irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $531KTHE FUTURE OF COLLEGE AND CAREER: 2024 SAW CONTINUED DISRUPTIONS TO THE NATION'S COLLEGE PIPELINE AND A CORRESPONDING REASSESSMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS. HOW SHOULD TODAY'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES BE PREPARED FOR BOTH COLLEGE AND CAREER TODAY? AND HOW SHOULD THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE BE RECONCEIVED, TO BETTER PREPARE THE TEENS OF 2024 FOR THE FUTURE WORKFORCE? THE 74 DEDICATED SIGNIFICANT BANDWIDTH TO EXPLORING THESE QUESTIONS, BY CONTINUING OUR "FUTURE OF HIGH SCHOOL" SERIES THAT CAST A SPOTLIGHT ON THE MOST UNIQUE CAMPUSES ACROSS THE NATION. FROM WORKFORCE PREPAREDNESS TO BETTER SUPPORT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADS TRANSITIONING TO BOTH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND FOUR-YEAR PROGRAMS, OUR JOURNALISTS COVERED THE CAMPUSES ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF A HIGH SCHOOL REVOLUTION.
- #2 $248KEDUCATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE RISE OF AI TOOLS: WE DEEPENED OUR FEATURE REPORTING ABOUT THE CREATION OF CLASSROOM TOOLS TO AID BOTH TEACHERS IN THEIR JOBS AND STUDENTS IN THEIR LEARNING. AS WE PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WE ALSO PRIORITIZED COVERAGE OF HOW EDUCATORS ARE BEING BROUGHT INTO THE INNOVATIVE PROCESS AND CASE STUDIES OF HOW NEW TOOLS ARE BEING DEPLOYED (BOTH SUCCESSFULLY AND UNSUCCESSFULLY) IN THE CLASSROOM SETTING.
named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
COVID's Missing Students
Reporting on student disenrollment during the pandemic, exploring causes and consequences of declining school enrollment
Cyberattacks on Schools
Investigative coverage of data breaches and cybersecurity threats affecting school districts, their operations, and student privacy
Education Technology and AI in the Classroom
Feature reporting on artificial intelligence and digital tools in education, including case studies on implementation in classrooms
Future of High School
A reporting series spotlighting innovative high school campuses across the nation, focusing on workforce preparedness and transitions to college
Innovative Schools Road Trip
Nationwide journalism initiative covering high schools at the forefront of educational reform and innovation
Reimagining Education Panels
Online panel discussions with education leaders and experts on charter schools, civil rights in education, STEM, and literacy gaps
Student Mental Health During Pandemic
Series examining the mental health impact of social and educational isolation on students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Student Voices Project
Collaborative series with America's Promise Alliance featuring open letters from students to policymakers about pandemic-era education
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Education Policy Research and Analysis 2 activities
- Conducts research and reporting on the future of high schoolsProduces the "Future of High School" series and related reporting on innovations in high school models, workforce preparedness, post-graduation transitions, and learning recovery, including a nationwide "Innovative Schools Road Trip" to highlight exemplary campuses.
- Produces news and commentary on K-12 educationProvides in-depth reporting, analysis, and opinion on current developments in American K-12 education, including investigative coverage of underreported issues and policy trends. Publishes articles, opinion pieces, and multimedia content from experts, educators, parents, and students.
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Early Childhood Education & Development Programs 1 activity
- Launches and manages zero2eight, an early learning verticalOperates zero2eight as a dedicated platform for early care and education coverage, incorporating an archive of content from Early Learning Nation and producing new in-depth reporting on early childhood topics.
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Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Produces and distributes education-focused newslettersDelivers news and commentary through multiple email newsletters, including a daily national digest, a bi-weekly series on student recovery post-pandemic, a weekly California-specific update, and a free Substack newsletter on early care and education.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produces podcasts and interview series on education innovationProduces the "Class Disrupted" podcast and "The 74 Interview" series, featuring discussions with leading thinkers, policymakers, and education leaders on the future of schooling, innovation, and systemic reform.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Produces video and multimedia content for parents and educatorsCreates educational videos explaining key education concepts such as Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), project-based learning, college readiness, universal pre-kindergarten, and media literacy, with some content translated into Spanish for broader accessibility.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Organizes National School Choice Week outreach campaignPlanned and executed National School Choice Week, reaching 9 million parents, teachers, and families through 27,000 events nationwide to promote awareness of school choice options.
