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.
$1.4M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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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
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
$1.4M
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% 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
1
named funder · $3.5M
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$467.9M
97% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 97% 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
$139.3M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$139.0M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$14.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$139.3M
FY2024▼ -6%
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
$139.0M
FY2024▼ -5%
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
$14.1M
FY2024▲ +2%
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 FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 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 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% · $112.2M Management & general 19% · $26.8M

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; $1.4M 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
$191,767Pt VII · Sec A
Principal
$187,334Pt VII · Sec A
$183,062Pt VII · Sec A
$167,931Pt VII · Sec A
Principal
$139,072Pt VII · Sec A
$137,603Pt VII · Sec A
Principal
$137,059Pt VII · Sec A
$136,327Pt 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 · $112.2M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Ascend charter schools is a network of k-12 public charter schools serving 5,470 students in 17 schools across brooklyn, new 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…

$112.2Mprogram 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 FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$139.3M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$124.9M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$369K
Money outPt IX
$139.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$112.2M
Managementcol C$26.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$14.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$23.2M
Total assetsLn 16$482.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$467.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$13.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$460K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$124.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$369K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$139.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$5.1M
SavingsLn 2$18.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$23.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$16.7M
Other assetsLn 15$426.7M
Total assetsLn 16$482.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$467.9M
Net assetsLn 32$14.1M
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$17.6M$23.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$16.8M$16.7M
Total assetsLn 16$424.8M$482.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$410.9M$467.9M
Net assetsLn 32$13.9M$14.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$876K$876K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$48.5M$42.3M$6.1M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$356K$311K$46K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6.4M$5.5M$878K
Payroll taxesLn 10$4.5M$3.9M$652K
Management feesLn 11a$16.7M$6.8M$9.8M
Legal feesLn 11b$487K$487K
Accounting feesLn 11c$115K$115K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6.0M$5.4M$613K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1.7M$1.5M$235K
Office expensesLn 13$950K$602K$348K
Information technologyLn 14$4.2M$3.6M$604K
OccupancyLn 16$33.8M$28.8M$5.0M
TravelLn 17$376K$321K$55K
InterestLn 20$25K$20K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4.0M$3.4M$605K
InsuranceLn 23$769K$661K$108K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$8.9M$8.7M$193K
All other expensesLn 24e$308K$253K$55K
Total functional expensesLn 25$139.0M$112.2M$26.8M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $137.6M$138.9M−$1.2M$22.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $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 $117.8M$121.0M−$3.2M−$5.1M 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 M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $139,253,884 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $22,242,590$13,953,988
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $124,783,772$124,928,389
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $462,621$368,679
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $35,335$2,828
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $147,524,318$139,253,884
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 $72,933,560$60,629,880
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $73,011,960$78,413,020
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $145,945,520$139,042,900
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,578,798$210,984
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 $139,253,884 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$13,831,534
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$122,454
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$459,976
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$13,953,988
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $124,928,389$124,928,389
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $368,679$368,679
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,828$2,828
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $124,928,389 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $371,507$139,253,884
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $139,042,900 across 19 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $876,070$876,070
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $42,319,098 · Management $6,147,882$48,466,980
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $310,700 · Management $45,687$356,387
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,532,284 · Management $877,864$6,410,148
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,868,741 · Management $651,554$4,520,295
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $6,841,252 · Management $9,844,728$16,685,980
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $487,040$487,040
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $115,000$115,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $5,431,120 · Management $613,106$6,044,226
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,508,633 · Management $234,522$1,743,155
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $602,395 · Management $347,879$950,274
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,557,532 · Management $604,316$4,161,848
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $28,844,156 · Management $4,969,745$33,813,901
IX-17 TravelPrograms $321,337 · Management $54,860$376,197
IX-20 InterestPrograms $20,344 · Management $4,285$24,629
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $3,419,830 · Management $605,391$4,025,221
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $660,806 · Management $108,283$769,089
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $8,715,254 · Management $193,120$8,908,374
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $252,789 · Management $55,297$308,086
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $112,206,271 · Management $26,836,629 · Fundraising $0$139,042,900
Part X · Balance sheet $482,019,155 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,380,776$5,062,832
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $16,194,873$18,168,576
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $15,994,676$15,081,561
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $186,955$341,493
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $16,776,732$16,690,157
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $374,248,481$426,674,536
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $424,782,493$482,019,155
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $6,923,401$10,759,196
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $306,372$130,521
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $401,684,188$455,205,176
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $410,861,717$467,887,395
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $13,920,776$14,131,760
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,920,776$14,131,760
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $424,782,493$482,019,155
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,131,760 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$139,253,884
XI-2 Total expenses$139,042,900
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$210,984
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,920,776
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,131,760

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

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