Austin Public Education Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AUSTIN ED FUND SUPPORTS AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BY DEVELOPING AND STEWARDING MEANINGFUL PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROMOTE INNOVATION AND SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES THAT PREPARE AUSTIN ISD STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE.
- Income
- $5.3 million
- Spending
- $4.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 41
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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 43% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 61% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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 2529 of 29 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.
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)
- $3.2 million spent. EDUCATION EXPENSE - THE AUSTIN ED FUND BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUNDING PARTNERS AND DEVELOPS PROGRAMMING AND FUNDRAISING OBJECTIVES ALIGNED WITH AUSTIN ISD STRATEGIC NEEDS AND PRIORITIES.
- $816,909 spent. EARLY LITERACY AND NUMERACY: LITERACY AND NUMERACY ARE THE CORNERSTONES OF LONG-TERM ACADEMIC AND LIFE SUCCESS. AUSTIN ED FUND'S EFFORTS IN THE AREA REACH MORE THAN 30,000 STUDENTS K-5 AND 2,000 EDUCATORS ACROSS 79 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE INITIATIVE STRENGTHENS INSTRUCTION BY PAIRING HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS. PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES PARTICIPATE IN JOB-EMBEDDED COACHING AND STRUCTURED LEARNING COMMUNITIES THAT ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO GUIDE INSTRUCTION. SIX LIGHTHOUSE SCHOOLS SERVE AS DEMONSTRATION SITES, SHARING EFFECTIVE PRACTICES THAT ARE THEN SCALED DISTRICTWIDE. THESE COMBINED EFFORTS ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING CONSISTENT, EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTION IN READING AND MATH, GROUNDED IN THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING. WHEN THESE CORE SKILLS ARE STRONG, STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE THROUGHOUT THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS AND BEYOND. EARLY LITERACY AND NUMERACY: LITERACY AND NUMERACY ARE THE CORNERSTONES OF LONG-TERM ACADEMIC AND LIFE SUCCESS. AUSTIN ED FUND'S EFFORTS IN THE AREA REACH MORE THAN 30,000 STUDENTS K-5 AND 2,000 EDUCATORS ACROSS 79 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. THE INITIATIVE STRENGTHENS INSTRUCTION BY PAIRING HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WITH ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS. PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES PARTICIPATE IN JOB-EMBEDDED COACHING AND STRUCTURED LEARNING COMMUNITIES THAT ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO GUIDE INSTRUCTION. SIX LIGHTHOUSE SCHOOLS SERVE AS DEMONSTRATION SITES, SHARING EFFECTIVE PRACTICES THAT ARE THEN SCALED DISTRICTWIDE. THESE COMBINED EFFORTS ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING CONSISTENT, EVIDENCE-BASED INSTRUCTION IN READING AND MATH, GROUNDED IN THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING. WHEN THESE CORE SKILLS ARE STRONG, STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO THRIVE THROUGHOUT THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS AND BEYOND.
- $515,248 spent. COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS (CCR): AIMS TO INCREASE STUDENT AWARENESS BY EXPANDING COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY WORKPLACE VISITS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THESE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO POSITION STUDENTS FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY VISITS GIVE STUDENTS EXPOSURE TO WHAT'S POSSIBLE BY HELPING THEM IMAGINE THEMSELVES IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND CAREERS. THE SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS PAID OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP THEM GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL BUSINESS AND NON-PROFITS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO AUSTIN ISD CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CLUSTERS. OVER 100 STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM TO DATE. THE POST-SECONDARY GAP FUND LAUNCHED THIS SUMMER AND PROVIDES SMALL EMERGENCY GRANTS TO AUSTIN ISD GRADUATES IN PURSUIT OF THEIR POST-SECONDARY DREAMS. OUR FIRST STUDENT TO RECEIVE FUNDING WAS ABLE TO USE THE RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN MOVING AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REQUIRED TO ATTEND COLLEGE OUT-OF-STATE. COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS (CCR): AIMS TO INCREASE STUDENT AWARENESS BY EXPANDING COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY WORKPLACE VISITS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THESE EFFORTS ARE DESIGNED TO POSITION STUDENTS FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. COLLEGE AND INDUSTRY VISITS GIVE STUDENTS EXPOSURE TO WHAT'S POSSIBLE BY HELPING THEM IMAGINE THEMSELVES IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND CAREERS. THE SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS PAID OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP THEM GAIN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL BUSINESS AND NON-PROFITS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO AUSTIN ISD CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CLUSTERS. OVER 100 STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM TO DATE. THE POST-SECONDARY GAP FUND LAUNCHED THIS SUMMER AND PROVIDES SMALL EMERGENCY GRANTS TO AUSTIN ISD GRADUATES IN PURSUIT OF THEIR POST-SECONDARY DREAMS. OUR FIRST STUDENT TO RECEIVE FUNDING WAS ABLE TO USE THE RESOURCES TO ASSIST IN MOVING AND TRAVEL EXPENSES REQUIRED TO ATTEND COLLEGE OUT-OF-STATE.
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 November 6, 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 2024.
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 January 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 November 4, 2026.
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