Exploration Elementary Charter School for Science and Technology

Tax-deductible

Rochester, NY501(c)(3)Since 2015EducationEIN 81-0929865Revenue $5.8M in FY2025

On file with the IRSexplorationrochester.org1001 Lake Ave, 14613-1720 · Rochester, NYTax-exempt since Mar 2017School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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The mission of Exploration Elementary Charter School for Science and Technology is to engage students, their families, and the community in the processes of scientific inquiry and the use of innovative Technology to develop the social, emotional, and academic tools necessary to thrive in School and in today's interconnected world.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 9 volunteers and 98 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $656K a year · 11% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$85K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 92% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $9K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$636K
15% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 15% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.8M
-13% vs prior year
Spent
$6.7M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$3.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$5.8M
FY2025▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.2M
FY2021$5.6M
FY2022$7.1M
FY2023$7.9M
FY2024$6.7M
FY2025$5.8M
Expenses
$6.7M
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.8M
FY2021$4.0M
FY2022$6.2M
FY2023$6.4M
FY2024$6.1M
FY2025$6.7M
Net assets
$3.6M
FY2025▼ -24%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$262K
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$2.7M
FY2023$4.2M
FY2024$4.7M
FY2025$3.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 2017.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $5.3M Management & general 20% · $1.4M

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

10 people listed on the 990; $85K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Principal -Resigned May 24
$52,499Pt VII · Sec A
Chair/Ed - Eff. Sept. 24
$32,308Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Parent Rep
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rachelle Simmons’s $52K as Principal -Resigned May 24 is at the 8th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Rachelle Simmons$52,499$118,854$113,427$112,635$99,633$83,255
Maya Crane$32,308—————

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

Fosters academic achievement and lifelong learning through exploration, research, and hands-on knowledge interaction.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $5.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Professional development for teachers and staff begin our return to school and preparation for students. The focus is equipping teachers and staff to effectively support tier 1 behavior systems, as well as tier 1 and tier 2 academic instruction.

$4.6Mprogram expense
02

Based on the data from our I-ready assessments given school wide, we provided 2.0 teachers in each classroom to provide instruction to all studetns in small group centers. This frameworks allows us to provide more support to all studetns who are 2 or more grade levels below.

$733Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$9K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.8M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5.3M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$391K
Investment incomeLn 3$117K
Money outPt IX
$6.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.3M
Managementcol C$1.4M
Owns and owesPt X
$3.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.4M
Total assetsLn 16$4.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$636K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$391K
Government grantsLn 1e$391K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$117K
Total revenueLn 12$5.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$3.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$380K
Other assetsLn 15$127K
Total assetsLn 16$4.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$636K
Net assetsLn 32$3.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 598
VolunteersI 69
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.6M$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$518K$380K
Total assetsLn 16$5.1M$4.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$405K$636K
Net assetsLn 32$4.7M$3.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$120K$30K$90K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.4M$2.8M$599K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$326K$303K$23K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$240K$217K$23K
Payroll taxesLn 10$298K$246K$52K
Legal feesLn 11b$75K$75K
Accounting feesLn 11c$92K$92K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$353K$300K$53K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$47K$19K$28K
Office expensesLn 13$35K$30K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$238K$205K$33K
OccupancyLn 16$794K$637K$157K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$156$156
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$177K$152K$25K
InsuranceLn 23$85K$74K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$390K$322K$67K
All other expensesLn 24e$60K$40K$20K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.7M$5.3M$1.4M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $5.8M$6.7M−$914K$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $6.7M$6.1M$522K$4.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.9M$6.4M$1.5M$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $7.1M$6.2M$917K$2.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.6M$4.0M$1.5M$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $4.2M$3.8M$393K$262K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,772,539 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $712,378$390,763
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $5,798,357$5,264,327
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $153,689$117,449
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,664,424$5,772,539
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 $4,315,552$4,342,113
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,827,215$2,344,880
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $6,142,767$6,686,993
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $521,657−$914,454
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $5,772,539 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$390,539
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$224
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$390,763
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $5,264,327$5,264,327
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $117,449$117,449
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $5,264,327 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $117,449$5,772,539
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,686,993 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $29,952 · Management $89,856$119,808
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,759,106 · Management $598,714$3,357,820
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $303,101 · Management $22,814$325,915
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $217,336 · Management $23,016$240,352
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $245,834 · Management $52,384$298,218
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $75,076$75,076
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $91,519$91,519
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $299,646 · Management $52,879$352,525
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $18,637 · Management $28,226$46,863
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $30,158 · Management $4,909$35,067
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $205,074 · Management $32,785$237,859
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $637,354 · Management $156,710$794,064
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $156$156
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $151,887 · Management $24,726$176,613
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $73,519 · Management $11,968$85,487
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $322,457 · Management $67,155$389,612
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $39,801 · Management $20,238$60,039
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,333,862 · Management $1,353,131 · Fundraising $0$6,686,993
Part X · Balance sheet $4,208,500 assets, 11 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,642,160$3,388,230
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $839,304$290,520
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$22,709
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $517,971$380,486
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $126,555$126,555
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,125,990$4,208,500
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $404,591$635,947
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $404,591$635,947
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $4,721,399$3,572,553
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,721,399$3,572,553
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,125,990$4,208,500
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,572,553 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,772,539
XI-2 Total expenses$6,686,993
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$914,454
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,721,399
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$234,392
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,572,553

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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