Chicago Public Education Fund

What it reported doing in 2025

Programmatic supportsprograms: design, leadership bridge, malott, masterclass, network, professional learning communities, & pipelinethe fund invests in direct support for school leaders through programs designed to meet them where they are. Our programs are open to all school leaders (principals), aspiring principals (assistant principals, instructional leaders, and teacher leaders), and principal supervisors across chicago's public schools. We use real-time data on school leaders' needs and student learning to pilot, refine, and sustain what works.one of our most popular programs, the fund's professional learning communities (plcs) offered a structured space for principals to learn from data, colleagues, and peer accountability. Led by educational leaders, these peer-study groups spanned 12 topics in semester-length sessions, enabling school leaders to benefit from multiple topics throughout the year and earn Illinois administrator academy credits toward annual certification requirements. In 2025, 93 unique school leaders and 12 plc leaders participated in a plc.our masterclass learning series offered responsive professional development tailored to school leaders' changing needs. Masterclasses required shorter commitments than other fund programs, which allowed us to adapt to participant needs throughout the year. In 2025, 166 principals and aspiring principals enrolled in a masterclass on topics such as reducing chronic absenteeism, improving grading practices, and effective time management. Complementing this work, our interconnected design suite programs enabled educator teams to develop innovative student-centered solutions using design thinking. Programs included the summer design program, design coaching to implement, and the design challenge. In 2025, 54 principal- and aspiring principal-led educator teams participated.the fund also offered programs to support specific groups of school leaders and aspiring school leaders. The malott educator fellowship provided monthly full-day learning labs and individualized coaching designed to help school leaders address challenges such as high student mobility and chronic absenteeism. In 2025, we partnered with the university of Illinois chicago's center for urban education leadership and wise leadership consulting to support 25 fellows in their second year of the fellowship. Notably, fellows increased their 5essentials effective leaders scores by 5.5 points.operated in partnership with new leaders and the university of Illinois chicago, leadership bridge targeted the critical need for high-quality, diverse school leaders in cps. Through professional development, expert coaching, and collaboration with current principals, leadership bridge helped 26 aspiring principals prepare to secure cps principal roles within three years. As an extension of this work to strengthen and diversify the principal pipeline, the fund convened a pipeline partners council (ppc) comprised of pre-service programs and universities from across chicago. The ppc created a unique citywide forum for partners to exchange feedback and align efforts.finally, our network strategy supports program deepened our decade-long partnership with the cps office of network support (ons). We sustained quarterly data work with 34 network chiefs and deputies. In collaboration with the university of Washington center for educational leadership (uwcel), an ons partner co-facilitated a professional learning community for 12 deputy chiefs. We also offered eight professional development grants to networks to support initiatives that enhanced principal practice, satisfaction, diversity, and retention.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 84.7%; rating input score 85
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.64 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 98.3%; rating input score 98; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.7%; rating input score 96; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -46%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.52; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 23.3%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.8% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 10.3% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings