National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ)
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
Contents
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
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
| Year | Total Assets | Total Revenue | Total Expenses | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,074,370 | $5,720,895 | $3,808,916 | View |
| 2024 | $5,095,714 | $3,958,485 | $3,163,196 | View |
| 2023 | $4,270,218 | $4,580,569 | $2,851,274 | View |
| 2022 | $2,597,023 | $2,378,006 | $2,864,433 | View |
| 2021 | $3,372,011 | $3,483,567 | $2,833,443 | View |
| 2020 | $2,771,429 | $1,776,187 | $3,183,508 |
Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
Revenue Detail
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
- Number of Employees: 14
Highest Earning Employees
Grant Activity
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $49,981,449
- Number of Grants: 353
- Number of Funders: 98
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years: