To provide an academic and social learning environment for students with special needs

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$464K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $169K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$464K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.2 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.7M
81% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 81% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.0M
+0.6% vs prior year
Spent
$8.6M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$894K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$8.0M
FY2024▲ +0.6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.2M
FY2021$6.9M
FY2022$7.1M
FY2023$7.9M
FY2024$8.0M
FY2025$9.0M
Expenses
$8.6M
FY2024▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.4M
FY2021$7.2M
FY2022$6.6M
FY2023$7.8M
FY2024$8.6M
FY2025$9.6M
Net assets
$894K
FY2024▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$885K
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$894K
FY2025$374K

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending August 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 2005.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $7.8M Management & general 10% · $833K Fundraising 1% · $57K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

7 people listed on the 990; $464K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
President/Executive Direct
$125,765Pt VII · Sec A
Dir Expert Clinician
$118,114Pt VII · Sec A
Dir Expert Clinician
$111,558Pt VII · Sec A
Dir Expert Clinician
$108,225Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary & Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Melissa Lind’s $172K as Principal is at the 72nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1690 $1–10M philanthropy & grantmaking nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Melissa Lind$171,850——$134,299$128,209—
Deanna Tyrpak$133,908$125,765$119,289$114,669$111,485$109,516
Linda Cervenka$126,386$118,114$121,799$126,021$123,679$121,810
Jennifer Hein$119,020$111,558$103,419———
Michele Ricamato$115,270$108,225$113,558$114,717$111,955$106,986
Susan Ashe$100,492—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Offers academic and social learning for students with special needs.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $7.8M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Soaring eagle academy is a not for profit, non-public therapeutic day school approved by the illinois state board of education, serving students ages 5 through 22 years old, diagnosed with autism and related disorders of communicating, interacting and learning, integrating developmental language models with dir principles, within a…

$7.8Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.0M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.8M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$113K
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Money outPt IX
$8.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.8M
Managementcol C$833K
Fundraisingcol D$57K
Owns and owesPt X
$894K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$161K
Total assetsLn 16$4.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$113K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$37K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$933
Other incomeLn 4–11$30K
Total revenueLn 12$8.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$14K
SavingsLn 2$146K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$161K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.2M
Other assetsLn 15$2.0M
Total assetsLn 16$4.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.7M
Net assetsLn 32$894K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5221
VolunteersI 6150
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$647K$161K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.3M$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$5.1M$4.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.5M$3.7M
Net assetsLn 32$1.6M$894K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$284K$284K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$5.8M$5.6M$208K$49K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$805K$734K$68K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$432K$394K$34K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$48K$48K
Accounting feesLn 11c$64K$64K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$15K$15K
Office expensesLn 13$69K$47K$21K$857
OccupancyLn 16$613K$558K$56K
TravelLn 17$1K$94$1K
InterestLn 20$37K$21K$16K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$137K$134K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$53K$47K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$268K$257K$9K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.6M$7.8M$833K$57K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $9.0M$9.6M−$520K$374K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $8.0M$8.6M−$670K$894K 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.9M$7.8M$165K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $7.1M$6.6M$513K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 $6.9M$7.2M−$295K$885K 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.2M$7.4M−$205K$1.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,972,141 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $97,597$113,079
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $7,827,564$7,827,678
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $245$933
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$79$30,451
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,925,327$7,972,141
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $6,396,729$7,337,646
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,363,417$1,304,434
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,760,146$8,642,080
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $165,181−$669,939
Part VI · Governance 3 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,972,141 across 7 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $5,413 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$37,025
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$76,054
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$113,079
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $7,827,678$7,827,678
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $933$933
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $25,038$25,038
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,827,678 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $31,384$7,972,141
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,642,080 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $283,816$283,816
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,559,888 · Management $208,489 · Fundraising $48,524$5,816,901
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $734,217 · Management $68,302 · Fundraising $2,339$804,858
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $394,024 · Management $34,222 · Fundraising $3,825$432,071
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $47,622$47,622
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $63,754$63,754
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $15,050$15,050
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $46,635 · Management $21,090 · Fundraising $857$68,582
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $557,515 · Management $55,970$613,485
IX-17 TravelPrograms $94 · Management $1,183$1,277
IX-20 InterestPrograms $20,937 · Management $15,776$36,713
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $133,692 · Management $3,242$136,934
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $47,290 · Management $5,256$52,546
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $257,455 · Management $9,098 · Fundraising $1,918$268,471
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,751,747 · Management $832,870 · Fundraising $57,463$8,642,080
Part X · Balance sheet $4,599,764 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $32,247$14,069
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $614,390$146,436
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $865,387$1,192,193
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $20,650$56,320
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,296,058$1,170,599
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,284,516$2,020,147
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,113,248$4,599,764
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $176,967$250,837
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $491,790$197,662
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $2,868,269$2,534,820
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,549,314$3,705,769
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,563,934$893,995
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,563,934$893,995
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,113,248$4,599,764
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $893,995 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,972,141
XI-2 Total expenses$8,642,080
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$669,939
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,563,934
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$893,995

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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