Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

What Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching does

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is a private, non-profit operating foundation chartered by an act of Congress in 1906 and headquartered at 51 Vista Lane, Stanford, California. Founded in 1905 by Andrew Carnegie, it employs 51-100 staff and operates as an independent policy and research organization distinct from other Carnegie philanthropies. Its mission is to catalyze transformational change in American education through two strategic pillars: High School Transformation (shifting from time-based to competency-based learning) and Postsecondary Innovation (redefining institutional excellence via the Carnegie Classifications). Core products include the Carnegie Classifications system (the nation's gold standard for organizing higher education for over 50 years), the new Opportunity Colleges and Universities designation (478 institutions recognized), the Future of High School Network (24 school systems), Skills Progressions for Collaboration/Communication/Critical Thinking (developed jointly with ETS), the National R&D Agenda for High School Transformation, the Carnegie Award for Impact, and an Improvement Science methodology built on networked improvement communities. The Foundation also convenes the annual Carnegie Summit on Improvement in Education and contributes to teacher pathway redesign through a 28-state coalition with the College Board.

Name

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Legal name

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Website

https://carnegiefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is a private operating foundation, chartered by Congress in 1906, that drives U.S. education transformation through the Carnegie Classifications, the Future of High School Network, and competency-based learning frameworks developed with partners like ETS and the College Board.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Policy and Research

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (6117), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Education policy research
• Higher education classification
• High school transformation
• Competency-based learning
• Improvement science

Headquarters

HQ city

Stanford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Endowment Income: The Carnegie Foundation is a private operating foundation chartered by Congress in 1905/1906. It uses income from an endowment to support its activities and does not award grants or scholarships. As an operating foundation, it conducts its own programs rather than funding external grantees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Carnegie Foundation is a private operating foundation that produces research-based frameworks, classification systems, and networked improvement communities to transform American education. It operates two strategic aims—High School Transformation and Postsecondary Innovation—through programs such as the Carnegie Classifications, Skills Progressions (with ETS), the Future of High School Network, and the National R&D Agenda for competency-based learning.

Product overview

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is a nonprofit policy and research organization (operating foundation, not a grant-making foundation) focused on catalyzing transformational change in American education. Its work spans two strategic aims: High School Transformation and Postsecondary Innovation. The product portfolio includes: (1) High School Transformation programs such as the Future of High School Network (24 school systems), Skills Progressions for Collaboration/Communication/Critical Thinking (developed with ETS), Skills for the Future assessment tools, Learning Experiences initiative with XQ, and the National R&D Agenda for competency-based learning; (2) Postsecondary Innovation including the Carnegie Classifications system and the new Opportunity Colleges and Universities (OCU) designation recognizing 478 institutions; (3) Improvement Science methodology programs with resources, professional learning, and the Carnegie Award for Impact. The Foundation also maintains the historical Carnegie Unit credit hour standard and publishes research through its Improvement Science Collection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Carnegie Classifications A classification system for U.S. colleges and universities that organizes institutions by type and recognizes excellence, now including the Student Access and Earnings Classification for higher education institutions and policymakers.
• Opportunity Colleges and Universities (OCU) Classification A new designation within the Carnegie Classifications that recognizes institutions fostering opportunities for students and serving non-traditional student populations, awarded to colleges and universities demonstrating strong student access and earnings outcomes.
• Skills Progressions Research-based definitions and developmental frameworks for essential skills needed in school, work, and life, developed jointly with ETS. Targets K-12 and postsecondary education systems for competency-based assessment.
• Future of High School Network A network of 24 diverse high school systems dedicated to competency-based learning, supported by local and state leadership, designed to catalyze learning and innovation among participating districts.
• Skills for the Future A partnership with ETS to develop a robust, scalable suite of assessment and analytic tools that captures the full range of skills required for students to succeed in K-12, postsecondary education, and beyond.
• National Research and Development Agenda for High School Transformation A research and development agenda released in July 2025 that focuses national attention on the knowledge and tools required to support competency-based learning at scale, with actionable priorities for transforming American high schools.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 2026 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification recognized 230+ U.S. colleges and universities for community engagement excellence.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ETS (Educational Testing Service)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026The Carnegie Foundation and ETS jointly released the first three Skills Progressions for Collaboration, Communication, and Critical Thinking in January 2026, establishing research-based definitions and developmental frameworks for essential skills needed in school, work, and life. The organizations plan to release additional Progressions later in 2026 as part of a broader multiyear effort to transform American high school education. ETS and Carnegie are also collaborating on Skills for the Future, a suite of assessment and analytic tools that captures the full range of skills required for students to succeed in K-12, post-secondary education, and beyond.
• College BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025College Board announced a partnership with the Carnegie Foundation in December 2025 to launch a multi-state coalition to redesign teacher pathways and update certification systems, expanding the teacher pipeline for career-connected coursework. This addresses growing student disengagement with traditional high school, declining college enrollment, and persistent CTE teacher shortages across 28 states.
• XQ InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Carnegie Foundation partners with the XQ Institute on the Future of High School Innovation series and the Learning Experience Design Initiative. XQ is committed to transforming public high schools to close achievement and opportunity gaps. The XQ Learning Experience Initiative is a strategic effort to produce and test a collection of curricular materials that will put accessible and powerful student learning within reach of high school teachers and students everywhere.
• Future of High School NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA network launched in Spring 2025 (expanding to 24 diverse high school systems as of 2025) dedicated to competency-based learning and supported by local and state leadership. The network is designed to catalyze learning and innovation among participants and serve as a locus for knowledge-building and piloting new tools.
• American Council on Education (ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2022, operational responsibility for all elements of Carnegie Classifications (Universal and Elective) was transferred to the American Council on Education (ACE), allowing the Foundation to maintain a long-term relationship ensuring stability, conceptual coherence, and operational consistency. The two organizations jointly administer the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification.
• Future of High School Network Partner Districts and SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Future of High School Network includes 24 diverse high school systems (as of the June 2025 launch announcement) dedicated to competency-based learning. States represented include Indiana (leading through diploma redesign), Virginia (Henrico County high schools pilot), and others nationwide.
• CORE DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCORE Districts' Breakthrough Success Community received the first Carnegie Award for Impact in 2026, recognized as a leading example of significant impact on student success. CORE is a network of California school districts known for data-driven improvement and competency-based approaches.
• Henrico County Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Henrico County high schools launched a pilot program in partnership with the Carnegie Foundation to redesign the ninth-grade experience, focusing on competency-based learning and student engagement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Gates Foundation's U.S. Program includes substantial K-12 redesign and postsecondary completion initiatives (e.g., networks for college success, high school transformation grants). Comparable in mission scope and education influence but operates at vastly larger scale across global health and education.
• William and Flora Hewlett Foundation: Hewlett's Education Program funds deeper learning, open educational resources, and K-12/postsecondary innovation — overlapping with Carnegie's competency-based transformation agenda. Former Carnegie Impact Lab Director David Sherer led Hewlett's Deeper Learning initiative.

