Form 990 for tax year 2025

Totals

Total revenue

$7,966,249

Total expenses

$8,068,229

Contributions and grants received

$327,820

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$5,227,854

Investment income

$45,208

Other revenue

$2,365,367

Total assets, end of year

$4,684,846

Total liabilities, end of year

$3,323,168

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$1,361,678

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$6,870,800

Management and general expenses

$1,197,429

Fundraising expenses

$0

Program service expenses (Part III)

$6,870,800

Program services were 85.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2025

• CONVENTION: THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN'S (CEC) ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO IS THE LARGEST INTERNATIONAL GATHERING OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS. EACH YEAR, THOUSANDS OF EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, RESEARCHERS, AND ADVOCATES COME TOGETHER TO SHARE THE LATEST RESEARCH, BEST PRACTICES, AND INNOVATIONS IN THE FIELD. THE CONVENTION OFFERS HUNDREDS OF SESSIONS ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HELP PARTICIPANTS STRENGTHEN THEIR SKILLS AND ADVANCE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE EXPO SHOWCASES TOOLS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT EFFECTIVE PRACTICE. MORE THAN A CONFERENCE, THE CEC CONVENTION IS A VIBRANT COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE THAT INSPIRES COLLABORATION AND EMPOWERS EDUCATORS TO MAKE A GREATER IMPACT.

  Expenses $1,905,174 · Revenue $3,048,321

• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CEC OFFERS HIGH-QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DESIGNED TO MEET THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF SPECIAL EDUCATORS AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR CAREERS. THROUGH WEBINARS, ONLINE COURSES, WORKSHOPS, CUSTOM TRAININGS, AND IN-PERSON LEARNING AT THE ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO, CEC PROVIDES PRACTICAL STRATEGIES, EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, AND THE LATEST RESEARCH IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES COVER A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, FROM CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES TO POLICY AND LEADERSHIP. WITH FLEXIBLE FORMATS AND EXPERT-LED CONTENT, CEC EQUIPS EDUCATORS WITH THE TOOLS AND CONFIDENCE THEY NEED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND ADVANCE THEIR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH.

  Expenses $1,486,145

• OUTREACH:PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION STANDARDS: THE COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN'S PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION STANDARDS DEFINE THE SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE SPECIAL EDUCATORS MUST MASTER FOR SAFE AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICE. THESE STANDARDS ARE USED TO INFORM SPECIAL EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS, ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATIONS, AND CREDENTIALING AGENCIES. FROM OUR EARLIEST DAYS, WE'VE RECOGNIZED THE CRITICAL ROLE OF STANDARDS IN DEFINING SPECIAL EDUCATION AS A PROFESSION. IN 1922, AT ITS INAUGURAL MEETING, THE FOUNDERS OF CEC IDENTIFIED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AS ONE OF THE PRIMARY AIMS OF THE ORGANIZATION. WE'VE EMBRACED THIS RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE BEEN A LEADER AMONG EDUCATION ASSOCIATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES, PREPARATION STANDARDS, AND RESOURCES FOR USING THE STANDARDS. CEC HAS AND CONTINUES TO USE A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS THAT ENSURES THAT ITS STANDARDS ARE CURRENT, RESEARCH-BASED, AND DESIGNED TO FULLY ADDRESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS SPECIAL EDUCATORS MUST MASTER.YES I CAN AWARDS: CEC'S YES I CAN AWARDS RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED EXCELLENCE IN AREAS SUCH AS ACADEMICS, ARTS, SELF-ADVOCACY, TECHNOLOGY, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. EACH YEAR, CEC HONORS AWARD RECIPIENTS AT ITS ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO, CELEBRATING THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND SHARING THEIR STORIES WITH THOUSANDS OF EDUCATORS, FAMILIES, AND PEERS. THE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS THE POTENTIAL AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHILE INSPIRING EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITIES TO CONTINUE FOSTERING INCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES. THROUGH YES I CAN, CEC SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THE STRENGTHS AND SUCCESSES OF STUDENTS, REINFORCING ITS MISSION TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD IS SUPPORTED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: CEC'S DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (DLA) DEVELOPS AND EMPOWERS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS TO BECOME STRONG LEADERS IN THE FIELD. THROUGH A TWO YEAR-LONG PROGRAM OF MENTORSHIP, TRAINING, AND NETWORKING, PARTICIPANTS BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS, DEEPEN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF POLICY AND PRACTICE, AND ENGAGE WITH PEERS WHO SHARE A COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION. THE DLA NOT ONLY SUPPORTS INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL GROWTH BUT ALSO STRENGTHENS THE PROFESSION BY ENSURING DIVERSE VOICES AND PERSPECTIVES ARE REPRESENTED IN LEADERSHIP ROLES. BY CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS, THE PROGRAM ADVANCES CEC'S MISSION TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

  Expenses $1,403,380

• MEMBERSHIP: CEC'S MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM CONNECTS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS TO A COMMUNITY DEDICATED TO IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. MEMBERS GAIN ACCESS TO TRUSTED RESOURCES, INCLUDING JOURNALS AND PUBLICATIONS, PRACTICE GUIDANCE, POLICY UPDATES, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. MEMBERSHIP ALSO OFFERS ACCESS TO CEC'S ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO, ONLINE LEARNING, AND SPECIALTY DIVISIONS FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC AREAS OF PRACTICE. BEYOND RESOURCES, MEMBERSHIP PROVIDES A NETWORK OF PEERS AND MENTORS WHO SHARE KNOWLEDGE, OFFER SUPPORT, AND STRENGTHEN THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF THE FIELD.

  Expenses $1,301,876 · Revenue $1,636,639

• POLICY & STANDARDS: CEC LEADS NATIONAL EFFORTS TO ADVANCE POLICIES THAT IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE THEM. THROUGH DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH LAWMAKERS, COALITION PARTNERSHIPS, AND GRASSROOTS MOBILIZATION OF ITS MEMBERS, CEC ADVOCATES FOR STRONG FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TIMELY POLICY UPDATES AND RESOURCES THAT HELP EDUCATORS UNDERSTAND AND INFLUENCE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. BY AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS, CEC ENSURES THAT CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE FIELD REMAIN AT THE FOREFRONT OF EDUCATION POLICY.

  Expenses $511,034

• ACCREDITATION: CEC ACCREDITATION PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH A PROGRAM OF SELF-STUDY FOR CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF HOW THEY PREPARE SPECIAL EDUCATORS FOR THE DEMANDS OF TEACHING SPECIAL EDUCATION. THROUGH THREE CYCLES OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS FOCUSING ON THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS, PROGRAMS DOCUMENT THEIR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND INNOVATIVE SPECIAL EDUCATOR PREPARATION PRACTICES. EC ACCREDITATION IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING CANDIDATE PROFICIENCIES, CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE ON CEC STANDARDS, PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY, AND CONTEXTUAL INDICATORS OF QUALITY IN ALIGNMENT TO THE EXISTING CEC PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION STANDARDS.

  Expenses $263,191 · Revenue $927,904

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2025

Filed

30 June 2026

IRS schema version

2025v4.2

Source object

202641819349300234

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