The Philadelphia School
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 237091186
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2009–2024
- Official website data refreshed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024
- Location
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Phone
- 2155455323
- Rating
- 83
- Verdict
- STRONG
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
Reported finances
- Revenue
- $18,796,296
- Expenses
- $17,690,764
- Assets
- $34,656,969
- Liabilities
- $4,437,880
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.
Leadership & pay
30 people listed
Executive titles in this filing
- ZACHARY KLEHR (PRESIDENT)
- CHIP FINNEY (VICE PRESIDENT)
- ADAM DOUBERLY (VICE PRESIDENT)
- MELANIE PONTZ (VICE PRESIDENT)
- CARRIE SIEGEL (BOARD TRUSTEE (TPSA PRESIDENT))
Highest reported compensation
- LISA SUN (FORMER HEAD OF SCHOOL (THRU 6/30/24)): $334,252 total reported compensation
- ALYSSA RICKELS (HEAD OF SCHOOL (EFF 7/1/24)): $203,535 total reported compensation
- MEGAN TOWNSEND (DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT): $198,135 total reported compensation
Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.
Overview
Mission
A pioneer in progressive education since 1972, The Philadelphia School (TPS) is a non-sectarian school located in Center City Philadelphia for students in preschool through 8th grade. Renowned for its child-centered, inquiry-based curriculum, students learn on the school’s expansive urban campus as well as in nature one full day per week. At TPS, we value compassion, curiosity, diversity, and students’ engagement with the world.
What it reported doing in 2024
Education for students from preschool to 8th grade; 41 preschool, 52 kindergarten, 91 primary unit (grades 1-2), 132 junior unit (grades 3-5), 95 middle school (grades 6-8).the philadelphia school (tps) opened its doors to its first students over 50 years ago. A leader in the philadelphia educational landscape, tps has come to be known over time for three distinctive and unique features: we are progressive, our classroom is everywhere, and we are preschool through eighth grade by design. We know that learning happens everywhere - in the city, in the country, and in the classroom. Connecting lessons to the real world helps children understand how they fit into the big picture and learn how to advocate for themselves and others. Tps graduates emerge as self-confident leaders more than prepared not only for the next steps of their educational journey, but to shape the world in important and meaningful ways. We've always thought outside of the classroom. We'll be doing the same for the next 50 years.the philadelphia school's progressive educational approach has deep thinking, innovation, and agency as its guiding principles. We encourage children to explore and push the boundaries of possibility to fulfill their academic, social, and civic potential. We approach learning through inquiry, projects, and community. Core values and best-practice research inform the school's program and pedagogical practices. Our interdisciplinary, theme-based approach provides the foundation for mastering academics and prepares students for the challenges they will face in the future. As an urban, preschool - 8th grade school, we address specifically how young students develop intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically. Through our commitment to diversity, we seek to nurture each student's moral compass, sense of personal integrity, and respect for both individuality and community. Learning in the city, country, and classroom affirms our founders' goal of educating children to become responsible and active stewards of the urban and natural environments.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Earned-program. 82% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The filing allocates 82% 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.
- Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.
The verdict
STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 70
- Transparency & Controls: 95
- Accountability: 95
- Sustainability: 56
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 72.8%; rating input score 73
- Program expense ratio: 79.1%; rating input score 79
- Fundraising efficiency: $6.88 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Pass
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
- Written employment contract: Pass
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 23rd 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: NotApplicable
- Other executive compensation review process: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 5.9%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
- Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.96; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.13; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 8.2%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 5.3% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 18th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 6 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 72.8% of revenue deployed · 79.1% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 20 of 22 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
- Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $14M in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $334K · 30 people listed · 6 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
- Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3.3M reported
- Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
- Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
- Filing history: 14 filing years from 2009 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 8 filed money-flow records
- Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
- 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 — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 28/100.
- Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 56/100.
- High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 28/100.