Direct peers

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): JFF advances career-connected, competency-based, and equitable pathways from education to work — overlapping directly with Carnegie's Future of High School Network and Skills Progressions work. JFF's Pathways to Prosperity network complements Carnegie's frameworks in practice.
• American Council on Education (ACE): ACE took over operational responsibility for Carnegie Classifications in 2022 and co-administers the Community Engagement Classification with Carnegie. ACE is the primary institutional peer in executing the Postsecondary Innovation agenda and shares Carnegie's higher-education orientation.
• Lumina Foundation: Lumina Foundation is a private foundation focused on postsecondary access, attainment, and outcomes — directly comparable to Carnegie's Postsecondary Innovation strategic aim and OCU classification work. Both foundations drive national higher-education accountability metrics beyond prestige.
• XQ Institute: XQ is a Carnegie strategic partner on the Future of High School Innovation series and Learning Experience Design Initiative. Both organizations share a near-identical mission to redesign American high schools around engagement and equity, making XQ the closest direct collaborator-peer.
• Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) Education: CZI's education arm funds science of learning, whole-child approaches, and student-centered pathways — overlapping directly with Carnegie's High School Transformation work. Multiple Carnegie leaders (Brooke Stafford-Brizard, Michelle Best, Abroo Khan) joined from CZI, evidencing close organizational affinity.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Carnegie Corporation is a separate Andrew Carnegie-founded philanthropy with substantial education grantmaking in K-12 and postsecondary access. Sharing the Carnegie brand and education mission, it is a natural structural peer despite being independently governed and larger in scale.

Others

• Educational Testing Service (ETS): ETS is Carnegie's primary strategic co-development partner on Skills Progressions and the Skills for the Future assessment suite. ETS was itself originally created by Carnegie in 1947, providing historic and ongoing structural linkage between the two organizations in education assessment.

Emerging players

• KnowledgeWorks: KnowledgeWorks produces influential forecasts and policy work on the future of learning, competency-based education, and personalized learning — closely aligned with Carnegie's High School Transformation strategic aim. Smaller in scale but directly comparable in policy framing and audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carnegiefdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/carnegie.foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carnegie-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching