irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $90KDesign Challenge Schools That Can works with teachers and students in middle and high schools to bring powerful real-world learning programming to our schools, empowering students to drive their own learning while developing social-emotional and technical skills that will help them pursue their passions in high school and beyond. Teams of middle and high school students engage in design thinking challenges to solve local community problems while their teachers gain aligned, cohort-based professional learning to incorporate design thinking as a problem-solving approach in their instructional practice. Businesses and nonprofits in each city serve as the client for the challenge and support local teams, including by providing professionals to mentor student design teams.
- #2 $72KOther Programs & PLG In addition to STCs signature programs and Thought Leadership series, STC runs several local initiatives, many in collaboration with local companies and organizations, to support work-based learning. For instance, our STC offices have run various workforce development workshops and internship programs with local partners to expose their students to real-world situations that connect their education to potential employment opportunities.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Design Challenge
Students in middle and high schools engage in design thinking projects to solve local community problems, mentored by professionals from local businesses and nonprofits; teachers receive cohort-based professional development
Design Day Challenge
Annual community event where middle school students participate in project-based design challenges, often tied to local needs
Professional Learning Groups (PLGs)
Supports cohorts of educators through inquiry and improvement cycles to integrate real-world learning into classroom instruction
STEM Maker Fellows Program
Provides training, curriculum, and support for K-8 teachers to establish and run makerspaces in their schools, promoting hands-on STEM learning
Workforce Development Workshops
Workshops and internship programs in partnership with local organizations to expose students to real-world careers and employment pathways
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 4 activities
- Career readiness curriculum deliveryDelivers a customizable, end-to-end career readiness curriculum in high schools across New York, Newark, Pittsburgh, and Chicago, supporting students in developing postsecondary plans, professional communication skills, resumes, cover letters, financial literacy, and career exploration through engagement with volunteer professionals. Scaled from a pilot of 200 students to serving 3,600 students with 125 hours of curriculum.
- Classroom facilitation and educator collaborationDeploys trained facilitators to co-teach career readiness lessons in K-12 classrooms alongside school teachers, delivering student-centered, culturally relevant programming focused on real-world learning and workforce preparation.
- School system capacity buildingSupports K–12 schools in integrating career-connected learning into classrooms, securing student internship opportunities, and establishing makerspaces through training, curriculum provision, and systems-level support, including engagement with CTE Advisory Committees and CTSOs.
- Work-based learning experiencesProvides hands-on work-based learning opportunities including mock interviews, career chats with professionals, micro-internships, internships, apprenticeships, and workplace challenges, often supported by partnerships with local businesses and organizations such as Prudential. Includes structured skill-building in professional communication and collaboration, with 87% of students reporting increased job interview preparedness.
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Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Educator capacity building and professional learningBuilds educator and school leader capacity through Professional Learning Groups, Study Groups, and improvement cycles that support inquiry-based development, curriculum integration, and teaching practices for real-world learning. Includes development of tools like the Real-World Learning Rubric and a specialized ELL rubric.
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Educator Conferences & Professional Development Events 1 activity
- National forums and public education eventsHosts the annual Schools That Can Forum (in-person until 2020, virtual since), STC Ed Chat Series, and other public convenings that bring together educators, thought leaders, and industry representatives to discuss K–12 education, equity, AI, and workforce readiness. Also presents the RFK Education Awards annually.
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Career and Technical Education Programs 1 activity
- Regional education programs in NewarkProvides targeted educational and career readiness programming for historically marginalized K–12 students in Newark, including contracting with the Newark Board of Education to deliver curriculum in eight high schools, launching a citywide work-based learning ecosystem in 2024–2025, and operating an English Language Learner (ELL) pilot program.
