The Breakthrough Public Schools mission is to provide cleveland area scholars with an education that empowers them to lead lives full of impact and opportunity.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$550K 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

FY2021 · 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $123K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$550K
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
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.0 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $155K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.5M
68% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 68% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$11.2M
Spent
$10.6M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$704K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$11.2M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$11.2M
FY2022$8.6M
FY2023$9.9M
FY2024$9.7M
FY2025$10.2M
Expenses
$10.6M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$10.6M
FY2022$9.1M
FY2023$9.3M
FY2024$9.8M
FY2025$10.3M
Net assets
$704K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$704K
FY2022$260K
FY2023$908K
FY2024$786K
FY2025$716K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Feb 2013.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $7.9M Management & general 26% · $2.7M

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

19 people listed on the 990; $550K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
$142,436Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Schools
$139,372Pt VII · Sec A
$136,800Pt VII · Sec A
$131,738Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Andrew McRae’s $236K as CEO is at the 49th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Ralph Johnson—$250,000$260,750$212,833—
Andrew McRae$235,908$232,661$162,055$159,423—
Ami Rudd$149,556————
Stephanie Wernet—$147,434$127,561$122,258$131,738
Megan Johnston$120,071$143,000$119,661——
Tyler Thornton———$133,569$142,436
John McBride——$140,537—$139,372
Alan Rosskamm————$136,800

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 Breakthrough Public Schools 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

Operates ten free public charter schools, offering college prep education in underserved Cleveland neighborhoods.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $7.9M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Breakthrough public schools is a charter school management organizationformed to support three urban public charter schools in cleveland, OH.,WHICH has expanded to support eleven charter schools through june 30, 2021.BPS'S goal is to support the unique educational models of each bpssupported school, while building a shared operational…

$7.9Mprogram 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 · FY2024
City FundFY2024$50K
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$155K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$11.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.9M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$183K
Money outPt IX
$10.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.9M
Managementcol C$2.7M
Owns and owesPt X
$704K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.8M
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$183K
Total revenueLn 12$11.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$145K
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$704K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 587
VolunteersI 60
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$1.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$99K$704K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$905K$724K$181K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.0M$3.2M$791K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$413K$413K
Office expensesLn 13$422K$422K
RoyaltiesLn 15$769K$769K
InsuranceLn 23$125K$125K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4.0M$4.0M$12K
Total functional expensesLn 25$10.6M$7.9M$2.7M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $10.2M$10.3M−$70K$716K 990 PDF
FY2024 $9.7M$9.8M−$122K$786K 990 PDF
FY2023 $9.9M$9.3M$647K$908K 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.6M$9.1M−$443K$260K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $11.2M$10.6M$605K$704K 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $11,175,570 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $898,070$3,060,557
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $6,445,127$7,931,594
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $6,757$183,419
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,349,954$11,175,570
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 $3,167,382$4,858,285
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,552,103$5,712,682
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,719,485$10,570,967
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$369,531$604,603
Part VI · Governance 15 of 16 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $11,175,570 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,258,590
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,801,967
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,060,557
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $7,931,594$7,931,594
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $183,419$183,419
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $8,115,013 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$11,175,570
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $10,570,967 across 7 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $723,933 · Management $180,981$904,914
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,162,697 · Management $790,674$3,953,371
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $412,871$412,871
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $421,602$421,602
IX-15 RoyaltiesManagement $768,611$768,611
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $124,761$124,761
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,973,217 · Management $11,620$3,984,837
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,859,847 · Management $2,711,120 · Fundraising $0$10,570,967
Part X · Balance sheet $2,179,361 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,318,283$1,764,009
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $350,190$244,023
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$26,473
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$144,856
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,668,473$2,179,361
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $878,513$784,804
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $690,600$690,600
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,569,113$1,475,404
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $99,360$703,957
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $99,360$703,957
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,668,473$2,179,361
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $703,957 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$11,175,570
XI-2 Total expenses$10,570,967
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$604,603
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$99,360
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$703,957

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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