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Firstline Schools Inc

EIN 72-1409800 · New Orleans, LA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood82 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FIRSTLINE'S MISSION IS TO CREATE AND INSPIRE GREAT OPEN ADMISSIONS PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN NEW ORLEANS WITH A VISION THAT OUR SCHOOLS WILL PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE, FULFILLING CAREERS, AND A HEALTHY LIFE BY NURTURING STUDENTS IN MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

Income
$56.6 million
Spending
$60.3 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 94%
Employees
536
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$251,991, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.

Results it reports

  • Green served 518 students.Work delivered
  • Ashe served 790 students.Work delivered
  • Wheatley served 791 students.Work delivered
  • Hughes served 792 students.Work delivered

Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $54.0 million spent. FIRSTLINE SCHOOLS, INC. (FIRSTLINE) IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FORMED IN 1998 TO SERVE AS THE CHARTERING GROUP FOR ARTHUR ASHE CHARTER SCHOOL (ASHE) FORMERLY KNOWN AS NEW ORLEANS CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL (NOCMS). FIRSTLINE WAS ALSO GRANTED CHARTERS BY THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION (LDOE) AND THE ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD (OPSB) TO OPERATE SAMUEL J. GREEN CHARTER SCHOOL (GREEN) BEGINNING IN THE 2005-2006 SCHOOL YEAR, PHILLIS WHEATLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL (WHEATLEY) BEGINNING IN THE 2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR, AND LANGSTON HUGHES ACADEMY (HUGHES) BEGINNING IN THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR.IN THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, GREEN, ASHE, WHEATLEY, AND HUGHES SERVED THE FOLLOWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS, AS UPDATED (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) FOR THE FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025 STUDENT COUNT:GREEN - 518 STUDENTSASHE - 790 STUDENTSWHEATLEY - 791 STUDENTSHUGHES - 792 STUDENTS

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.