Special Education Services
Special Education Services reported $127.5 million in revenue and $122.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.93 went to program services, $9.07 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 96.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $394,139 (Secretary/ Treasurer). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 141% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $123MFor 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 August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $127M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$2.13 $2.7M
- Program service revenue$96.17 $123M
- Investment income$1.70 $2.2M
Other revenue was negative: −$7,819. 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) | 90.9% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.1% | 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 | 2.1% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 96.2% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $394,139 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.32% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 10 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 4.3 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 0 of 6 | 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 expenseOperations of 32 specialized education programs serving students in Illinois, Arizona, and Texas. During the year, the organization served over 3,000 students referred by more than 500 public school districts. Under the organizations no refusal, no suspension, no expulsion policy, students with significant behavioral, emotional, and educational needs are provided the services they need, when they need them, regardless of their behavior. Programs provide academic instruction, social-emotional support, therapeutic services, vocational and career training, and transition services delivered by…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary/ Treasurer Director/trustee, officer, 060.00 hrs/week | $329,388 | $0 | $64,751 | $394,139 |
| Vice President Director/trustee, officer, 055.00 hrs/week | $331,053 | $0 | $51,737 | $382,790 |
| President Director/trustee, officer, 070.00 hrs/week | $343,873 | $0 | $27,872 | $371,745 |
| Vice President Director/trustee, officer, 055.00 hrs/week | $320,702 | $0 | $48,822 | $369,524 |
| Program Director Highest compensated employee, 050.00 hrs/week | $185,411 | $0 | $61,986 | $247,397 |
| Director Key employee, 055.00 hrs/week | $180,233 | $0 | $57,137 | $237,370 |
| Regional Director Highest compensated employee, 050.00 hrs/week | $209,894 | $0 | $9,665 | $219,559 |
| Regional Director Highest compensated employee, 050.00 hrs/week | $199,320 | $0 | $16,007 | $215,327 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Special Education Services (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (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–1b6 · 0 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- 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 2Yes
- 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 51,631
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Special Education Services totaling $17 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 Special Education Services's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Special Education Services, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Special Education Services spent in FY2025, $90.93 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- River Springs Charter SchoolTemecula, CA · revenue $127M · programs 75.8% · FY2025
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- The University of BridgeportBridgeport, CT · revenue $128M · programs 74.1% · FY2025
- University of Northwestern - St PaulSt Paul, MN · revenue $127M · programs 87.0% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Special Education Services's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Special Education Services reported that 90.9% of its $122.7 million in expenses went to program services, 9.1% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Special Education Services pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Special Education Services reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $394,139, for the role of Secretary/ Treasurer (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Special Education Services get its money?
Of $127.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 2.1% came from contributions and grants and 96.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Special Education Services a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2781597 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 August 31, 2025, object 202601969349302400 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024 (amended), object 202522909349300527 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441949349300224 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202331959349301573 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202231969349300308 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202141909349301414 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2781597: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.