Atlas Public Schools

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
833942865
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Saint Louis, MO, USA
Phone
3143770090
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Charter Schools

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$9,617,650
Expenses
$8,621,267
Assets
$26,692,230
Liabilities
$23,911,821

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • RUSS KIRK (PRESIDENT)
  • COLBY HECKENDORN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • COLBY HECKENDORN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $216,871 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Atlas public schools nurtures a thriving community by educating the whole child through a rigorous academic program enriched with real-world experiences, while prioritizing the support, growth, and sustainability of our dedicated educators.

What it reported doing in 2024

Atlas public schools is an intentionally diverse, year-round public charter school in st. Louis that educates the whole child through a rigorous academic program combined with real-world, place-based learning experiences. Our curriculum integrates the science of reading, bridges mathematics, and hands-on learning connected to the local community to promote deep understanding and engagement. During the 2024-25 school year, atlas served approximately 430 students in grades pre-k through 4, with more than 85 percent qualifying for free or reduced price lunch and about 80 percent identifying as students of color. Through co-taught classrooms, individualized supports, and extended learning opportunities, atlas strives to ensure that all students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 86% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Liabilities are high compared with assets.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 61
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 71.8%; rating input score 72
  • Program expense ratio: 81.7%; rating input score 82
  • Fundraising efficiency: $130.66 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 10.4%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.1; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.9; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.5%; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 55.2% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 51.7% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 58.7% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 71.8% of revenue deployed · 81.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $217K · 9 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.