Uncommon Schools
Uncommon Schools reported $88.8 million in revenue and $88.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.02 went to program services, $20.69 to management and general costs and $3.29 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 71.5% of the total. Government grants made up 11.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $806,745 (CO-CEO/ EX-OFFICIO). 104 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 16% 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 $88MFor 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 $89MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.0% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.7% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.3% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 23.5% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 11.4% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 71.5% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $806,745 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.91% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 104 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 12.2 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 13 | 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 expenseHighest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO-CEO/ EX-OFFICIO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $756,565 | $0 | $50,180 | $806,745 |
| CO-CEO/ EX-OFFICIO Officer, 41.00 hrs/week | $687,895 | $0 | $50,180 | $738,075 |
| CHIEF SCHOOLS OFFICER (UNTIL 4/25) Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $347,472 | $0 | $27,042 | $374,514 |
| CHIEF REAL ESTATE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $338,697 | $0 | $12,652 | $351,349 |
| CHIEF SCHOOLS OFFICER K-8 Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $345,140 | $0 | $3,500 | $348,640 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $325,418 | $0 | $3,500 | $328,918 |
| CHIEF ADVISOR (UNTIL 1/2025) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $285,255 | $0 | $25,233 | $310,488 |
| CHIEF EXTERNAL OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $293,817 | $0 | $3,500 | $297,317 |
104 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Uncommon Schools (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.7M (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–1b13 · 13 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 11aYes
- 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 4Yes
- 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 5451
- Volunteers Part I, line 613
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CONSTRUCTION RESOURCES LLC Construction services | $5,260,791 |
| PARLOR LABS INC It consulting services | $1,560,864 |
| AAFCPAS INC Audit and tax services | $295,735 |
| VEDDER PRICE PC Legal services | $194,874 |
| HASTY LLC Consulting services | $187,578 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 17 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
20 private foundations reported grants to Uncommon Schools totaling $7.0M 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 Uncommon Schools's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Uncommon Schools, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Uncommon Schools spent in FY2025, $76.02 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Georgia Tech FacilitiesAtlanta, GA · revenue $89M · programs 97.3% · FY2025
- Northern Arizona University FoundationFlagstaff, AZ · revenue $89M · programs 63.8% · FY2025
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical EducationChicago, IL · revenue $89M · programs 77.6% · 2024
- Concordia University ChicagoRiver Forest, IL · revenue $89M · programs 88.2% · FY2025
- Trinity Basin PreparatoryGrand Prairie, TX · revenue $88M · programs 89.6% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Uncommon Schools's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Uncommon Schools reported that 76.0% of its $88.2 million in expenses went to program services, 20.7% to management and general and 3.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Uncommon Schools pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Uncommon Schools reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $806,745, for the role of CO-CEO/ EX-OFFICIO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Uncommon Schools get its money?
Of $88.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 23.5% came from contributions and grants (including 11.4% from government grants) and 71.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Uncommon Schools a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 31-1488698 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), 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 202641349349304959 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202521329349306092 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431299349301913 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202310899349300911 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211189349301636 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101249349300325 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 31-1488698: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.