR EFFECTIVE LEADERS SCORES BY 5.5 POINTS, AS MEASURED ON THE 5ESSENTIALS SURVEY. IN 2024, THE FELLOWSHIP SUPPORTED ITS SECOND COHORT OF 25 SCHOOL LEADERS, AIMING TO IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES IN FELLOWS' SCHOOLS BY FOCUSING ON SELF-EFFICACY, PRACTICE, AND RETENTION.COMPLEMENTING THESE PROGRAMS, WE OFFERED A DESIGN COACHING TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM TO 54 SCHOOL TEAMS IN 2024, WHICH IS THE FUND'S ONLY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPLIFT TEACHER LEADERS TO CREATE FOUNDATIONAL CHANGE IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS. OUR 2024 LEADERSHIP BRIDGE AND RELATED PROGRAMS ALSO EQUIPPED 40 ASPIRING SCHOOL LEADERS TO ASSUME PRINCIPAL ROLES.LAUNCHED IN 2023, THE NETWORK STRATEGY PROGRAM ENHANCES SCHOOL LEADERSHIP BY OFFERING CPS NETWORK CHIEFS AND DEPUTY CHIEFS TARGETED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN 2024, OUR NETWORK STRATEGY PROGRAM FEATURED THREE TIERS OF SUPPORT THAT DELIVERED STRUCTURED, BIMONTHLY COACHING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK SESSIONS TO NETWORK LEADERS WHO IMPACT OVER 230 SCHOOL LEADERS.
- $2.0 million spent. SYSTEMS, DATA & POLICIESPROGRAMS: EAC, LSC, POLICY ENGAGEMENT, POLICY PILOTSBASED ON NATIONAL AND LOCAL RESEARCH, AS WELL AS OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE CHICAGO EDUCATION CONTEXT, THE FUND INVESTS IN BUILDING A CULTURE OF STRONG, LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN CHICAGO. OUR REPORTS AND DATA INFORM OUR PROGRAMMATIC AND POLICY STRATEGIES, DRIVING IMPROVEMENTS IN CONDITIONS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS. IN 2024, WE PUBLISHED TWO REPORTS, CONTINUED AND LAUNCHED NEW ADVISORY GROUPS, AND EXPANDED OUR POLICY WORK TO ADDRESS CURRENT CONDITIONS AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE ONES.IN 2024, CHICAGO'S BOARD OF EDUCATION TRANSITIONED TO A 21-MEMBER HYBRID BOARD, COMPRISING BOTH APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS. AS SUCH, WE INCREASED OUR WORK TO ELEVATE SCHOOL LEADERS' VOICES AND NEEDS. WE PUBLISHED THREE OP-EDS ON TIMELY SCHOOL LEADER GOVERNANCE ISSUES AND PRIORITIES, SPOKE AT PUBLIC BOARD MEETINGS TO ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOL LEADER AUTONOMY, AND PROVIDED BRIEFINGS. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST A STUDENT FORUM AND TWO SCHOOL LEADER FORUMS. THESE ALLOWED POTENTIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RELATED TO SCHOOL LEADER AND STUDENT EXPERIENCES. WE BELIEVE CHICAGO'S PRINCIPALS REQUIRE THE AUTONOMY TO RESPOND TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. IN SUPPORT OF THIS BELIEF, WE PUBLISHED THE CHICAGO PRINCIPAL IN COMPARISON IN 2024. THIS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE WAYS THE PRINCIPAL ROLE IN CPS DIFFERS FROM THAT IN OTHER ILLINOIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS OR STAFF A CPS PRINCIPAL OVERSEES AND THE UNIQUE AUTONOMY GRANTED TO PRINCIPALS IN THE CITY.COMMITTED TO LEVERAGING REAL-TIME DATA, WE CONTINUED OUR ANNUAL PRINCIPAL AND AP ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS, YIELDING OVER 900 RESPONSES IN 2024 THAT ILLUMINATED SCHOOL LEADERS' SATISFACTION LEVELS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. WE RELEASED A JOINT LETTER WITH CPS TO SHARE FINDINGS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL LEADERS' SATISFACTION, SUCH AS AFFIRMING THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE BUDGETS, HIRE STAFF, AND SET CURRICULUM. IN 2024, WE ALSO PUBLISHED FINDINGS FROM OUR INAUGURAL LSC MEMBER ENGAGEMENT SURVEY IN LOCAL DECISION-MAKERS IN OUR SCHOOLS: A BASELINE REPORT ON CHICAGO'S LOCAL SCHOOL COUNCILS. THE SURVEY RESULTS ALSO LED US TO ESTABLISH AN LSC WORKING GROUP, COMPRISING 22 LSC MEMBERS REPRESENTING 13 CPS NETWORKS. MEMBERS DEVELOPED A SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL TO HELP THEIR LSCS REFLECT ON PRACTICES AND IDENTIFY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
- $679,023 spent. EDUCATOR ENGAGEMENTPROGRAMS: PAWTHE FUND CHAMPIONS STRONG SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND ITS CRITICAL ROLE IN ACCELERATING STUDENT OUTCOMES. WE CONNECT WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY, LEVERAGE EDUCATORS' KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE TO INFORM OUR WORK, AND CELEBRATE SCHOOL LEADERS' INNOVATION AND LEADERSHIP CITYWIDE. IN 2024, WE WELCOMED A NEW EDUCATOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EAC) COHORT. THE COMMITTEE SHAPED THE FUND'S AGENDA, GENERATED PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS, AND FOSTERED CONNECTIONS AMONG SCHOOL LEADERS ACROSS CHICAGO. COMPOSED OF 38 SCHOOL LEADERS, THE 2024 EAC FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROPOSED CPS SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA AND BUDGET PROCESS, SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PRINCIPAL AND AP ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS, AND LAUNCHING THE FUND'S SCHOOL LEADER INNOVATION AWARDS, WHICH RECOGNIZED AN OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.IN 2024, WE ALSO CONTINUED OUR ANNUAL CITYWIDE PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN DURING NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH IN OCTOBER. THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDED CELEBRATORY EVENTS FOR SCHOOL LEADERS, SUCH AS FREE TICKETS TO ATTEND A CHICAGO BULLS GAME, AND AN EVENT THAT HIGHLIGHTED STORIES FROM TRANSFORMATIONAL SCHOOL LEADERS WHILE ALLOWING SCHOOL LEADERS TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER. TO EXTEND THE REACH OF THESE STORIES, WE EXECUTED A ROBUST SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO FEATURE STRONG SCHOOL LEADERS ON BUSES AND TRAINS THROUGHOUT CHICAGO.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 December 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 November 1999.
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.