Bright Star Schools FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 2002EducationEIN 55-0806673Revenue $56.9M in FY2021

On file with the IRSbrightstarschools.org600 S La Fayette Park Pl, 90057-3243 · Los Angeles, CATax-exempt since Mar 2004School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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At Bright Star Schools, our mission is to provide holistic, inclusive support for all the students to achieve academic excellence and grow their unique talents so that they find joy and fulfillment in higher education, career and life.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.3M 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $13.4M a year · 17% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $27K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$37.5M
66% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 66% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$56.9M
-3% vs prior year
Spent
$51.1M
To programs
92%
Net assets
$19.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$56.9M
FY2021▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$58.5M
FY2021$56.9M
FY2022$70.6M
FY2023$116.4M
FY2024$81.5M
FY2024$116.9M
Expenses
$51.1M
FY2021▼ -1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$51.8M
FY2021$51.1M
FY2022$62.0M
FY2023$72.2M
FY2024$80.0M
FY2024$82.2M
Net assets
$19.1M
FY2021▲ +44%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$13.3M
FY2021$19.1M
FY2022$26.1M
FY2023$70.3M
FY2024$71.8M
FY2024$106.6M

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 (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2004.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $46.8M Management & general 8% · $4.3M

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; $1.3M 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
Executive Director
$218,000Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Sup of Education
$187,151Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Business Officer
$177,500Pt VII · Sec A
Head of School
$144,913Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Curriculum & Instruc
$135,901Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$135,445Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Information Technolo
$127,720Pt VII · Sec A
Principal
$126,464Pt VII · Sec A

Ana L Martinez’s $326K as President/CEO is at the 70th 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

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ana L Martinez$326,452$128,641————
Hrag Hamalian—$303,268$311,806$236,271$218,000$240,878
Melissa Kaplan——$202,718$196,025$187,151$182,689
Elijah Sugay$192,436$176,986$150,000———
Saman Bravo-Karimi———$190,665$177,500$151,855
Veronica Leeann Yu$103,988$178,625————
Leeann Yu——$170,033———
Zebib Habte$168,790$155,182————

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provide college-prep education to open students' minds and doors.

Provided by the organization

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1 program · $46.8M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Public Charter Elementary School

Two are TK-4, one is TK-5. 3 middle schools two 5-8 and one 6-8 grades. Three high schools grades 9-12.

$46.8Mprogram 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$27K

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$56.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$56.9M
Money outPt IX
$51.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$46.8M
Managementcol C$4.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$19.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.3M
Total assetsLn 16$56.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$37.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$56.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$54.9M
Total revenueLn 12$56.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$10.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$26.9M
Other assetsLn 15$2.8M
Total assetsLn 16$56.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$37.5M
Net assetsLn 32$19.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5676
VolunteersI 615
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$12.7M$10.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25.5M$26.9M
Total assetsLn 16$51.0M$56.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$37.8M$37.5M
Net assetsLn 32$13.3M$19.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$825K$225K$600K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$25.1M$23.0M$2.1M
Other employee benefitsLn 9$7.2M$7.1M$112K
Payroll taxesLn 10$811K$663K$148K
Management feesLn 11a$942K$942K
Accounting feesLn 11c$204K$79K$125K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.0M$2.5M$499K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$87K$13K$74K
Office expensesLn 13$282K$265K$17K
Information technologyLn 14$1.0M$879K$138K
OccupancyLn 16$8.2M$7.8M$405K
TravelLn 17$62$62
InterestLn 20$16K$8K$8K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$475K$475K
InsuranceLn 23$288K$267K$21K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.0M$2.0M$26K
All other expensesLn 24e$638K$595K$43K
Total functional expensesLn 25$51.1M$46.8M$4.3M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $81.5M$80.0M$1.6M$71.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $116.4M$72.2M$44.2M$70.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $70.6M$62.0M$8.7M$26.1M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $56.9M$51.1M$5.8M$19.1M 990 PDF
FY2020 $58.5M$51.8M$6.7M$13.3M 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $56,908,156 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $52,199,944$56,908,156
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $6,293,354$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $140$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $58,493,438$56,908,156
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 $32,862,256$33,912,888
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $18,923,819$17,195,614
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $51,786,075$51,108,502
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $6,707,363$5,799,654
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $56,908,156 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$54,906,044
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,002,112
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$56,908,156
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$56,908,156
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $51,108,502 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $224,972 · Management $599,731$824,703
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $22,974,378 · Management $2,123,192$25,097,570
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $7,067,551 · Management $111,730$7,179,281
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $663,296 · Management $148,038$811,334
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $942,401$942,401
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $79,018 · Management $125,114$204,132
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,539,335 · Management $499,307$3,038,642
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $12,603 · Management $74,500$87,103
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $264,760 · Management $16,991$281,751
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $878,661 · Management $137,963$1,016,624
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $7,771,924 · Management $405,466$8,177,390
IX-17 TravelManagement $62$62
IX-20 InterestPrograms $8,250 · Management $7,500$15,750
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $475,386$475,386
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $267,286 · Management $21,194$288,480
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,004,178 · Management $25,972$2,030,150
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $594,958 · Management $42,785$637,743
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $46,768,957 · Management $4,339,545 · Fundraising $0$51,108,502
Part X · Balance sheet $56,517,435 assets, 15 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $1,652,873; see the IRS return.
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $12,689,667$10,253,734
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $7,369,092$14,215,115
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,027,385$718,296
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $25,521,292$26,908,125
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,770,211$2,769,292
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $51,030,520$56,517,435
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,281,887$2,111,135
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $25,981,453$28,452,295
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $5,846,300$5,846,300
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $633,293$78,209
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $37,766,840$37,454,101
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $13,263,680$18,950,444
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$112,890
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $13,263,680$19,063,334
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $51,030,520$56,517,435
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $19,063,334 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$56,908,156
XI-2 Total expenses$51,108,502
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,799,654
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$13,263,680
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$19,063,334

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

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