Nonprofit · EIN 45-3957158
ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS
Also known as CANARSIE ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOL
Tax-exempt · BROOKLYN, NY 11212
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2025 | 990 | $137,643,531 | $138,881,621 | -$1,238,090 | $542,629,377 | $520,582,848 | $22,046,529 |
| June 30, 2024 | 990 | $139,253,884 | $139,042,900 | $210,984 | $482,019,155 | $467,887,395 | $14,131,760 |
| June 30, 2023 | 990 | $147,524,318 | $145,945,520 | $1,578,798 | $424,782,493 | $410,861,717 | $13,920,776 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $9,224,292
- of which government grants
- $7,674,390
- Program service revenue
- $126,995,035
- Investment income
- $1,274,204
- Other revenue
- $150,000
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Other salaries and wages
- $46,057,541
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $57,655,354
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $28,326
- Accounting fees
- $150,000
- Occupancy
- $39,582,436
- Travel
- $371,972
- Depreciation
- $3,935,397
- Program services (functional)
- $115,284,502
- Management and general (functional)
- $23,597,119
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $482,019,155
- Total assets, end of year
- $542,629,377
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $520,582,848
- Net assets, end of year
- $22,046,529
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $18,045,377
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $22,046,529
- Gross receipts
- $137,643,531
- Employees
- 942
- Volunteers
- 12
- Year formed
- 2011
- State of legal domicile
- NY
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEYDE ST LEGER | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $203,696 | $18,653 |
| LATASHA WILLIAMS | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $191,053 | $15,172 |
| CHRISTOPHER ZILINSKI | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $169,442 | $32,709 |
| HANNAH CHAPMAN | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $178,677 | $16,681 |
| INAN BARRETT | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $148,271 | $18,937 |
| EMMANUEL FORDJOUR | CO-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| GABY RAMOS-SOLOMON | CO-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| ANTHONY ROSE | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| JANAI JETER | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| JAY BHINDE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| COURTENAYE JACKSON-CHASE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| SANDY KAPELL | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| VIN MARCHESE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| TAIESHA SEALES | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| GAMAL WALKER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
2 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACKIE WILSON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 |
| MARYANN LI | CEO Officer | 40 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2024: 19 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEYDE ST LEGER | PRINCIPAL Key employee | 40 | $191,767 | $18,534 |
| CURTIS DURHAM | PRINCIPAL Key employee | 40 | $187,334 | $20,295 |
| LATASHA WILLIAMS | PRINCIPAL Key employee | 40 | $183,062 | $16,474 |
| KATHERINE STEARNS | PRINCIPAL Key employee | 40 | $167,931 | $12,029 |
| LISA ROACH | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $139,072 | $21,451 |
| JUSTIN MOORMAN | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $137,603 | $21,579 |
| AXEL NDA | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $132,412 | $26,328 |
| INAN BARRETT | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $137,059 | $18,228 |
| SOPHIA BALIS HARRIS | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $136,327 | $15,805 |
| EMMANUEL FORDJOUR | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| GABRIELLE RAMOS | CO CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| JANAI JETER | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| GAMAL WALKER | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| COURTENAYE-JACKSON CHASE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| ANTHONY ROSE | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| TAIESHA SEALES | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| JACKIE WILSON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| RECY BENJAMIN | CEO Officer | 40 | $0 | $0 |
| EDISON DE LA CRUZ | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER EFF. 6/17/24 Officer | 40 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2023: 13 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIVIA ANGIOLILLO | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $176,072 | $13,209 |
| BILLIE QUIGLEY | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $163,357 | $17,324 |
| LATASHA WILLIAMS | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $169,065 | $11,567 |
| LEYDE ST LEGER | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $149,119 | $17,690 |
| LISA ROACH | PRINCIPAL Highest-paid employee | 40 | $142,092 | $19,021 |
| NADINE SYLVESTER | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| STANLEY TAYLOR | VICE CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| SHELLY CLEARY | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| EMMANUEL FORDJOUR | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| JANAI JETER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| GAMAL WALKER | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| JACKIE WILSON | TRUSTEE Trustee or director | 2.5 | $0 | $0 |
| RECY BENJAMIN | CEO Officer | 40 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 205 ROCKAWAY PARKWAY 6TH FLOOR, BROOKLYN, NY 11212-3444
- In care of
- % JANA L REED
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- MARYANN LI, 205 ROCKAWAY PKWY, BROOKLYN, NY 11212
- Signed the 990
- ROBERT PRICE, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
- Phone
- (347) 464-7600
- Website
- WWW.ASCENDLEARNING.ORG
- Return prepared by
- PKF O'CONNOR DAVIES ADVISORY LLC
Mission
ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS' (THE "SCHOOL") MISSION IS TO EQUIP EVERY STUDENT WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND. THE SCHOOL WILL SPAN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THE 12TH GRADE AT MATURITY. FROM THE EARLIEST GRADES, STUDENTS WILL STEADILY BUILD A STRONG FOUNDATION OF LEARNING HABITS, CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE; EXCEL ACADEMICALLY IN THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, MASTERING HIGH-LEVEL MATH AND SCIENCE; AND GRADUATE AS CONFIDENT YOUNG ADULTS, PREPARED TO SUCCEED AS COLLEGE STUDENTS, AS CITIZENS, AND AS LEADERS IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS.
Program accomplishments
- ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS IS A NETWORK OF K-12 PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS SERVING 5,208 STUDENTS IN 17 SCHOOLS ACROSS BROOKLYN, NEW YORK'S MOST POPULOUS BOROUGH. OUR UNDERTAKING IS TO LEAD OUR STUDENTS ON A GREAT INTELLECTUAL ADVENTURE, PROVIDE THEM WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL COLLEGE PREPARATORY EDUCATION, AND PLACE THEM FIRMLY ON THE PATH TO SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND.Expenses $115,284,502 · revenue $126,995,035
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in June, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 30, 2026 | November 16, 2026 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | June 30, 2025 | November 17, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | June 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 45-3957158
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- School
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2014
- Accounting year ends
- June
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Education (B29)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $542,629,377
- Income (IRS master file)
- $137,643,531
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | June 2025 | $137,643,531 | $138,881,621 | $542,629,377 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2024 | $139,253,884 | $139,042,900 | $482,019,155 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2023 | $147,524,318 | $145,945,520 | $424,782,493 | XML |
| 990 | June 2022 | $137,441,682 | $135,665,583 | $56,267,292 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 45-3957158).
Questions about ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS
- What is the EIN of ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS is 45-3957158.
- Is ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2014.
- Are donations to ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending June 30, 2026) is due November 16, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended June 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 names MARYANN LI.
- Who are the officers and directors of ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 lists 17 people; 5 received compensation from the organization, the highest $203,696 (LEYDE ST LEGER, PRINCIPAL).
- How much revenue does ASCEND CHARTER SCHOOLS have?
- On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $137,643,531, expenses of $138,881,621 and total assets of $542,629,377 at year end.
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