Higher Ed Works

What it reported doing in 2025

Higher Ed Works dba as Public Ed Works continued in 2025 to expand - expand its budget, expand its staff and expand its audience. Thanks to one magnanimous donor in particular but hundreds of other supporters as well, the organization grew its budget to more than $1 million, yet it finished the year with enough funds on hand to support an additional 15 months of operation. The organization grew its followers on social media to more than 200,000, and its website had 116,000 visitors. Through its newsletter, social channels, and advertising that ranged from billboards to digital media, Higher Ed Works dba Public Ed Works reached nearly 8.8 million people with its messaging, versus 5.9 million in 2024, prompting its audience to take more than 16 million actions. In its messaging, the organization focused on: The inability of the NC General Assembly to pass a budget, making North Carolina the only state in the nation that failed to pass a new budget for 2025-26. How a vast NC expansion in taxpayer-funded vouchers for private schools drains budget dollars that otherwise could go to support public schools. No raises for K-12 teachers or other state employees (including community college and university faculty and staff) to keep pace with inflation. The state fell to 46th in average K-12 teacher pay and 50th in funding effort - the percentage of gross domestic product the state devotes to K-12 public education. No increase in enrollment funds for the 17-campus University of North Carolina System - even though, unlike most U.S. universities, the UNC System saw an increase in enrollment in 2024 and 2025. No decision from the NC Supreme Court on the Leandro school-support lawsuit, which had been batted around North Carolina's court system for 31 years since it was first filed in 1994. With its longtime executive director planning to retire in 2026, the organization also hired a new executive director as a successor in the fall of 2025. And it made plans to further expand its messaging in 2026.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 24.4%; rating input score 24
• Program expense ratio: 52.1%; rating input score 52
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.71 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 95.5%; rating input score 95; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • 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: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 55.8%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.22; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 17.8%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 0.2% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 23.4% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 33.5% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings