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EXCELLENCE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INC

BRONX, NY · EIN 450522191 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B122 · Education · Large ($10M-$50M) · excellencecommunityschools.org
revenue
$13.0M
expenses
$10.1M
net assets
$28.4M
employees
71
volunteers
6
program ratio
57%
mission · from form 990

EXCELLENCE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, INC. PROVIDES SERVICES AND RAISES FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS OF THE BRONX AND STAMFORD CHARTER SCHOOL FOR EXCELLENCE SCHOOLS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Excellence Community Schools is a nonprofit charter management organization that operates public charter schools in the Bronx, NY and Stamford, CT. It serves elementary and middle school students, focusing on rigorous academics, college preparation, and holistic development. The organization supports high-achieving schools recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Boys Prep and Girls Prep I & II
Single-gender schools launched in 2025 as part of ECS expansion to further tailor education to student needs
Bronx Excellence 1-5
Network of K-8 public charter schools in the Bronx serving students in Parkchester, Morris Park, Wakefield, and Tremont neighborhoods
CSAA Athletics
Offers sports programs including volleyball, basketball, and flag football for student enrichment
Stamford Excellence
K-5 public charter school in Stamford, CT, established in 2015 as the first charter elementary school in the city
Student Advancement
Supports alumni through high school placement, college readiness, and postsecondary success
Student Support Services
Provides services for scholars with learning disabilities, English language learners, and students with 504 plans
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Charter School Operations 2 activities
    • Expand school network and academic offerings
      Expanded operations to include single-gender middle schools (Boys Prep and Girls Prep I & II) and Bronx Excellence 6–8, serving K–8 students in South Bronx neighborhoods. Also expanded special education services to include 12:1 and 12:1:1 co-ed classroom settings at the 192 East 151st Street campus.
    • Operate tuition-free public charter schools
      Operates a network of tuition-free K-8 public charter schools in the Bronx, NY and Stamford, CT, including Bronx Excellence and Stamford Excellence, with mandatory uniforms and an extended school day. Schools admit students through a blind lottery system under an open enrollment policy.
  • College Preparatory Secondary Education 1 activity
    • Deliver college-preparatory academic and character development programs
      Provides rigorous liberal arts instruction from kindergarten onward with a college-bound mindset, integrating character development through the RISE UP virtues (Respect, Integrity, Success, Etiquette, Unity, Pride) and Habits of Mind curriculum. Features flexible learning groups tailored to individual student needs.
  • Family-School Engagement Programs 1 activity
    • Engage families, volunteers, and community partners
      Partners with local businesses and organizations and engages volunteers to support scholar success. Maintains reduced student-to-teacher ratios to foster personalized interactions and involves families in the educational process.
  • Annual Financial and Activity Reporting 1 activity
    • Produce and publish accountability and progress reports
      Makes Accountability Plan Progress Reports publicly available online to ensure transparency and compliance with charter requirements.
  • Alumni Leadership and Career Support Programs 1 activity
    • Provide alumni support and post-graduation programming
      Offers ongoing guidance and resources for alumni transitioning to high school, college, and careers, including scholarship applications and career development. Hosts alumni events, mentorship opportunities, and career development programs to maintain long-term engagement.
  • Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • Provide extended learning and enrichment programs
      Offers after-school programs, athletics, and enrichment activities including music, art, dance, foreign language, and technology. Supports 25 middle school sports teams and 40 elementary and middle school sports clinics, with student participation in the Charter School Athletic Association league.
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Provide professional development for staff
      Offers extensive professional development programs focused on instructional excellence, organizational success, and leadership development for educators and staff across the network.
