Educational Policy Improvement Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE EDUCATION WORK FOR ALL STUDENTS. WE SEE A FUTURE WHERE READINESS AND SUCCESS ARE DEFINED BY STUDENTS' ENGAGEMENT, ADAPTABILITY, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN CONTENT MASTERY AND TESTING ALONE. WE WANT TO BE A CREATIVE CATALYST INSPIRING, EQUIPPING, AND LINKING SCHOOLS TO CREATE THIS FUTURE.
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $4.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 5.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 54
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $472,073, chief executive director
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. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% 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
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
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 (1)
- $3.7 million spent. PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS (2024-2025)DURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION ADVANCED ITS MISSION TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS THROUGH APPLIED RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, AND CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, AND WHOLE-CHILD SCHOOL DESIGN.EDUTECH: INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY & PROFESSIONAL LEARNINGTHROUGH ITS EDUTECH WORK, THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERED WITH COLLEGE BOARD TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF THE AP COURSE AUDIT, WITH A FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING INSTRUCTIONAL COHERENCE AND EQUITY ACROSS ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAMS NATIONWIDE. THIS WORK INCLUDED CONTRIBUTING TO THE REFINEMENT OF AUDIT PROCESSES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY COURSE FRAMEWORKS.IN PARALLEL, THE ORGANIZATION ADVANCED THE DESIGN AND PILOTING OF NEW PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TECHNOLOGY FOCUSED ON HIGH-QUALITY PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, SUPPORTING EDUCATORS IN DESIGNING AUTHENTIC, INQUIRY DRIVEN LEARNING EXPERIENCES ALIGNED TO RIGOROUS ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND DURABLE SKILL DEVELOPMENT. THESE TOOLS ARE INTENDED TO HELP EDUCATORS TRANSLATE STANDARDS AND COURSE EXPECTATIONS INTO COHERENT, STUDENT-CENTERED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE.EDULYTIX: RESEARCH, EVALUATION & APPLIED LEARNING SCIENCESTHROUGH ITS EDULYTIX RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ARM, THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTED APPLIED EVALUATION AND LEARNING STUDIES WITH THE ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES, SUPPORTING SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS RELATED TO INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND EQUITY CENTERED IMPLEMENTATION. THIS WORK EMPHASIZES FORMATIVE EVALUATION APPROACHES THAT HELP AGENCIES LEARN FROM IMPLEMENTATION WHILE STRENGTHENING DECISION-MAKING AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CONTINUED ITS RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ORGANIZATION, CONTRIBUTING TO STUDIES EXAMINING INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN, ASSESSMENT, AND STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITHIN IB PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION INITIATED AN EMERGING RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP WITH JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY TO SUPPORT FUTURE JOINT RESEARCH EFFORTS FOCUSED ON INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT, EDUCATOR LEARNING, AND THE CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT HIGH-QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING.PORTICO: COMMUNITY SCHOOLS & SYSTEMS ALIGNMENTTHROUGH ITS PORTICO INITIATIVE, THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED DISTRICTS, COUNTY OFFICES, AND REGIONAL PARTNERS ACROSS CALIFORNIA IN ADVANCING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IMPLEMENTATION. THIS WORK CENTERED ON USING THE FOUR PILLARS OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS: COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP, INTEGRATED STUDENT SUPPORT, EXPANDED AND ENRICHED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS A SHARED FRAMEWORK FOR DEFINING WHAT CONSTITUTES A GREAT SCHOOL.PORTICO'S WORK INTENTIONALLY POSITIONED THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL'S FRAMEWORK AS A POINT OF CONVERGENCE FOR INTERRELATED STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING SCHOOL BOARDS, LABOR PARTNERS, DISTRICTS, COUNTY OFFICES OF EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. BY ALIGNING THESE GROUPS AROUND A COMMON DEFINITION OF QUALITY AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY, THE ORGANIZATION HELPED REDUCE FRAGMENTATION AND STRENGTHEN SYSTEM COHERENCE IN SUPPORT OF STUDENT SUCCESS.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.