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Families in Schools

EIN 95-4818894 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS BY BUILDING AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND SYSTEM LEADERS, AND THROUGH PARENT-LED ADVOCACY.

Income
$946,235
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
14.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 61%
Employees
29
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$262,673, chief executive officer & president

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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.3 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 107% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 72% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 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 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 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

    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 (3)
  1. $898,722 spent. BUILD FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CAPACITY: FAMILIES IN SCHOOLS CONTINUED TO CO-LEAD CALIFORNIA'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE (CEI 1.0 AND 2.0), CONTRIBUTING TO A STATEWIDE LEARNING COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON STRENGTHENING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. CEI ENGAGED OVER 1,400 PRINCIPALS, PARENTS, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STAFF, AND STUDENTS STATEWIDE, HELPING DISTRICTS SHIFT FROM BASIC PARENT INVOLVEMENT TO AUTHENTIC FAMILY EMPOWERMENT ALIGNED WITH STATE EXPECTATIONS. FIS ALSO PROVIDED FEE-FOR-SERVICE TRAINING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING TO THREE CORE CLIENTS: LONG-TIME PARTNER LOS ANGELES UNIFIED, THE LOS ANGELES COALITION FOR EXCELLENT PUBLIC SCHOOLS (LACEPS), AND NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
  2. $245,376 spent. ACTIVATE COALITIONS: FIS FOUNDED THE READ LA! COALITION IN NOVEMBER 2024, UNITING 20+ PARTNERS AROUND THE GOAL OF HAVING 70% OF LAUSD 3RD GRADERS READING AT GRADE-LEVEL BY 2030. IN 2025, THE COALITION DEVELOPED A THREE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN WITH KEY ACTIONS TOWARD REACHING ITS 2030 GOAL. FIS ALSO SERVED AS CO-LEAD IN A STATEWIDE EARLY LITERACY COALITION TO HELP PASS LEGISLATION IN CALIFORNIA (AB 1454) THAT ALIGNS K-5 LITERACY INSTRUCTION TO THE SCIENCE OF READING. FIS LITERACY AMBASSADORS TRAVELED TO SACRAMENTO FOR "ADVOCACY DAY," HELPING ACHIEVE AB1454'S UNANIMOUS PASSAGE IN THE ASSEMBLY. FIS ALSO ADVISED LAUSD ON BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE STATE'S UNIVERSAL LITERACY SCREENER LAW AND HELPED AUTHOR THE "READERS TO LEADERS" RESOLUTION.
  3. $214,529 spent. ELEVATE FAMILY VOICE: OVER THE PAST YEAR, FIS RECRUITED, TRAINED, AND SUPPORTED 49 LITERACY AMBASSADORS, PARENTS, AND CAREGIVERS, WHO HOSTED BACK-TO-SCHOOL EVENTS THAT PROMOTED LITERACY, DISTRIBUTED CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO FAMILIES, SHARED LITERACY RESOURCES AND TOOLS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS. THEY ALSO ADVOCATED FOR HIGH-QUALITY EARLY LITERACY INSTRUCTION BY OFFERING PUBLIC TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF A LITERACY RESOLUTION BY THE LAUSD BOARD OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF READING LEGISLATION AT THE STATE LEVEL (AB 1454). FIS ALSO LAUNCHED THE READ LA! APP (BETA), GIVING FAMILIES EVIDENCE-BASED TIPS AND LITERACY RESOURCES, AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.

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 October 13, 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 October 2000.

    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 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.