Pacific Autism Center for Education

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
770259858
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Aug 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Santa Clara, CA, USA
Phone
4086256172
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$17,766,461
Expenses
$13,785,746
Assets
$37,542,117
Liabilities
$10,622,685

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SARAH MUDGETT (PRESIDENT (THRU 11/24))
  • MARK PEPER (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • KAREN KENNAN (ASST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • KURT OHLFS (ED/SECRETARY): $313,570 total reported compensation
  • KAREN KENNAN (ASST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $179,152 total reported compensation
  • KARYN CARADONNA (DIRECTOR HR): $162,464 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the Pacific Autism Center for Education (PACE) is to enhance the lives of people impacted by autism through innovation, exceptional education, and compassionate care.

What it reported doing in 2024

The educational program operates three certified non-public schools ("nps") for persons with autism and related developmental disabilities, serving students 3 to 22 years of age. The teaching philosophy is based on a child-centered approach, allowing each child to work on his/her specific learning needs by utilizing their strengths and interests. Students experience an age appropriate academic curriculum, taught individually and in small groups. Services include full-time, on-site, occupational therapists, speech & language therapists and certified behaviorists which play an integral part in the design and implementation of the program. Additionally, the three-step vocational and independent life skills program prepares students to achieve independence and workplace success in the future. The educational program is certified by the state and additionally accredited by the western association of schools and colleges ("wasc").

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 93% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 74
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 69
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.7%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 87.5%; rating input score 87
  • Fundraising efficiency: $2.09 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd 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: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 22.4%; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.72; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.28; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.4%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.5% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 5 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 2 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 79.7% of revenue deployed · 87.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $12.1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $314K · 17 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $442K reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 9 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 7/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 23/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 48/100.