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School Board School

EIN 84-4385705 · Cincinnati, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

At School Board School, we are activating a diverse coalition of education advocates and aspiring school board members to create significant and sustainable change in their school system. We prepare them with the skills, mindsets, networks, and experiences needed to be ready to serve in roles impacting students throughout our community. And, we support them over the long-term, as they work together to reach their individual goals and in collective actions that drive change at schools, in districts, and throughout our region.

Income
$336,728
Spending
$586,372
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
5.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 75%
Employees
6
Volunteers
70
Highest pay
$74,231, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 74% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 43% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 43 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 March 31, 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)
  1. $394,994 spent. Building & Supporting a Coalition for Change:School Board School recruits cohorts of aspiring school board members and education advocates that reflect the demographics of our community, and trains them in a 7-month learning program with a 22-session curriculum. Our learning program brings values-aligned community members together, grounds them in an understanding of how a school board works and why school boards are a critical component to building equitable school systems, and prepares them to effectively legislate and/or advocate for their children and community.After completing the learning program, we support our members over the long-term as they work together from seats across our community. Our members lead in classrooms, schools, districts, and nonprofits; run for office, including school board; organize & advocate at the local and state levels; and create equitable and inclusive policies and opportunities.We have been developing this coalition in Greater Cincinnati since 2018. In Greater Cincinnati, we have built one of the most diverse and informed networks of education leaders in the country. By investing in the development of future school board members and education advocates who reflect the diversity of our community's children, we are building a truly representative, informed, and sustainable coalition that is working together to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed in school and in life.
  2. $41,564 spent. Growing Our Network: We are the only organization that brings together both aspiring school board members and education advocates, and provides them with the knowledge and network to influence systems level change. We know our model works, and we are expanding across the country. Organizations can now license our intellectual property and receive our coaching, and launch School Board School coalitions in their communities. We are building a nationwide network of elected leaders and grassroots advocates working together to ensure every student succeeds.
  3. $1,671 spent. Public Programming: To reach more people in more places, we also provide free virtual sessions open to anyone anywhere. Thousands of people have registered for these sessions, and evaluations show growth in their knowledge and skills, as well as in the actions they take on behalf of students.We also host a free day-long event called Advocate for Education Day, a day of learning, building community, and taking action. Those evaluations also show that participants grow in their knowledge, network, and likelihood to take action on behalf of students.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2026.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since August 2020.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.