Childrens Development Academy Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MISSION: AFFORDING ALL CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY HIGH QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION. VISION: BEST START. BRIGHTEST FUTURE. EVERY CHILD.
- Income
- $3.3 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 2.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 56%
- Employees
- 56
- Volunteers
- 481
- Highest pay
- $89,502, ceo & ex.dir.
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: 75 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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.
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 25 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 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 (3)
- $2.4 million spent. IN 2024-2025, THE CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY (CDA) PROVIDED HIGH-QUALITY, AFFORDABLE EARLY CARE AND LEARNING PROGRAMS TO MORE THAN 200 CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND PRESCHOOL. THE CDA SERVES PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AGES 1 TO 5, INCLUDING THREE GEORGIA PRE-K CLASSROOMS. THE CDA EMPLOYS FULL TIME, EXPERIENCED AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS. OUR LOW STUDENT-TEACHER RATIOS ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT RECEIVES DAILY INTERACTION AND INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION THAT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN ENSURES POSITIVE OUTCOMES WHEN STUDENTS REACH KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. THE CDA'S PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS KINDERGARTEN READINESS, AND CHILDREN ENTERING OUR ONE YEAR-OLD CLASSROOM TODAY RECEIVE THE FOUNDATION NECESSARY FOR A STRONGER START IN KINDERGARTEN AT AGE FIVE AND OF ACHIEVING THE VITAL EDUCATIONAL MILESTONE OF READING AT THE THIRD GRADE LEVEL WHEN THEY ARE EIGHT. THE CDA FOLLOWS EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES OF QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, EARLY INTERVENTION, NUTRITION, AND HEALTHCARE THAT SUPPORT A CHILD'S INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THE CDA FOLLOWS THE PLAY-BASED CREATIVE CURRICULUM THAT PROMOTES SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, AND OUR COMPREHENSIVE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING FOR EACH CHILD: AN EARLY LITERACY PROGRAM FOCUSING ON PRE-READING SKILLS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION; ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING FIELD TRIPS, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, AND NATURE EXPLORATIONS, AND IN-CENTER VISITS FROM COMMUNITY HELPERS; PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES, PARENT WORKSHOPS AND FAMILY-BASED ACTIVITIES THAT INFORM AND ENGAGE PARENTS IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION; DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENTS THAT ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE ON TRACK; AND EACH CHILD RECEIVES A NUTRITIOUS BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND SNACK EACH DAY, FOLLOWING GEORGIA'S BRIGHT FROM THE START AND CACFP NUTRITION GUIDELINES. CDA FAMILIES HAVE INCOMES THAT PUT HIGH QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION OUT OF REACH FINANCIALLY. FUNDRAISING ALLOWS THE CDA TO PROVIDE FREE TO EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE TUITION TO OUR FAMILIES ON A SLIDING SCALE BASED UPON HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND INCOME. THE AVERAGE COST FOR PRESCHOOL IN OUR COMMUNITY IS OVER $400 PER WEEK, BUT MOST CDA FAMILIES PAY LESS THAN $100 PER WEEK TO ATTEND, WITH MANY FAMILIES PAYING NOTHING AT ALL. KEEPING OUR PROGRAMS HIGHLY AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AND IS ONLY POSSIBLE AS A RESULT OF THE GENEROSITY OF OUR DONORS, CORPORATE PARTNERS, AND FOUNDATIONS.
- SINCE 2010, THE CDA HAS OFFERED THREE GEORGIA PRE-K CLASSROOMS THAT SERVE 60 CHILDREN EACH YEAR. IN 2012, THE CDA WAS CHOSEN FOR A SIX-WEEK SUMMER PILOT PROGRAM, THE RISING-K SUMMER TRANSITION PROGRAM, WHICH SERVED CHILDREN DEEMED TO BE AT RISK OF SCHOOL FAILURE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR MAKING THE TRANSITION TO KINDERGARTEN. THE CDA HAS WORKED WITH THE STATE TO OFFER THIS IMPORTANT SUMMER TRANSITION PROGRAM EVERY YEAR SINCE, INCLUDING 2024 AND 2025. AND, IN THE SUMMER OF 2013, THE CDA HELPED LAUNCH ANOTHER BRIGHT FROM THE START PILOT PROGRAM THIS ONE PROVIDING A SIX-WEEK SUMMER PREPARATORY CURRICULUM FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS ENTERING PRE-K IN THE FALL. THIS RISING PRE-K SUMMER TRANSITION PROGRAM HAS BEEN RENEWED BY THE STATE EVERY YEAR INCLUDING 2024 AND 2025. IN 2025, THE CDA PILOTED A RISING KINDERGARTEN SUMMER CAMP TO EXTEND CARE FOR FAMILIES INTO THE SUMMER ONCE PRE-K ENDS IN MAY.
- THE CDA CONTINUES TO MEET OR EXCEED THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR EARLY CARE AND LEARNING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE MAINTAINED ACCREDITATION BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (NAEYC) SINCE APRIL 2014, INCLUDING OUR MOST RECENT REACCREDITATION IN MAY 2024. FEWER THAN 4% OF GEORGIA'S CHILDCARE CENTERS ARE NAEYC-ACCREDITED. LIKEWISE, THE CDA HAS PARTICIPATED IN GEORGIA'S BRIGHT FROM THE START QUALITY RATED PROGRAM SINCE 2013, MOST RECENTLY RECEIVING RENEWAL IN NOVEMBER 2024. TAKEN TOGETHER, THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS CLEARLY SET THE CDA APART AS A CENTER OF HIGH QUALITY AND DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO WORKING TOWARD OUR VISION OF BEST START. BRIGHTEST FUTURE. EVERY CHILD.
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 November 1969.
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.