Lev Foundation

“Form 990 is reviewed by the audit committee and distributed to board of directors prior to the due date of the return.”

“Conflict of interest forms are completed by all board members. Potential conflicts are presented to the board, and the matter is investigated by a disinterested party or committee. Conflicts are monitored by the keeping of minutes of meetings.”

“The foundation board resolves to create an executive compensation committee with specific duties that include yearly evaluation and compensation determination of the executive director of the organization. The chair of the board of directors shall be a member of the executive compensation committee. Annually, the executive compensation committee shall meet independently of the executive director to discuss the executive director's performance. The committee may, in cooperation with the executive director, set goals or benchmarks for the year ahead; accomplishments relative to these, if they are established, may be considered in the determination of performance. Once consensus is reached regarding performance, the committee shall form a recommendation to the board of directors concerning compensation. A relevant salary survey shall be used to benchmark compensation for this position. The committee shall present its findings and recommendations to the board of directors in an executive session for review and approval. The committee or just the board chair shall then meet with the executive director to discuss and document performance findings and compensation”

“Documents are available upon request.”

“The affilate entity, league of education voters, is the common paymaster for lev foundation. Payroll costs are allocated between the entities based on the relative contribution made to each.”

“Lev foundation (levf) advocates for effective reforms and ample, equitable, and stable revenue to support a high-quality public education system in washington state, works across sectors to mobilize families, businesses, youth, educators, and communities to advocate for high-quality, fully-funded and equitable education, provides stakeholders, policy makers, and the media with strategic, accurate, and timely information about public education, partners with stakeholders to understand and remove the systemic barriers to each student's success within the public education system, and highlights research-driven and promising educational practices that prepare students to reach their full potential and to contribute meaningfully to our democracy and economy.”

“Through its activities and publications, lev foundation serves as a source of credible, timely information about the state of washington's education system. Lev foundation helps highlight best practices, measures progress, and motivates people across washington state to be a part of the solution. In 2013, lev foundation programs focused on early learning, meaningful high school diplomas, access to post secondary degrees, implementation of teacher evaluations (tpep), school discipline and charter schools. Outreach to stakeholder and community groups built the foundation into a credible, non-partisan source of information on educational issues in washington state. This includes leadership and/or membership in various statewide task forces and coalitions, like our schools coalition, excellent schools now coalition, the roadmap project, discipline task force and the early learning action alliance. Lev foundation's community outreach continues to broaden across the state. The field and organizing team conducted trainings in several locations in both eastern and western washington called "finding your voice" to help communities learn how they might encourage and support changes to public education. These trainings were held in partnership with the state office of education ombudsman. Late 2012 saw the passage of initiative 1240 allowing for charter schools in washington state. As supporters of charter schools as another necessary tool in closing the achievement gap for kids of color and poverty, the organization agreed to be the fiscal agent for a new non-profit organization, washington state charter schools association, until it received its tax exempt status. Additionally, continued advocacy and education regarding charter schools is imbedded in the work lev foundation performs with the public to ensure that the new initiative is upheld. Lev foundation continues to support a seattle public school, south shore pk- 8, with additional funding to provide for free fully integrated pre-kindergarten, smaller class sizes and higher adult to child ratios in grades k - 3, supports around wellness and social and emotional learning, and other enrichments. In year 12 of additional resources, south shore continues to show positive results as evidenced by higher test scores relative to its demographic peers in seattle school district.”

“The oversight process and method for selecting the independent accountant has not changed from prior years.”