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Digital Pioneers Academy Corporation

EIN 81-5111613 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF DIGITAL PIONEERS ACADEMY (DPA) IS TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS. WE PREPARE STUDENTS TO MEET OR EXCEED THE HIGHEST ACADEMIC STANDARDS, WHILE CULTIVATING THE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER NECESSARY TO BOTH GRADUATE FROM FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND THRIVE IN 21ST CENTURY CAREERS.

Income
$23.7 million
Spending
$21.6 million
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 87%
Employees
139
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$286,500, ceo/principa

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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 71% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $20.0 million spent. EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2018, DIGITAL PIONEERS ACADEMY (DPA) ENTERED INTO A FIFTEEN-YEAR CHARTER SCHOOL AGREEMENT WITH THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD (PCSB). IN 2022-2023, DPA UNDERWENT ITS FIVE-YEAR CHARTER REVIEW WITH THE PCSB. DPA IS A COLLEGE PREPARATORY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT SERVED 682 6TH TO 12TH GRADERS, PREDOMINANTLY STUDENTS FROM WARD 7 AND 8 IN WASHINGTON, DC, IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR. HAVING ADDED ONE GRADE PER YEAR SINCE ITS FOUNDING, DPA REACHED SCALE IN 2024-25 AND THE FIRST CLASS OF STUDENTS GRADUATED IN JUNE 2025. DPA PROVIDES A UNIQUE, PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT INTEGRATES BEST PRACTICES FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PREPARING STUDENTS TO BE INNOVATORS AND ACTIVE CITIZENS IN OUR TECHNOLOGY- DRIVEN WORLD. DPA'S LEARNING MODEL LEVERAGES A CURRICULUM BUILT AROUND TRADITIONAL SUBJECTS WITH THE CRITICAL INCLUSION OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AS A CORE CONTENT AREA. THROUGH CORE CLASSES AND PERSONALIZED, PROJECT-BASED WORK, STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP COMPUTATIONAL THINKING SKILLS, A SET OF CAPABILITIES THAT CAN BE FLEXIBLY APPLIED TO SUCCEED IN A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE AND IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS. IN ADDITION TO RIGOROUS ACADEMICS, DPA'S INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOCUSES ON CHARACTER BUILDING, DIVERSE ATHLETIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR EXPERIENCES, AND DEVELOPING THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CAPACITIES OF STUDENTS. COMPUTER SCIENCE IS NOT JUST ABOUT TEACHING STUDENTS TO CODE. AS THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL COMPUTING, COMPUTER SCIENCE IS DEFINED AS "THE STUDY OF COMPUTERS AND ALGORITHMIC PROCESSES, INCLUDING THEIR PRINCIPLES, THEIR HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGNS, THEIR APPLICATIONS, AND THEIR IMPACT ON SOCIETY." THROUGH HELPING STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW COMPUTERS WORK, COMPUTER SCIENCE PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF COMPUTER USE AND THE RELEVANT RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND APPLICATIONS. COMPUTER SCIENCE BUILDS ON COMPUTER LITERACY, EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2018, DIGITAL PIONEERS ACADEMY (DPA) ENTERED INTO A FIFTEEN-YEAR CHARTER SCHOOL AGREEMENT WITH THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD (PCSB). IN 2022-2023, DPA UNDERWENT ITS FIVE-YEAR CHARTER REVIEW WITH THE PCSB. DPA IS A COLLEGE PREPARATORY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT SERVED 682 6TH TO 12TH GRADERS, PREDOMINANTLY STUDENTS FROM WARD 7 AND 8 IN WASHINGTON, DC, IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR. HAVING ADDED ONE GRADE PER YEAR SINCE ITS FOUNDING, DPA REACHED SCALE IN 2024-25 AND THE FIRST CLASS OF STUDENTS GRADUATED IN JUNE 2025. DPA PROVIDES A UNIQUE, PERSONALIZED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT INTEGRATES BEST PRACTICES FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PREPARING STUDENTS TO BE INNOVATORS AND ACTIVE CITIZENS IN OUR TECHNOLOGY- DRIVEN WORLD. DPA'S LEARNING MODEL LEVERAGES A CURRICULUM BUILT AROUND TRADITIONAL SUBJECTS WITH THE CRITICAL INCLUSION OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AS A CORE CONTENT AREA. THROUGH CORE CLASSES AND PERSONALIZED, PROJECT-BASED WORK, STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP COMPUTATIONAL THINKING SKILLS, A SET OF CAPABILITIES THAT CAN BE FLEXIBLY APPLIED TO SUCCEED IN A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE AND IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS. IN ADDITION TO RIGOROUS ACADEMICS, DPA'S INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOCUSES ON CHARACTER BUILDING, DIVERSE ATHLETIC AND EXTRACURRICULAR EXPERIENCES, AND DEVELOPING THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CAPACITIES OF STUDENTS. COMPUTER SCIENCE IS NOT JUST ABOUT TEACHING STUDENTS TO CODE. AS THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL COMPUTING, COMPUTER SCIENCE IS DEFINED AS "THE STUDY OF COMPUTERS AND ALGORITHMIC PROCESSES, INCLUDING THEIR PRINCIPLES, THEIR HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DESIGNS, THEIR APPLICATIONS, AND THEIR IMPACT ON SOCIETY." THROUGH HELPING STUDENTS UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW COMPUTERS WORK, COMPUTER SCIENCE PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF COMPUTER USE AND THE RELEVANT RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND APPLICATIONS. COMPUTER SCIENCE BUILDS ON COMPUTER LITERACY, EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2018.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

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.