Ascend Charter Schools FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Brooklyn, NY501(c)(3)Since 2011EducationEIN 45-3957158Revenue $117.8M in FY2020

On file with the IRSascendlearning.org205 Rockaway Parkway 6th Floor, 11212-3444 · Brooklyn, NYTax-exempt since Sep 2014School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Ascend Charter schools' (the "school") mission is to equip every student with the knowledge, confidence, and character to succeed in college and beyond. The school will span kindergarten through the 12th grade at maturity. From the earliest grades, students will steadily build a strong foundation of learning habits, critical thinking skills, and knowledge; excel academically in the middle and high school, mastering high-level math and science; and graduate as confident young adults, prepared to succeed as college students, as citizens, and as leaders in their chosen fields.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$751K 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

FY2020 · 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.1M a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$751K
to officers and key staff · 0.6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $3.5M
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$34.4M
117% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 117% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$117.8M
Spent
$121.0M
To programs
81%
Net assets
−$5.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$117.8M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$117.8M
FY2021$130.1M
FY2022$137.4M
FY2023$147.5M
FY2024$139.3M
FY2025$137.6M
Expenses
$121.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$121.0M
FY2021$116.5M
FY2022$135.7M
FY2023$145.9M
FY2024$139.0M
FY2025$138.9M
Net assets
−$5.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$5.1M
FY2021$8.5M
FY2022$10.2M
FY2023$13.9M
FY2024$14.1M
FY2025$22.0M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · 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 Sep 2014.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $98.1M Management & general 19% · $22.9M

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

13 people listed on the 990; $751K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
School Director
$168,886Pt VII · Sec A
School Director
$164,042Pt VII · Sec A
School Director
$144,364Pt VII · Sec A
School Director
$137,517Pt VII · Sec A
School Director
$136,581Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Leyde St Leger’s $204K as Principal is at the 5th percentile of top reported officer pay among 674 $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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Leyde St Leger$203,696$191,767$149,119$136,215——
Zelda Washington————$193,175$164,042
Latasha Williams$191,053$183,062$169,065———
Curtis Durham—$187,334————
Hannah Chapman$178,677—————
Livia Angiolillo——$176,072$149,575$147,829—
Christopher Zilinski$169,442—————
Anastasia Michals—————$168,886

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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowers students with knowledge, confidence, and character for college and life success.

Questions for Ascend Charter Schools

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $98.1M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Ascend charter schools is a network of k-12 public charter schools serving 5,425 students in 15 schools across brooklynnew york's most populous borough. Our undertaking is to lead our students on a great intellectual adventure, provide them with an exceptional college preparatory education, and place them firmly on the path to success in…

$98.1Mprogram 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 · FY2022
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$3.5M

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$117.8M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$110.4M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Money outPt IX
$121.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$98.1M
Managementcol C$22.9M
Owns and owesPt X
−$5.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$13.3M
Total assetsLn 16$29.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$34.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$7.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$110.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$10K
Other incomeLn 4–11$9K
Total revenueLn 12$117.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.4M
SavingsLn 2$11.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$13.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11.8M
Other assetsLn 15$332K
Total assetsLn 16$29.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$34.4M
Net assetsLn 32−$5.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5942
VolunteersI 612
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.8M$13.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9.3M$11.8M
Total assetsLn 16$23.9M$29.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$25.3M$34.4M
Net assetsLn 32−$1.4M−$5.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$56.6M$49.1M$7.5M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$500K$433K$66K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6.3M$5.5M$831K
Payroll taxesLn 10$4.8M$4.2M$638K
Management feesLn 11a$14.5M$6.0M$8.6M
Legal feesLn 11b$46K$46K
Accounting feesLn 11c$120K$120K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.6M$1.1M$524K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$219K$191K$28K
Office expensesLn 13$1.9M$1.5M$457K
Information technologyLn 14$1.5M$1.3M$201K
OccupancyLn 16$23.5M$20.4M$3.1M
TravelLn 17$290K$251K$38K
InterestLn 20$23K$20K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2.2M$1.9M$295K
InsuranceLn 23$512K$448K$65K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5.7M$5.5M$206K
All other expensesLn 24e$535K$417K$117K
Total functional expensesLn 25$121.0M$98.1M$22.9M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $137.6M$138.9M−$1.2M$22.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $139.3M$139.0M$211K$14.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $147.5M$145.9M$1.6M$13.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $137.4M$135.7M$1.8M$10.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $130.1M$116.5M$13.5M$8.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $117.8M$121.0M−$3.2M−$5.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $117,818,252 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,292,424$7,373,523
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $96,336,151$110,425,069
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $8,527$10,267
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $20,060$9,393
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $103,657,162$117,818,252
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 $57,201,495$68,251,243
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $46,940,394$52,728,726
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $104,141,889$120,979,969
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$484,727−$3,161,717
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $117,818,252 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$7,357,414
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$16,109
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,373,523
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $110,425,069$110,425,069
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $10,267$10,267
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $9,393$9,393
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $110,425,069 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $19,660$117,818,252
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $120,979,969 across 18 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $49,091,731 · Management $7,545,916$56,637,647
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $433,376 · Management $66,420$499,796
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,479,121 · Management $831,124$6,310,245
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,165,190 · Management $638,365$4,803,555
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $5,965,269 · Management $8,584,172$14,549,441
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $45,795$45,795
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $120,000$120,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,104,256 · Management $523,523$1,627,779
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $190,564 · Management $28,494$219,058
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,483,515 · Management $457,248$1,940,763
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,317,385 · Management $200,766$1,518,151
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $20,409,515 · Management $3,104,432$23,513,947
IX-17 TravelPrograms $251,317 · Management $38,209$289,526
IX-20 InterestPrograms $19,745 · Management $3,616$23,361
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,856,792 · Management $294,672$2,151,464
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $447,777 · Management $64,573$512,350
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $5,476,616 · Management $205,798$5,682,414
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $417,330 · Management $117,347$534,677
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $98,109,499 · Management $22,870,470 · Fundraising $0$120,979,969
Part X · Balance sheet $29,376,376 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,335,501$2,381,512
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $10,449,999$10,954,511
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,242,978$2,993,848
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $262,154$938,908
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $9,331,930$11,775,583
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $326,305$332,014
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,948,867$29,376,376
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,338,924$6,233,056
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $93,700$184,742
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $19,914,381$25,732,952
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $25,347,005$34,443,347
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$1,398,138−$5,066,971
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$1,398,138−$5,066,971
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,948,867$29,376,376
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$5,066,971 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$117,818,252
XI-2 Total expenses$120,979,969
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$3,161,717
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$1,398,138
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$507,116
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$5,066,971

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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