Academy for Classical Education INC FY2021 filing

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $5,000 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

The school's mission is to build the foundation of knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary for children to become independent learners for life.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$302K 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.0M a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$302K
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
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $30K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$62.7M
124% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 124% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$22.7M
+13% vs prior year
Spent
$21.1M
To programs
94%
Net assets
−$12.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$22.7M
FY2021▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$20.1M
FY2021$22.7M
FY2022$23.5M
FY2023$24.0M
FY2024$26.7M
FY2025$28.9M
Expenses
$21.1M
FY2021▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$19.7M
FY2021$21.1M
FY2022$20.7M
FY2023$23.9M
FY2024$26.5M
FY2025$27.9M
Net assets
−$12.2M
FY2021▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$13.8M
FY2021−$12.2M
FY2022−$9.4M
FY2023−$9.3M
FY2024−$9.1M
FY2025−$8.1M

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

Give Claim
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 Jul 2014.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $19.8M Management & general 6% · $1.3M

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $302K 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
Principal/Ce
$103,015Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Academ
$101,962Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financ
$97,503Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chairp
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Lara Relyea$154,000$84,480$87,217——
Palmes Kelly$153,490$124,800———
Laura Perkins—$103,993$102,238$104,616$103,015
Esterine Stokes$102,238$102,238$102,238$103,738$101,962
Pat Kelly———$101,117$97,503

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 Academy for Classical Education INC executive salaries →

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

Educates students in grades K-12 with a classical approach.

Questions for Academy for Classical Education INC

Tap to ask. Academy for Classical Education INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Academy for Classical Education INC answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $19.8M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Provide facilities, teachers, instructional services and materials for students enrolled in a public charter school.

$19.8Mprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$30K

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Jun 2022 · $1.7M federal money spent
Education Stabilization FundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Through Georgia Department of Education$1.1M
Special Education_grants to StatesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through Georgia Department of Education$338K
Title I Grants to Local Educational AgenciesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.010 · Through Georgia Department of Education$199K
Special Education_preschool GrantsDepartment of Education · ALN 84.173 · Through Georgia Department of Education$8K

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Jun 2021 · $1.3M federal money spent
Education Stabilization FundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Through Georgia Department of Education$824K
Special Education_grants to StatesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through Georgia Department of Education$240K
Title I Grants to Local Educational AgenciesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.010 · Through Georgia Department of Education$157K
Improving Teacher Quality State GrantsDepartment of Education · ALN 84.367 · Through Georgia Department of Education$27K
Special Education_preschool GrantsDepartment of Education · ALN 84.173 · Through Georgia Department of Education$5K

The auditor reported no findings.

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$22.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$22.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$709K
Investment incomeLn 3$257
Money outPt IX
$21.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$19.8M
Managementcol C$1.3M
Owns and owesPt X
−$12.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.6M
Total assetsLn 16$50.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$62.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$22.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$20.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$709K
Investment incomeLn 3$257
Total revenueLn 12$22.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$6.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$6.6M
Accounts receivableLn 4$1.7M
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$49K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$29.1M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.4M
Other assetsLn 15$10.6M
Total assetsLn 16$50.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$62.7M
Net assetsLn 32−$12.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5285
VolunteersI 6500
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
BondsSch K, Pt X
Tax-exempt bond debt owedX 20$34.1M
Bond issues listedSch K Pt I1
Raised by those issuesSch K Pt I$34.4M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.6M$6.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.4M$2.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$28.7M$29.1M
Total assetsLn 16$45.6M$50.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$59.4M$62.7M
Net assetsLn 32−$13.8M−$12.2M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$8.8M$8.4M$373K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$4.3M$4.1M$190K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.5M$1.5M$64K
Payroll taxesLn 10$146K$141K$5K
Management feesLn 11a$88K$39K$49K
Legal feesLn 11b$43K$43K
Accounting feesLn 11c$16K$16K
Office expensesLn 13$248K$248K
Information technologyLn 14$272K$136K$136K
OccupancyLn 16$1.2M$1.1M$104K
TravelLn 17$25K$25K$188
InterestLn 20$2.0M$2.0M
InsuranceLn 23$90K$84K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.3M$2.2M$105K
All other expensesLn 24e$101K$101K
Total functional expensesLn 25$21.1M$19.8M$1.3M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Apr 30, 2026 $28.9M$27.9M$971K−$8.1M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 14, 2025 $26.7M$26.5M$281K−$9.1M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 15, 2024 $24.0M$23.9M$76K−$9.3M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 $23.5M$20.7M$2.8M−$9.4M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 16, 2022 $22.7M$21.1M$1.6M−$12.2M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 17, 2021 $20.1M$19.7M$370K−$13.8M 990 PDF

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 $22,703,116 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $18,916,694$21,993,980
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,114,254$708,879
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $35,564$257
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $20,066,512$22,703,116
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $13,077,215$14,745,546
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $6,619,479$6,380,824
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $19,696,694$21,126,370
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $369,818$1,576,746
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $22,703,116 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$20,578,823
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,415,157
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$21,993,980
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $708,879$708,879
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $257$257
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $709,136$22,703,116
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $21,126,370 across 15 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $8,418,364 · Management $373,248$8,791,612
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $4,086,728 · Management $190,285$4,277,013
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,466,451 · Management $64,260$1,530,711
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $141,207 · Management $5,003$146,210
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $39,042 · Management $48,623$87,665
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $43,221$43,221
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $16,208$16,208
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $247,746$247,746
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $136,231 · Management $135,734$271,965
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,052,265 · Management $104,152$1,156,417
IX-17 TravelPrograms $24,533 · Management $188$24,721
IX-20 InterestPrograms $2,021,708$2,021,708
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $84,392 · Management $5,507$89,899
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,214,937 · Management $105,477$2,320,414
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $100,860$100,860
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $19,786,718 · Management $1,339,652 · Fundraising $0$21,126,370
Part X · Balance sheet $50,470,204 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,578,292$6,613,698
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $954,105$1,689,663
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $95,878$49,311
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $28,701,562$29,052,110
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $2,439,821$2,440,065
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $8,835,989$10,625,357
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $45,605,647$50,470,204
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,735,654$2,242,982
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $34,531,162$34,118,470
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $23,121,390$26,314,565
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $59,388,206$62,676,017
X-30 Paid-in or capital surplusStart of year −$5,430,863−$3,223,719
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year −$8,351,696−$8,982,094
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$13,782,559−$12,205,813
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $45,605,647$50,470,204
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$12,205,813 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$22,703,116
XI-2 Total expenses$21,126,370
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,576,746
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$13,782,559
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$12,205,813

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.