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Project-Based Learning Programs 1 activity
- Student design and innovation challengesOrganizes annual design thinking challenges and Design Day events for middle and high school students to solve local community problems using project-based learning, mentorship from professionals, and public presentations of solutions. Includes expansion plans for a student-centered symposium in 2025 and has engaged over 70 students in AI-focused symposia.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Volunteer engagement for student supportOffers flexible, approximately one-hour volunteer opportunities for professionals to engage in student support activities such as mock interviews and resume reviews, connecting classroom learning to real-world expertise.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$965K
Contributions & grants$751K78%
Program service revenue$162K17%
Investment income$53K5%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$926K
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$590K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.76M
Cash$1.62M
Investments$0
Liabilities$26K
Net assets$1.74M
Liquid reserves20.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +16.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caroline Bretter | CFO | 20 | $50K |
board members · 16
- Brian Carr — Vice Chair
- Donald Collat — Director
- Elizabeth Trongone Layne — Director
- Jeremy Leventhal — Director
- John Kushner — Treasurer
- Mark Thaler — Director
- Matthew Shmanske — Director
- Matthew Wunder — Director
- Michael Druckman — Executive Chair
- Nancy Druckman — Director
- Paul LeBlanc — Director
- Preetam Dutta — Director
- Riqueza Feaster — Director
- Robert da Silva Ashley — Director
- Ruth Arnould — Secretary
- Steve Bloom — Director
relationships · 64
Who they work with
- Abraham Lincoln High School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in New York
- Academy for Global Citizenship Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Chicago
- Academy of the Pacific Rim Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Boston
- Accelerated Elementary School (ACES) Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Los Angeles
- Achieve Community Charter School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Newark
- Atonement Lutheran School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Milwaukee
- Bard High School Early College Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Newark
- Brashear High School (PPS) Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Pittsburgh
- Brooke Charter Schools Network Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Boston
- Carmen Middle/High School of Science and Technology: Northwest Campus Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Milwaukee
- Catalyst Circle Rock Charter Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Chicago
- Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Indianapolis
- Chicago Architecture Center Partner — Previous Design Challenge partner engaging students in design thinking related to architecture and urban challenges.
- Clairton City School District Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Pittsburgh
- Community Partnership School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Philadelphia
- Cristo Rey Boston High School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Boston
- DC Prep Edgewood Middle Campus Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Washington, DC
- Da Vinci Connect High School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Los Angeles
- Detroit Edison Public School Academy Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Detroit
- E.L. Haynes Public Charter School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Washington, DC
- Food and Finance High School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in New York
- Frazier Elementary School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Pittsburgh
- Global Leadership Academy Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Philadelphia
- Grow with Google Partner — Previous Design Challenge partner supporting student teams with professional mentorship and community problem-solving challenges.
- HOPE Christian School: Fortis Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Milwaukee
- Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in St. Louis
- Hellenic Classical Charter School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in New York
- Johnson Jennings Junior High Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in St. Louis
- KIPP Newark Lab High School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Newark
- Kenwood Academy High School Network — Recognized as part of the Schools That Can national network in Chicago
+ 34 more
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.
- Design Thinking for Real-World Problem Solvingmethodology: design_thinkingBy engaging students in design thinking challenges that solve local community problems with guidance from industry professionals, the organization connects learning to real-world impact because hands-on, solution-focused projects develop critical thinking and agency.
- Integrated Academic and Career Readiness Curriculummethodology: academic-career_integrationBy embedding career readiness into the school day with sequenced, customizable units aligned to literacy and numeracy, the organization reinforces academic and professional skills because integrating real-world applications into core education strengthens mastery and motivation.
- Student-Centered, Culturally Responsive Career Educationmethodology: culturally_responsive_career_educationBy delivering customizable, culturally relevant curriculum through in-school facilitators who meet students where they are, the organization increases engagement and skill development because relevance and ownership foster deeper investment in career exploration and academic growth.
- Work-Based Learning with Employer Partnershipsmethodology: work-based_learningBy partnering with local businesses and nonprofits to integrate real-world experiences like mock interviews, micro-internships, and student-led design challenges, the organization connects classroom learning to employment pathways because authentic professional engagement builds student skills, confidence, and career awareness.