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Non-profit

National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)

Website:

www.nctq.org/
Location:

Wasington, DC
Tax ID:

04-3536571
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2023):

Revenue: $4,580,569
Expenses: $2,851,274
Assets: $4,270,218
Type:

Education research group
President:

Heather Peake

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The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) is a think tank that provides research into education-related topics such as teachers’ pay and school employee unionization. The group also uses this research to provide advocate education policies such as increased pay for school staff and encouraging unionization. 1

Advocacy

Compensation

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) advocates for performance-based compensation for teachers based on the academic performance of students through standardized test scores as well as through teacher evaluations. 2

Unionization

NCTQ manages an online database of teacher contracts from 145 school districts across the country and allowing teachers and other educational staff to compare their contracts with one another. Specific data includes teacher evaluation standards, workday hours, and both salary and collective bargaining rights held by different school districts. 3

Teaching Policy

In 2020, NCTQ released a publication on its website arguing against a study posted by the National Bureau of Economic Research that year which advocated for teacher switching, a practice where best performing classrooms are paired with teachers based on academic performance and conduct observed by the teacher. NCTQ claimed that such standards would create an unequal gap between highest and lowest-scoring students. 4

A publication on the NCTQ website advocates in favor of “teacher diversity,” or increasing the number “teachers of color.” The article claims efforts to diversify the school workforce “have not kept pace with rapidly diversifying adult and student populations.” 5 NCTQ also maintains a “Teacher Diversity Dashboard” on its website that alleges to show data on “[h]ow well represented…teachers from historically disadvantaged groups in the United States [are].” 6

Finance

According to its 2023 990 tax form, the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) reported revenue of $3,958,485, with $3,904,778 of which coming from contributions of grants. That same year, NCTQ reported expenses of $3,163,196 and net assets of $4,980,136. 7

In 2022, NCTQ received funding from several organizations including $260,000 grant from Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund 8 and $250,000 from the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program. 9 In 2018, NCTQ received $308,447 from the Gates Foundation, 10 $225,000 from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, 10 $100,00 from the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, 10 $100,000 from the Boston Foundation, 11 $75,000 from the Sidney A. Swensrud Foundation, 10 $20,000 from the California Endowment, 10 $20,000 from the Chamberlin Family Foundation. 10

Leadership

As of October 2025, Heather Peake is the president of National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). Prior to working at NCTQ, Peake held leadership roles at The Education Trust and Teach Plus. Peake also worked as an elementary school teacher in Baton Rouge and held a senior position at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary Secondary Education (MA DESE). 12

References

  1. “National Council on Teacher Quality.” National Council on Teacher Quality. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.nctq.org/.
  2. “Teacher Compensation Strategies.” National Council on Teacher Quality, September 2022. https://www.nctq.org/research-insights/state-of-the-states-2022-teacher-compensation-strategies/.
  3. “Teacher Contract Database” National Council on Teacher Quality. https://www.nctq.org/contract-database/home
  4.  “If you can’t have it all, prioritize equity” National Council on Teacher Quality. https://www.nctq.org/blog/If-you-cant-have-it-all,-prioritize-equity
  5.  “Teacher Diversity.” National Council on Teacher Quality. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.nctq.org/policy-area/teacher-diversity/.
  6.  [1] “Teacher Diversity Dashboard.” Teacher Diversity NCTQ. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://teacherdiversity.nctq.org/dashboard/.
  7. “National Council on Teacher Quality,  2023 Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer .” ProPublica. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/43536571/202500999349301100/full.
  8. “Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, Form 990, Schedule I – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/110303001/202430459349302913/IRS990ScheduleI.
  9. “Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, Form 990, Schedule I – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/232888152/202441359349309439/IRS990ScheduleI.
  10. “Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed October 9, 2025.Part XV.
  11. “Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax” Guidestar.org. Accessed October 9, 2025.Schedule I. Part II(a)(1267-1268).
  12.  “Heather Peske.” National Council on Teacher Quality. Accessed October 9, 2025. https://www.nctq.org/people/heather-peske/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: September - August
  • Tax Exemption Received: February 1, 2001

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2023 Sep Form 990 $4,580,569 $2,851,274 $4,270,218 $85,371 N $4,497,815 $0 $35,742 $642,899
    2022 Sep Form 990 $2,378,006 $2,864,433 $2,597,023 $141,471 N $2,374,208 $0 $2,734 $453,105
    2021 Sep Form 990 $3,483,567 $2,833,443 $3,372,011 $430,032 N $3,477,523 $0 $5,948 $247,592 PDF
    2020 Sep Form 990 $1,776,187 $3,183,508 $2,771,429 $479,574 N $1,756,200 $12,336 $7,651 $248,467 PDF
    2019 Sep Form 990 $3,139,744 $3,207,201 $3,885,816 $186,640 N $3,108,850 $12,289 $18,605 $203,838 PDF
    2018 Sep Form 990 $3,344,368 $3,315,904 $3,935,425 $168,792 Y $3,153,547 $134,783 $9,710 $212,988 PDF
    2017 Sep Form 990 $3,109,653 $3,557,049 $4,136,046 $517,681 N $3,004,348 $68,273 $4,032 $212,259 PDF
    2016 Sep Form 990 $3,094,912 $4,299,675 $4,722,086 $656,325 N $3,016,332 $75,251 $3,329 $338,188 PDF
    2015 Sep Form 990 $6,805,662 $4,474,972 $6,001,182 $730,658 N $6,787,209 $17,828 $625 $389,051 PDF
    2014 Sep Form 990 $2,429,588 $4,881,954 $3,763,286 $823,452 N $2,409,255 $19,581 $752 $390,150 PDF
    2013 Sep Form 990 $2,660,421 $4,361,968 $1,452,082 $219,680 N $2,621,580 $0 $1,020 $346,270 PDF
    2012 Sep Form 990 $4,441,137 $3,591,104 $3,140,758 $206,809 N $4,410,258 $0 $1,163 $347,950 PDF
    2011 Sep Form 990 $2,248,812 $2,498,172 $2,204,504 $120,588 N $2,245,694 $0 $1,618 $298,636 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)

    1032 15TH STREET NW 242
    Wasington, DC 20005-1502