Firstline Schools
Firstline Schools reported $56.6 million in revenue and $60.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $89.59 went to program services, $10.00 to management and general costs and $0.41 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.7% of the total. Government grants made up 94.1%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $251,991 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 14% 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 $60MFor 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 $57M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$0.63 $356K
- Government grants$94.07 $53M
- Program service revenue$2.74 $1.6M
- Investment income$2.56 $1.4M
Other revenue was negative: −$14,405. 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) | 89.6% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.0% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.4% | 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 | 94.7% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 94.1% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.7% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $251,991 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.42% | 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 | 7.9 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 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 expenseFirstline Schools, inc. (firstline) is a nonprofit organization formed in 1998 to serve as the chartering group for arthur ashe charter school (ashe) formerly known as new orleans charter middle school (nocms). Firstline was also granted charters by the louisiana board of elementary and secondary education (ldoe) and the orleans parish school board (opsb) to operate samuel j. Green charter school (green) beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, phillis wheatley community school (wheatley) beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, and langston hughes academy (hughes) beginning in the 2012-2013…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $217,028 | $0 | $34,963 | $251,991 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,382 | $0 | $26,877 | $160,259 |
| CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,014 | $0 | $21,159 | $154,173 |
| SCHOOL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $129,077 | $0 | $21,737 | $150,814 |
| CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $127,033 | $0 | $18,643 | $145,676 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEACHING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $122,722 | $0 | $21,107 | $143,829 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $124,210 | $0 | $19,014 | $143,224 |
| SCHOOL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $111,570 | $0 | $22,523 | $134,093 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Firstline Schools (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.2M (Part IX, line 5).
5 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–1b12 · 12 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 5536
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| HUBBARD & TENNYSON LLC Student therapy services | $170,978 |
| KANDER CONSULTING LLC DBA AUTHENTIC LEAD Professional development | $159,500 |
| CRANE REHAB CENTER Student therapy services | $155,772 |
| YOUNG CYPRESS PSYCHOLOGY Student evaluations | $144,855 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Firstline Schools totaling $2,059 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 Firstline 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 Firstline Schools, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Firstline Schools spent in FY2025, $89.59 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Zeta Charter SchoolsNew York, NY · revenue $57M · programs 91.1% · FY2025
- Central Florida Clinical Practice OrganizationOrlando, FL · revenue $57M · programs 100.0% · FY2025
- Union CollegeLincoln, NE · revenue $57M · programs 81.2% · FY2025
- Kent SchoolKent, CT · revenue $57M · programs 77.1% · FY2025
- The Kenan-Flagler Business School FoundationChapel Hill, NC · revenue $57M · programs 100.0% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Firstline Schools's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Firstline Schools reported that 89.6% of its $60.3 million in expenses went to program services, 10.0% to management and general and 0.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Firstline Schools pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Firstline Schools reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $251,991, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Firstline Schools get its money?
Of $56.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 94.7% came from contributions and grants (including 94.1% from government grants) and 2.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Firstline Schools a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 72-1409800 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, 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 202600769349301455 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202540909349301459 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341039349300644 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201369349309525 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141379349308849 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 72-1409800: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.