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Bright Star Schools

Los Angeles, CA · EIN 55-0806673 · 501(c)(3) · School
Latest filing: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Bright Star Schools reported $116.9 million in revenue and $82.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.35 went to program services, $15.65 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.0% of the total. Government grants made up 97.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $332,996 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 77 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 100% 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 $82M

Program services$84.35 $69M
Management & general$15.65 $13M
Fundraising$0.00 $0

For 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 $117M

Contributions & grants (non-government)$0.06 $73,797
Government grants$96.98 $113M
Program service revenue$1.76 $2.1M
Investment income$1.20 $1.4M
Other revenue$0.00 $2,500

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

FY2025 filing. Median across 5,499 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure	FY2025	Median
Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)	84.3%	84.4%
Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)	15.7%	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	97.0%	19.1%
Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12	97.0%	1.1%
Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12	1.8%	69.9%
Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F	$332,996	$331,578
Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)	0.40%	1.28%
People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2	77	8
Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses	15.6	13.3
Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b	11 of 11	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 expense

$69M expenses · 100.0% of program spending · grants $2,500 · revenue $2.1M

Bright Star Schools operated nine public charter schools serving approximately 3,600 students across los angeles county through a tk-12 college-preparatory educational model focused on academic achievement, college readiness, and whole-child development. The organization's schools primarily served historically underserved communities in west adams/south los angeles, koreatown, and the northeast san fernando valley. Bright Star Schools maintained a comprehensive college-going culture designed to prepare students for success in higher education, career pathways, and civic life. Program services…

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
PRESIDENT/CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$326,452	$0	$6,544	$332,996
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$192,436	$0	$7,282	$199,718
HEAD OF ACCOUNTING SERV. (THRU 6/25) Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$168,790	$0	$16,704	$185,494
SR. VP, LEADER. DEV. & INITIATIVE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$164,860	$0	$14,229	$179,089
SR VP STUDENT & FAMILY SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$155,063	$0	$19,813	$174,876
SENIOR VP, OPERATIONS, IT AND DATA Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$147,822	$0	$16,458	$164,280
VP CURRICULUM & ASSESSMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week	$158,426	$0	$5,241	$163,667
CHIEF INSTRUCTION OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week	$142,363	$0	$217	$142,580

77 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Bright Star Schools (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $796K (Part IX, line 5).

6 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked

RevenueExpenses

Filing	Revenue	Expenses	Programs	Net assets	Top pay
FY2025 ⓘ	$117M	$82M	84.3%	$107M	$332,996
FY2024 ⓘ	$82M	$80M	92.3%	$72M	$307,896
FY2023 ⓘ	$116M	$72M	92.0%	$70M	$320,996
FY2022 ⓘ	$71M	$62M	91.0%	$26M	$290,921
FY2021 ⓘ	$57M	$51M	91.5%	$19M	$262,200
FY2020 ⓘ	$58M	$52M	89.1%	$13M	$285,788

Governance 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–1b11 · 11 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 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 5676
Volunteers Part I, line 615

Largest outside contractors

FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only

CARLOS PULIDO SEVILLANO DBA CPS GENERAL Construction/ repair & maintenance	$549,198
LUCKY RIDE Transportation	$211,710
TRAFERA HOLDINGS LLC It / chromebooks, licenses	$149,281
LAW OFFICE OF YOUNG MINNEY & CORR LLP Legal	$133,043

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

1 private foundation reported grants to Bright Star Schools totaling $24 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 Bright Star 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 Bright Star Schools, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Report a correction Respond as Bright Star Schools How this works

Similar-sized charities in this cause

George Mason University Foundation
Fairfax, VA · revenue $116M · programs 93.6% · FY2025
University of Massachusetts Global
Aliso Viejo, CA · revenue $117M · programs 74.9% · FY2025
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
Washington, DC · revenue $116M · programs 78.2% · 2025
St John's School
Houston, TX · revenue $117M · programs 83.8% · FY2025
University of Mississippi Foundation
Oxford, MS · revenue $116M · programs 88.2% · FY2025

All education charities · Largest charities in California

Questions people ask

How much of Bright Star Schools's spending goes to programs?

In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Bright Star Schools reported that 84.3% of its $82.2 million in expenses went to program services, 15.7% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Bright Star Schools pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Bright Star Schools reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $332,996, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Bright Star Schools get its money?

Of $116.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 97.0% came from contributions and grants (including 97.0% from government grants) and 1.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Bright Star Schools a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 55-0806673 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 202632239349300048 · read the filing
FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202531359349312523 · read the filing
FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431359349311363 · read the filing
FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202301359349319470 · read the filing
FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231269349300923 · read the filing
FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202131329349302043 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 55-0806673: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.