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research dossier

SOUTH BUFFALO CHARTER SCHOOL

BUFFALO, NY · EIN 161586423 · Form 990 · FY2023 · NTEE B29 · Education · Large ($10M-$50M) · southbuffalocs.org
revenue
$16.2M
expenses
$13.8M
net assets
$35.9M
employees
164
volunteers
7
program ratio
91%
mission · from form 990

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY WITH FOCUS ON RESEARCH, DATA, & COLLABORATIVE REFLECTION.

profile · synthesized from sources

South Buffalo Charter School is a K-8 public charter school in Buffalo, NY serving a high-need population, with over 70% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school emphasizes academic achievement through extended instructional time, data-driven decision-making, and professional learning communities. It offers a standards-based curriculum, technology integration, character education, and a range of extracurricular activities.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Athletics and Clubs
Offers extracurricular programs including basketball, track, baseball, drama, art, Odyssey of the Mind, and academic clubs.
Character Education
Integrates core virtues and social-emotional learning through programs like Second Step and Project Wisdom.
Extended Day and School Year
Provides additional instructional time with a school day of at least seven hours and a calendar extending 10–15 days beyond the state minimum.
Professional Learning Communities
Collaborative educator teams focused on research-based practices, data analysis, and continuous improvement to enhance student outcomes.
Technology Integration
Enhances instruction with multimedia classrooms, interactive tools, and web-based platforms including Powerschool and AIMSweb.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Conduct professional learning and staff development
      Operates as a professional learning community focused on research, data, and collaborative reflection, providing at least ten dedicated professional development or superintendent conference days annually for staff.
  • Independent and Charter K-12 Schools 1 activity
    • Deliver K–8 education with academic and character development focus
      Provides a high-quality education for students in grades K–8, emphasizing academic excellence and character development, supported by an extended school day (7+ hours) and school year (190–195 days), exceeding New York State requirements by 1.5–2 hours daily and 10–15 days annually.
  • Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 1 activity
    • Maintain and expand school library resources
      Provides access to a library collection of over 7,000 fiction, non-fiction, and reference books for students and teachers across all grade levels, with facilities expanded to better meet student needs.
  • Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • Operate extracurricular athletic and club programs
      Offers interscholastic sports programs in baseball, track and field, basketball, and girls softball, along with student clubs including Art Club, Drama Club, Math Club, Book Talk Club, Recycling Club, and National Honor Society, fostering engagement in academics, arts, leadership, and community service.
  • Educational Technology Access and Support 1 activity
    • Provide digital learning and information access platforms
      Provides access to student academic data and assignments through PowerSchool and Google Classroom, including guidance for families on using features like the To-Do List, submitting work, and navigating instructional resources; also distributes school calendars, forms, and resources via the Virtual Backpack platform.
  • Family-School Engagement Programs 1 activity
    • Support family and community engagement through school-based organizations and events
      Supports the SBCS Parents Organization and operates a Parents Association to engage families in school community activities, including cultural celebration events organized by the student IDEA committee focused on inclusion, dignity, equity, and access.
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$16.22M
Contributions & grants$2.58M16%
Program service revenue$12.70M78%
Investment income$930K6%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$13.77M
Program expenses91%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$9.72M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$37.85M
Cash$11.16M
Investments$9.75M
Liabilities$1.93M
Net assets$35.92M
Liquid reserves18.2 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +4.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
DAVID EHRLE SUPERINTENDENT 40 $201K
DAVID THOMAS PRINCIPAL 40 $121K
CHRISTINE PETRIE BUSINESS MANAGER 40 $96K
board members · 7
  • ANNE MARIE TRYJANKOWSKI — VICE PRESIDENT
  • CARRIE MERRITT — TRUSTEE
  • CHRISTOPHER SCHAFER — PRESIDENT
  • JAMES WEIMER — TRUSTEE
  • JENNIFER MACK — TRUSTEE
  • KATHLEEN LINHARDT — SECRETARY
  • MATTHEW SZALKOWSKI — TRUSTEE
relationships · 5

Who they work with

  • EVCS-Days Park Partner — Participating team in the Girls Softball Charter League hosted by South Buffalo Charter School.
  • EVCS-Hertel Partner — Participating team in the Girls Softball Charter League hosted by South Buffalo Charter School.
  • Enterprise Charter School Partner — Participating team in the Girls Softball Charter League hosted by South Buffalo Charter School.
  • PowerSchool Partner — Uses PowerSchool platform to provide parents with access to student information.
  • SBCS Parents Organization Partner — Collaborates with the school to support family engagement and school community initiatives.
strategies · 4

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.

  • Extended Learning Time to Improve Achievement
    methodology: extended_learning_time
    By extending the school day and year, the school increases instructional time to improve student achievement because more time allows for deeper academic engagement and remediation.
  • Integrated Academics and Character Education
    methodology: integrated academics and character education
    By integrating rigorous academics with character education, the school produces responsible, engaged citizens because character development reinforces social-emotional learning and strengthens academic outcomes through a holistic model of education.
  • Professional Learning Communities for Instructional Improvement
    methodology: professional_learning_community
    By engaging educators in continuous, job-embedded collaborative inquiry and action research, the school improves student learning because collective analysis of data and shared pedagogical reflection lead to more effective instructional practices.
  • Student-Led Inclusion and Equity Programming
    methodology: student-led inclusion and equity programming
    By empowering students to lead initiatives around inclusion, dignity, equity, and access, the school fosters a culture of belonging because peer-driven programming increases authenticity and engagement in equity work.