  • Charter School Admissions Lottery Management 1 activity
    • Support student admissions and enrollment via lottery system
      Manages student enrollment through an open application process and conducts admissions via a blind lottery system to ensure equitable access across all schools in the network.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$12.97M
Contributions & grants$1.15M9%
Program service revenue$9.07M70%
Investment income$599K5%
Other revenue$2.16M
expenses
Total expenses$10.06M
Program expenses57%
Admin / overhead34%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$6.16M
Grants paid out$30K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$111.11M
Cash$20.27M
Investments$0
Liabilities$82.69M
Net assets$28.42M
Liquid reserves24.2 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +3.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 11
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
CHARLENE REID CO-CEO 50 $845K
DENNISTON REID JR CO-CEO 50 $820K
VIKAS KAUSHAL CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER 50 $431K
MARQUITTA SPELLER-RICHARDSON CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER 50 $300K
AYA TAYLOR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 50 $290K
SHAWN SAROOP SENIOR DIRECTOR INFORMATIO 50 $198K
LATOYA LAURY MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STUDE 50 $192K
TANYA GHANS CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER 50 $191K
TAMARA FORREST SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES MAN 50 $172K
ROBERT HOROWITZ DIRECTOR OF REAL ESTATE IN 50 $149K
PATRICK KRAUSE CONTROLLER - RESIGNED 10/24 50 $134K
board members · 6
  • ANDRA EHRENKRANZ — VICE PRESIDENT
  • ANTHONY VERNACE — SECRETARY
  • JOYCE FROST — CHAIRPERSON
  • KIMBERLY HARTMAN — VICE PRESIDENT
  • KORY APTON — VICE PRESIDENT
  • RISHI RENJEN — TREASURER
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • AudioEye Partner — Partners with AudioEye to optimize website accessibility.
  • Bronx Charter School for Excellence Partner — Provides services and fundraising support to the Bronx Charter School for Excellence.
  • Bronx Charter Schools for Excellence Network — Bronx Charter Schools for Excellence (BCSE), also known as Bronx Excellence 1-5 Elementary & Middle Schools, is part of the Excellence Community Schools network.
  • Bronx Excellence Partner — Flagship school serving as the model for the network's design and practices.
  • Charter School Athletic Association Partner — Partners with Excellence Community Schools to provide interscholastic athletic competition for middle school students in the Bronx.
  • Literacy Volunteer Partner — Individuals who support literacy development in scholars as part of the volunteer program
  • Mentor Partner — Individuals who provide mentorship to scholars as part of the volunteer program
  • New York City Charter School Center Partner — Receives support from the New York City Charter School Center for school operations and community engagement.
  • New York State Education Department Government — Subject to oversight and reporting requirements by NYSED.
  • PBS Partner — Collaborated with PBS on the "Cyberchase" segment featuring the NYBG Nature Club's community garden project.
  • RISE UP Partner — Framework of virtues shaping school culture
  • Schneps Media Government — Recognized Co-CEO Dr. Charlene Reid at the 2025 Power Women of the Bronx event.
  • Stamford Charter School for Excellence Partner — Provides services and fundraising support to the Stamford Charter School for Excellence.
  • State University of New York (SUNY) Government — Charter authorizer that granted a full-term five-year renewal to Bronx Excellence in 2009.
  • State University of New York Charter Schools Institute Government — Authorized by SUNY Charter Schools Institute as a charter school operator.
  • U.S. Department of Education Government — Federal grant funder and awarding body for National Blue Ribbon Schools and charter expansion grants.
  • U.S. Department of Education Government — Recipient of a competitive award from the U.S. Department of Education for replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools.
  • U.S. Department of Education Government — Recognized Bronx Excellence with the National Blue Ribbon Award in the category of Exemplary High-Performing Schools.
  • U.S. News & World Report Network — Recognized Excellence Community Schools campuses as among the Best Elementary and Middle Schools nationally.
  • Workshop Host Partner — Individuals who lead workshops for scholars as part of the volunteer program
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Character and Academic Excellence through Shared Virtues
    methodology: character_academic_integration
    By integrating high academic standards with a unified character framework (RISE UP virtues), the organization fosters scholar thriving and long-term success, because shared values create a consistent culture of accountability and personal growth across academic and behavioral domains.
  • College Preparation from Early Grades
    methodology: early_college_pipeline
    By integrating rigorous academics with early college preparation starting in the earliest grades, the organization sustains high expectations and student engagement, because longitudinal exposure to college readiness norms builds identity and preparedness over time.
  • Holistic Development for Competitive Readiness
    methodology: holistic_student_development
    By fostering development across intellectual, artistic, social, emotional, and ethical domains, the organization prepares students for competitive high schools, because multidimensional growth produces resilient, well-rounded scholars capable of thriving in rigorous environments.
  • Internal Leadership Pipeline for School Excellence
    methodology: internal_leadership_development
    By cultivating school leaders from within—especially educators with urban teaching experience—the organization strengthens instructional leadership and cultural continuity, because lived experience in relevant contexts produces more effective, committed leaders aligned with community needs.
  • Personalized Learning for Maximum Potential
    methodology: personalized_learning
    By tailoring instruction through personalized learning plans and adaptive grouping, the organization enhances individual academic growth, because customized pacing and targeted support address diverse learning needs more effectively than one-size-fits-all models.