Spero Academy
Spero Academy reported $19.7 million in revenue and $19.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $96.91 went to program services, $3.09 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.3% of the total. Government grants made up 98.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $154,599 (SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 129% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $20MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $20M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$0.03 $6,300
- Government grants$98.24 $19M
- Program service revenue$1.29 $255K
- Other revenue$0.44 $86,162
Investment income was negative: −$9,170. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 96.9% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.3% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 98.3% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $154,599 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.78% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | -2.6 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 7 of 8 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseSpero Academy completed year 21 of operation on june 30, 2025. During the year ended june 30, 2025, Spero Academy served a total of 270 students and over 93% of the student population are students with disabilities. The school's wait-list has grown, and will support the plan to reach maximum capacity of 225 students by year five in the new facility, and 385 overall across both sites. All budgetary goals associated with the operations of the new facility and growing enrollment are being met. The school continues to receive high marks in all evaluations from the university of st. Thomas, our…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $135,452 | $0 | $19,147 | $154,599 |
| ACADEMIC DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $127,988 | $0 | $20,003 | $147,991 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $125,113 | $0 | $19,696 | $144,809 |
| PRINCIPAL Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,373 | $0 | $28,438 | $138,811 |
| ACCOUNTABILITY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $109,210 | $0 | $16,661 | $125,871 |
| TEACHER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $102,365 | $0 | $17,071 | $119,436 |
| MEMBER/TEACHER Director/trustee, 41.00 hrs/week | $100,265 | $0 | $11,432 | $111,697 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Spero Academy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $259K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b8 · 7 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5260
- Volunteers Part I, line 67
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CONTEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION Student transportation | $2,452,222 |
| ZEN EDUCATE INC Student support services | $344,430 |
| MOVING MATTERS Student support services | $238,109 |
| CKC GOOD FOOD Food service | $142,464 |
| CREATIVE PLANNING Accounting | $106,800 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Spero Academy totaling $121 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Spero Academy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Spero Academy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Spero Academy spent in FY2025, $96.91 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Foote School AssociationNew Haven, CT · revenue $20M · programs 78.7% · FY2025
- Educational FoundationChapel Hill, NC · revenue $20M · programs 98.5% · FY2025
- Army and Navy Academy Carlsbad CaliforniaCarlsbad, CA · revenue $20M · programs 81.3% · FY2025
- Educare of OmahaOmaha, NE · revenue $20M · programs 85.7% · 2024
- Prince of Peace Christian SchoolCarrollton, TX · revenue $20M · programs 80.9% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Spero Academy's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Spero Academy reported that 96.9% of its $19.9 million in expenses went to program services, 3.1% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Spero Academy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Spero Academy reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $154,599, for the role of SPECIAL ED DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Spero Academy get its money?
Of $19.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 98.3% came from contributions and grants (including 98.3% from government grants) and 1.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Spero Academy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 20-0309518 as a 501(c)(3) organization (school), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202611179349301241 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541209349300204 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349300110 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321319349305072 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202241339349308134 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141329349301224 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 20-0309518: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.