- Produces documentary and explanatory video series on education history and policyCreates video content exploring the historical and cultural significance of education policies and events, including the legacy of Brown v. Board of Education, the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans schools, and the influence of AI-generated media on child development.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.19M
Contributions & grants$3.01M95%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$158K5%
Other revenue$14K
expenses
Total expenses$4.19M
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$3.28M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$8.36M
Cash$6.62M
Investments$0
Liabilities$2.27M
Net assets$6.10M
Liquid reserves18.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -58.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEVEN SNYDER | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $284K |
| EMMELINE ZHAO | CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER | 40 | $222K |
| BEVERLY WEINTRAUB | EXECUTIVE EDITOR | 40 | $177K |
| KATHLEEN MOORE O'CONNOR | EXECUTIVE EDITOR | 40 | $160K |
| JOANNE WASSERMAN | EXECUTIVE EDITOR | 40 | $154K |
| ANDREW BROWNSTEIN | EXECUTIVE EDITOR | 40 | $149K |
| JAMES ROBERTS | CONTRIBUTING EDITOR (FORMER OFFICER) | 40 | $147K |
board members · 4
- ANDY ROTHERHAM — DIRECTOR
- CAMPBELL BROWN — DIRECTOR
- KEVIN SHAFER — TREASURER/SECRETARY/DIRECTOR
- ROMY A DRUCKER — PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- America's Promise Alliance Partner — Partnered on a four-week project to elevate student voices during the pandemic through open letters to policymakers.
- Bezos Family Foundation Partner — Original funder and supporter of Early Learning Nation, whose content archive informs zero2eight.
- Class Disrupted Podcast Partner — Co-produces or collaborates on the Class Disrupted podcast as part of its news series.
- Diane Tavenner Partner — Co-host of the Class Disrupted podcast and contributor to The 74's analysis content.
- Diane Tavenner Partner — Co-host of the Class Disrupted podcast produced by The 74.
- Michael B. Horn Partner — Co-host of the Class Disrupted podcast and contributor to The 74's analysis content.
- Michael Horn Partner — Co-host of the Class Disrupted podcast produced by The 74.
- National School Choice Week Partner — Collaborates on initiatives related to school choice awareness and family engagement in education.
- Nicole Calderon Partner — Chief Development Officer responsible for managing donor inquiries and corporate sponsorship discussions.
- Progressive Policy Institute Partner — Collaborated on the Reinventing Schools Project to produce online panels examining key K-12 education issues.
- Read the Latest Partner — Link to opinion content; likely internal navigation, not a true external partnership
- Texas State Board of Education Government — Reports on education policy decisions made by the Texas State Board of Education.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Field-Informed Journalism to Amplify Practitioner and Community Voicesmethodology: field-informed journalismBy grounding journalism in the lived experiences and insights of educators and communities, we clarify complex challenges in early learning and amplify bottom-up solutions, because authentic, field-driven narratives lead to more relevant public understanding and meaningful sector progress.
- High-Quality Journalism to Inform the Public and Strengthen Civic Engagementmethodology: civic-informative-journalismBy producing reliable, in-depth journalism, we enable the public to understand complex education issues and hold systems accountable, because an informed citizenry is essential to democratic participation and systemic accountability in education.
- Investigative Journalism to Expose Systemic Problems and Highlight Solutionsmethodology: investigative-journalism-for-systemic-changeBy using data-driven and investigative journalism, we expose systemic failures in education and elevate proven solutions and changemakers, because spotlighting both dysfunction and innovation creates public demand for reform and informs effective policy.
- Strategic Use of Multimedia to Increase Accessibility and Public Understandingmethodology: multimedia_public_educationBy translating complex education topics into accessible formats such as videos, podcasts, and newsletters, we broaden public engagement, because diverse media lower barriers to understanding and sustain attention on critical issues across different audience segments.