To provide strategic planning, board governance, financial oversight, human resources, and other management support to a network of k-8 charter Schools in under-served communities that provide students with the academic skills and critical-thinking abilities they need to succeed in a college-preparatory high school.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
67¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 40 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 surplus $63K a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.6M
to officers and key staff · 39% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 39% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $128K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$775K
35% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 35% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.6M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$4.2M
To programs
67%
Net assets
$1.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$4.6M
FY2025▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$4.0M
FY2022$4.6M
FY2023$4.7M
FY2024$4.9M
FY2025$4.6M
Expenses
$4.2M
FY2025▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.4M
FY2021$4.1M
FY2022$4.2M
FY2023$4.8M
FY2024$5.0M
FY2025$4.2M
Net assets
$1.4M
FY2025▲ +43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$749K
FY2021$720K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.0M
FY2025$1.4M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2010.

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

Where the money goes

67 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 67% · $2.8M Management & general 33% · $1.4M

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

14 people listed on the 990; $1.6M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Officer
$318,317Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of School
$223,655Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Academic Officer
$213,250Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of School
$195,629Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Operations
$177,774Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Talent
$173,257Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Dir. of Special Populations
$160,283Pt VII · Sec A
MD of Comm. Partnership & Family Eng.
$155,827Pt VII · Sec A

Karen Francois’s $318K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Karen Francois$318,317$300,001$238,143$213,175$175,874—
Christina Froeb———$268,706$235,636$242,535
Carolyn Mauer—$254,222$259,951$267,537$234,444$241,215
Christina Froeb Thru 041423——$262,512———
Tracy Rebe-Bogulavsky$223,655$225,799$198,544$197,148$189,119$161,977
Efrat Kussell$213,250—————
Lindsay Malanga————$200,323$183,523
Awo Busumsi$195,629$185,873$171,023———

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.

See Explore Schools INC executive salaries →

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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

Supports schools with strategic planning, governance, finance, and human resources management.

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1 program · $2.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

There are approximately 1,700 students enrolled in the network's educational corporation in brooklyn for the 2024-2025 academic year. To realize its mission, esi provides value-added support to schools within the network that provide student in underserved communities with access to high-quality public education.

$2.8Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2023
50can INCFY2023$128K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$128K
Grants paid · 6 grants · $336K · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$10,946
Explore Excel Charter SchoolNY · FY2023$269,844
Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,333
Unitemized GrantFY2022$13,133
Explore Excel Charter SchoolNY · FY2020$14,250
Explore Excel Charter SchoolNY · FY2019$20,500

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.6M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4.5M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$39K
Investment incomeLn 3$29K
Money outPt IX
$4.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.8M
Managementcol C$1.4M
Owns and owesPt X
$1.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$775K
PeoplePt VI, VII
14
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$39K
Government grantsLn 1e$23K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$4.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$29K
Total revenueLn 12$4.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$15K
SavingsLn 2$1.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$21K
Other assetsLn 15$896K
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$775K
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 540
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$484K$1.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$18K$21K
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$967K$775K
Net assetsLn 32$1.0M$1.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$11K$11K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$875K$747K$128K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.7M$1.1M$594K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$92K$63K$29K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$199K$132K$68K
Payroll taxesLn 10$288K$205K$83K
Legal feesLn 11b$48K$48K
Accounting feesLn 11c$23K$23K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$268K$58K$210K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$66K$56K$10K
Office expensesLn 13$57K$18K$39K
Information technologyLn 14$84K$70K$14K
OccupancyLn 16$113K$76K$37K
TravelLn 17$51K$40K$11K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$62K$49K$13K
InterestLn 20$680$680
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$9K$6K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$43K$43K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$219K$191K$27K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.2M$2.8M$1.4M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $4.6M$4.2M$438K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $4.9M$5.0M−$121K$1.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.7M$4.8M−$2K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.6M$4.2M$411K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.0M$4.1M−$29K$720K 990 PDF
FY2020 $4.1M$4.4M−$317K$749K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,608,735 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $38,341$38,719
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $4,874,348$4,541,486
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$28,530
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,912,689$4,608,735
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $277,177$10,946
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,664,650$3,115,967
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,091,718$1,043,913
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,033,545$4,170,826
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$120,856$437,909
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $4,608,735 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$22,637
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$16,082
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$38,719
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $4,541,486$4,541,486
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $28,530$28,530
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $4,541,486 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $28,530$4,608,735
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,170,826 across 19 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $10,946$10,946
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $747,498 · Management $127,682$875,180
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,067,484 · Management $593,906$1,661,390
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $63,084 · Management $28,571$91,655
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $131,618 · Management $67,843$199,461
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $204,886 · Management $83,395$288,281
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $47,511$47,511
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $23,346$23,346
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $57,797 · Management $209,947$267,744
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $55,931 · Management $9,870$65,801
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,260 · Management $39,164$57,424
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $70,457 · Management $13,563$84,020
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $75,820 · Management $37,254$113,074
IX-17 TravelPrograms $40,354 · Management $10,916$51,270
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $48,983 · Management $13,251$62,234
IX-20 InterestManagement $680$680
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $6,268 · Management $2,551$8,819
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $43,394$43,394
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $191,362 · Management $27,234$218,596
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,790,748 · Management $1,380,078 · Fundraising $0$4,170,826
Part X · Balance sheet $2,222,414 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $484,174$15,428
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $0$1,274,049
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $971$38
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $10,178$16,195
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $17,543$20,874
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,462,413$895,830
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,975,279$2,222,414
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $489,297$389,896
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $477,478$385,586
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $966,775$775,482
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,008,504$1,446,932
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,008,504$1,446,932
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,975,279$2,222,414
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,446,932 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,608,735
XI-2 Total expenses$4,170,826
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$437,909
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,008,504
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$519
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,446,932

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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