Aspire Public Schools

Tax-deductible

Oakland, CA501(c)(3)Since 1998EducationEIN 94-3311088Revenue $315.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRSaspirepublicschools.org1001 22nd Ave Ste 100, 94606-5232 · Oakland, CATax-exempt since Dec 1999School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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To open and operate small, high-quality charter Schools in low-income neighborhoods; to increase academic performance of underserved students; to develop effective educators; to share successful practices with other forward thinking educators; to catalyze change in Public Schools.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
93¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 500 volunteers and 2,798 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.6M a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
93%
of spending
Looks good: 93% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.1M
to officers and key staff · 1.0% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 88% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$296.3M
75% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 75% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$315.4M
-0.7% vs prior year
Spent
$329.9M
To programs
93%
Net assets
$99.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$315.4M
FY2025▼ -0.7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$226.8M
FY2021$233.5M
FY2022$254.8M
FY2023$327.0M
FY2024$317.7M
FY2025$315.4M
Expenses
$329.9M
FY2025▼ -1%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$234.3M
FY2021$211.1M
FY2022$250.4M
FY2023$293.3M
FY2024$334.5M
FY2025$329.9M
Net assets
$99.8M
FY2025▼ -13%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$78.7M
FY2021$94.5M
FY2022$98.8M
FY2023$131.1M
FY2024$114.3M
FY2025$99.8M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · 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 Dec 1999.

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

Where the money goes

93 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 93% · $306.6M Management & general 6% · $21.0M Fundraising 1% · $2.3M

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

20 people listed on the 990; $3.1M 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
Chief Executive Off. (till 06/30/25)
$300,361Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$253,042Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$232,488Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$230,495Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$230,395Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$229,728Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director, Ho
$228,129Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel
$212,878Pt VII · Sec A

Mala Batra’s $300K as Chief Executive Off. (till 06/30/25) is at the 12th 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
Mala Batra$300,361$293,453$282,431$272,803$263,355$280,103
Stefan Bean———$279,111—$200,499
Jennifer Garcia———$276,056—$220,310
Mary E Cha-Caswell$253,042$240,904$243,253$219,013$214,169—
Jeanine Hawk Until Sept 2020—————$245,507
Mary Cha-Caswell—————$235,094
Michael Wimbish$232,488$226,394$218,316$202,034$122,644—
Anthony Solina$230,495$225,500$210,339$194,077$185,517$201,703

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

Operates high-quality public charter schools in low-income neighborhoods to prepare underserved students for college and catalyze change in public education.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $306.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Aspire public schools builds and operates high quality public charter schools to prepare students for college. Aspire public schools operates 36 schools serving over 15,000 students.

$306.6Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K
Grants paid · 7 grants · $7.5M · 2019–2022
Unitemized GrantFY2022$2,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$8,560
Journey Community Schools INCTN · FY2020$3,933,972
Unitemized GrantFY2020$9,063
Journey Community Schools INCTN · FY2019$3,505,000
Unitemized GrantFY2019$30,000
Unitemized GrantFY2019$3,500

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$315.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$313.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$126K
Money outPt IX
$329.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$306.6M
Managementcol C$21.0M
Fundraisingcol D$2.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$99.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$68.1M
Total assetsLn 16$396.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$296.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A14
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$313.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$310.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$126K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$9K
Total revenueLn 12$315.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$68.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$68.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$56.3M
Other assetsLn 15$217.6M
Total assetsLn 16$396.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$296.3M
Net assetsLn 32$99.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52,798
VolunteersI 6500
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$82.0M$68.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$55.1M$56.3M
Total assetsLn 16$415.9M$396.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$301.7M$296.3M
Net assetsLn 32$114.3M$99.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.8M$1.1M$1.7M$32K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$173.6M$164.7M$8.2M$732K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$31.1M$29.1M$1.8M$216K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$26.3M$24.4M$1.7M$99K
Payroll taxesLn 10$5.3M$4.6M$629K$49K
Legal feesLn 11b$1.1M$21K$1.1M
Accounting feesLn 11c$186K$186K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$28.0M$23.3M$3.6M$1.1M
Office expensesLn 13$2.2M$2.2M$17K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$4.1M$3.7M$413K$22K
OccupancyLn 16$29.3M$28.8M$510K$7K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2.0M$1.7M$279K$38K
InterestLn 20$416K$405K$11K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4.7M$4.6M$136K$5
InsuranceLn 23$656K$607K$45K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$18.2M$17.5M$637K$11K
Total functional expensesLn 25$329.9M$306.6M$21.0M$2.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $315.4M$329.9M−$14.5M$99.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $317.7M$334.5M−$16.8M$114.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $327.0M$293.3M$33.6M$131.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $254.8M$250.4M$4.4M$98.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $233.5M$211.1M$22.4M$94.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $226.8M$234.3M−$7.5M$78.7M 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 $315,418,312 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $313,334,609$313,390,508
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,617,395$1,901,357
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,728,536$126,447
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $317,680,540$315,418,312
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 $235,129,831$239,064,166
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $99,400,350$90,833,902
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $334,530,181$329,898,068
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$16,849,641−$14,479,756
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $315,418,312 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1d Related organizations$2,759,517
VIII-1e Government grants$309,981,877
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$649,114
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$313,390,508
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,910,034$1,910,034
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$8,677−$8,677
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $126,447$126,447
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,027,804$315,418,312
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $329,898,068 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,095,481 · Management $1,704,884 · Fundraising $32,037$2,832,402
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $164,655,515 · Management $8,171,285 · Fundraising $732,248$173,559,048
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $29,089,362 · Management $1,822,045 · Fundraising $216,282$31,127,689
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $24,433,000 · Management $1,745,560 · Fundraising $98,779$26,277,339
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,590,327 · Management $628,797 · Fundraising $48,564$5,267,688
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $20,677 · Management $1,088,635$1,109,312
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $185,561$185,561
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $23,334,915 · Management $3,585,135 · Fundraising $1,086,938$28,006,988
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,178,860 · Management $17,179 · Fundraising $5,340$2,201,379
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,667,896 · Management $412,661 · Fundraising $22,485$4,103,042
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $28,769,247 · Management $510,179 · Fundraising $6,683$29,286,109
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,681,584 · Management $279,196 · Fundraising $38,228$1,999,008
IX-20 InterestPrograms $404,922 · Management $11,250$416,172
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,559,860 · Management $135,932 · Fundraising $5$4,695,797
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $606,887 · Management $44,931 · Fundraising $3,816$655,634
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $17,526,445 · Management $637,417 · Fundraising $11,038$18,174,900
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $306,614,978 · Management $20,980,647 · Fundraising $2,302,443$329,898,068
Part X · Balance sheet $396,044,030 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $82,009,425$68,091,197
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $56,555,612$50,407,613
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,984,349$3,623,133
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $55,149,591$56,290,257
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $219,225,340$217,631,830
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $415,924,317$396,044,030
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $25,163,212$23,174,227
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $4,633,591$5,929,580
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $251,415,036$245,369,852
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $301,657,705$296,257,174
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $77,355,672$77,763,252
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $36,910,940$22,023,604
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $114,266,612$99,786,856
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $415,924,317$396,044,030
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $99,786,856 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$315,418,312
XI-2 Total expenses$329,898,068
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$14,479,756
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$114,266,612
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$99,786,856

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

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