2017-11-13T15:05:11-08:00 2016-12-31 Blazek & Vetterling 2900 Weslayan Suite 200 Houston TX 770275132 990 2016-01-01 760681611 Center for Reform of School Systems Inc CENT 7136829888 448 W 19th Street Houston TX 77008 Cathy Mincberg President & CEO 2017-11-13 true Jody Blazek P00072674 7134395739 X 2016 2017-02-10 21:41:12Z X Cathy Mincberg 448 W 19th Street 509 Houston TX 77018 229688 false false X www.crss.org X 2001 TX CRSS supports school districts and community leaders who want to become more effective school reformers. Primary activities are training institutes for board members, board and superintendent teams, and research on urban school district leadership. 10 9 4 0 3476045 130000 191666 91588 740 1070 1371 7030 3669822 229688 0 0 605106 565713 0 10511 966109 1432142 1571215 1997855 2098607 -1768167 3225007 1507500 74434 125094 3150573 1382406 The mission for the Center for Reform of School Systems is to teach school board members and superintendents how to transform their districts for high student achievement, because every community deserves a great school district. false false 1561677 School by Design: CRSS will train a cohort of experts from its current talent cloud to work with districts to maximize school and district resources, so that both can provide embedded Professional Development (PD), (through the software resource, School by Design, developed by TimeWise and Amplify) that is data driven, high quality and supported by teachers. This program includes development of training materials and the creation of expertise in the cadre and the district staff. 246008 Texas Institute and related projects: This four-day seminar offers newly elected board members from the largest Texas school districts the knowledge, political skills, and courage to become effective policy leaders. After the institute, participants are provided coordinated support through the Texas Fellows Alumni program, including an annual retreat and a workshop held in conjunction with the Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards annual fall convention. 142890 98618 CRSS offers training to school district leadership teams throughout the country (Governance Solutions). Our training programs are designed for school boards who want to govern in such a way that their districts will see improved student achievement. We offer training in both good governance practices as well as strategies for district redesign through change leadership, all based on the Reform Governance in Action (RGA) framework. Our unique Reform Governance model asks boards not just to govern well, but to govern for high achievement. Our commitment to learning by the case method makes our organization unique in the nation. CRSS is dedicated to helping school district leaders educate all of the nation's children to grade level or above and eliminate the achievement gap. 1950575 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 23 0 true 4 true false false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false false false false X 10 9 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true false false X April McIntosh 7136829888 1533 Althea Drive Houston TX 77018 Donald R McAdams Chairman 1.00 0.00 X X 23500 0 0 Leslie Blanton Secretary 1.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Rafael Anchia Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Paula Arnold Finance Comm 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Sarah Glover Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Robert W Houston Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Steven Martinez Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Mike Moses Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Roderick Paige Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Carri Baker Wells Director 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Cathy Mincberg President & CEO 40.00 0.00 X 266320 0 13817 April McIntosh CFO 35.00 0.00 X 57801 0 6052 347621 19869 1 false true false Education by Design LLC 43 Foundry Avenue Waltham MA 02453 Tech serv & design 350520 Amplify PO Box 9178 Uniondale NY 115559178 Tech serv & design 311500 TimeWise Schools LLC PO Box 191311 Boise ID 837191311 Consulting 255068 3 130000 130000 Educational seminars 900099 23285 23285 Training fees 900099 68303 68303 91588 1070 1070 0 0 0 0 0 0 7030 7030 7030 0 229688 98618 1070 X 0 0 0 0 373543 356040 14002 3501 0 152392 144772 6096 1524 0 9800 9310 392 98 29978 28479 1199 300 0 0 14019 12141 953 925 0 0 0 1067321 1065749 1572 0 33350 28455 3982 913 6269 5664 306 299 0 43456 36073 4663 2720 262239 260426 1813 0 435 435 0 0 1553 1553 3500 3031 238 231 0 1997855 1950575 36769 10511 23793 21209 1079726 883249 2068947 567854 45956 27955 0 0 0 0 3099 5299 7766 5832 3486 1934 0 0 0 0 0 3225007 1507500 74434 125094 74434 125094 X 37266 -169224 3113307 1551630 3150573 1382406 3225007 1507500 -1768167 X false true X false false X 140890 718198 155000 182098 130000 1326186 0 0 140890 718198 155000 182098 130000 1326186 920240 405946 2285 341 768 740 1070 5204 0 0 1331390 1706849 0.30490 0.24500 X Prior Year Facts and Circumstances: Center for Reform of School Systems ("CRSS") submits that throughout its existence to date and in the future, it qualifies as a public charity under Internal Revenue Code 509(a)(1) by satisfying the requirements of Regulations 1.170A-9(f)(3) as follows:(i). Ten Percent Test: CRSS has historically and normally can be expected in the future to receive over 10% of its total support from the general public.(ii). Attraction of Public Support: CRSS is dedicated to improving the governance of public school districts and it has to-date attracted gifts from two major foundations in support of its efforts in addition to modest donations from other contributors. Those large gifts have caused the public support percentage to be low. (iii). Percentage of Financial Support: CRSS received about 30% of its total support from public sources during the past five years. The ratio may never reach 33-1/3% due to the magnitude of the aforementioned Foundation grants. (iv). Sources of Support: CRSS receives its support from a representative number of foundations and individuals, rather than receiving almost all of its support from the members of a single family or small group of individuals. CRSS has to date received gifts from over 100 contributors. The Center has created a marketing and fundraising plan for the 2017 and 2018 fiscal years to increase program service fees in Governance Solutions and School by Design and increase sponsorship opportunities within the Texas Institute programs.(v). Representative Governing Body: CRSS's board of directors includes two school board members from major urban districts, two former school board members, and prominent business, legal, and civic leaders. These people were selected for their broad representation and their interest in public school districts, which serve the general public in the broadest sense possible. None of the board members are interested parties of the major foundations or corporations that give support.(vi). Availability of Facilities or Services and Public Participation: CRSS's programs serve school boards and those who work with them. Nothing could be more clearly focused on the general public, for public school districts exist to provide a public good and serve the public in the broadest sense possible.CONCLUSION: CRSS believes it qualifies as a publicly supported charity described in IRC 509(a)(1) pursuant to the facts and circumstances test found in Treasury Regulation 1.170A-9(f)(3). CRSS is governed by a public board and possesses all the characteristics that describe organizations that meet this test. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 7766 5832 1934 1934 229688 229688 229688 1997855 1997855 1997855 X X false false false false false false false false false false Cathy Mincberg President & CEO 246400 19440 480 13817 280137 Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b: Form 990 Review Process The Form 990 is reviewed by the finance committee prior to providing a copy to the full board and filing with the IRS. Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c: Explanation of Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflicts All board members fill out a conflict of interest disclosure form when they accept the position with the board. They are required to fill out a new form annually. Form 990, Part VI, Line 15a: Compensation Review & Approval Process - CEO, Top Management A compensation survey of the non-profit industry is used to determine comparability for all positions at CRSS. Persons independent of those being compensated vote to approve compensation. The Board votes on the President's salary annually. Form 990, Part VI, Line 19: Other Organization Documents Publicly Available Available upon request.