The Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 462716505
- IRS 990-EZ coverage
- 2020–2020
- Forms available
- Form 990 2019, Form 990-EZ 2020, Form 990-T 2020, Form 990-N 2013
- Location
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Phone
- 6099374860
- Rating
- 86
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Educational Services and Schools - Other
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $88,617
- Expenses
- $263,049
- Assets
- $0
- Liabilities
- $0
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2020. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
10 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- KATEY MCGRATH (PRESIDENT)
- LAUREN WILEY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (UNTIL 12/31/20))
People named in this filing
- KATEY MCGRATH (PRESIDENT)
- CHARLOTTE HALL (TREASURER)
- BRANDON MILLER (SECRETARY)
Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.
Source: IRS Form 990-EZ. Selected filing: tax year 2020. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
By providing reporting and analysis about public schools in philadelphia and creating forums for dialogue and education, the philadelphia public school notebook empowers parents, educators, students and residents to improve conditions for all in the city's public schools and to build strong learning communities. In-depth independent coverage of education issues ensures that communities are informed about the school system and how to navigate it, and alert to issues that affect their lives and the well-being of the city. The notebook helps to hold the system accountable by developing a more robust public dialogue about problems in education and how to address them.
What it reported doing in 2020
The organization ceased activities in fiscal year 2021. Prior to ceasing operations, the program serivice consisted of the following: notebook programming - the notebook is known as the go-to place for in-depth information about philadelphia schools. Key activities are the free publication and dissemination of a quarterly citywide print newspaper (print circulation = 50,000, monthly web visits = 100,000) and a website that is updated with multiple stories five days a week, creating opportunities for conversation about critical issues both online and face-to-face. Each print edition focuses on a specific theme. Recent edition themes have included: focus on early education, focus on special education, system involved youth, and success in high school and beyond. We also publish our annual fall guide to high schools, a resource for parents and students navigating philadelphia's high school selection process.print and web content are promoted via daily alerts, a weekly e-newsletter, and social media posts. Notebook stories are widely distributed through content partnerships with whyy's keystone crossroads, resolve philadelphia, and other publications. Partnerships have expanded the notebook's audience and influence; it is increasingly seen by civic leaders around the region, as well as top city and school officials. Unlike some news organizations, the notebook's mission does not stop at the publication of information. Its commitment to educational quality and equity and dedication to transparency about education issues often takes us a step further. For example, staff act as an information resource for a number of different networks of education activists and advocates. The notebook organizes periodic community events to discuss issues with readers. With help from local attorneys, the notebook has frequently used the state's sunshine laws to try to ensure public access to information; for example, we have gone to court to successfully establish the public's right to access the full resolutions under consideration by the philadelphia school district's board of education at their public meetings.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 56% for direct work, and 44% for grants.
The verdict
STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Revenue has declined or grown slowly and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 91
- Transparency & Controls: 100
- Sustainability: 5
- Growth: 0
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
- Program expense ratio: 76.9%; rating input score 77
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
Sustainability
- Operating margin: -196.8%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 0; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: Limited
- Officer compensation ratio: 38.4%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: Limited
- Revenue growth: -14.9% per year; rating input score 0; 25th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: -17.3% per year; rating input score 0; 10th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 76.9% of spending went to programs
- Governance: Filed governance answers
- Accomplishments: 1 filed program accomplishment · $202K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 10 people listed
- Consistency: 9 of 9 current checks pass
- Schedules: 4 filed schedules
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
- 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.
Grant-readiness screening is separate from the live rating, not a measure of program quality. Review the source records before making a grant decision.
- High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 8/100.
- High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
- High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 2/100.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 5/100.
- High — Grant Readiness: Automatic revocation: this organization had its federal tax-exempt status automatically revoked.