COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

Financials

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)

3100 CLARENDON BLVD STE 600, ARLINGTON, VA 22201-5332

Principal officer (990 for 2025)

CHAD RUMMEL, 3100 CLARENDON BLVD 600, ARLINGTON, VA 22201

Signed the 990

CHAD RUMMEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Phone

(703) 620-3660

Website

EXCEPTIONALCHILDREN.ORG

Return prepared by

WEGNER CPAS LLP

Mission

CULTIVATING, SUPPORTING, AND EMPOWERING EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES BY: ADVOCATING FOR EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS AND FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND/OR GIFTS AND TALENTS; ADVANCING PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND SCHOLARLY RESEARCH; PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSIVITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY; BUILDING NETWORKS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITIES.

Program accomplishments

• 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

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

IRS record

EIN

52-0886495

Tax-exempt status

501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization

Foundation status

Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))

Donations deductible (Pub 78)

Public charity, 50% deduction limit

Exempt since

1988

Accounting year ends

December

Files

Form 990 or 990-EZ

Assets (IRS master file)

$4,684,846

Income (IRS master file)

$8,142,094

Filing history

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 52-0886495).

Questions about COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

What is the EIN of COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN?

The employer identification number (EIN) of COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN is 52-0886495.

Is COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN tax-exempt?

Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1988.

Are donations to COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN tax-deductible?

Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).

Which annual return does COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN file?

Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.

When is the next return of COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN due?

The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.

When did COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN last file with the IRS?

The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.

Who is the principal officer of COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names CHAD RUMMEL.

Who are the officers and directors of COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN?

The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 22 people; 7 received compensation from the organization, the highest $311,201 (CHAD RUMMEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & SECRETARY).

How much revenue does COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN have?

On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $7,966,249, expenses of $8,068,229 and total assets of $4,684,846 at year end.

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