2021-05-17T08:36:26-05:00 2020-06-30 161092347 MENGEL METZGER BARR & CO LLP 100 CHESTNUT STREET SUITE 1200 ROCHESTER NY 14604 990 2019-07-01 203505981 UNCOMMON NEW YORK CITY CHARTER SCHOOLS UNCO 2128443523 1485 PACIFIC STREET BROOKLYN NY 11216 MICHAEL BLAKE MDO 2128443523 2021-05-13 1 SHELBY L STENSON P00440078 5854231860 2021-05-13 2019 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z MICHAEL BLAKE 1485 PACIFIC STREET BROOKLYN NY 11216 155525547 0 X WWW.UNCOMMONSCHOOLS.ORG X 2007 NY SEE SCHEDULE O 12 12 1634 12 0 0 7517300 7555023 142884404 147102085 109679 868439 0 0 150511383 155525547 0 0 0 0 90533455 92319664 0 0 0 42632207 47753538 133165662 140073202 17345721 15452345 79812130 95058951 5605667 5400143 74206463 89658808 UNCOMMON SCHOOLS OPERATES OUTSTANDING URBAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND PREPARE STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. 0 0 125442004 147102085 UNCOMMON SCHOOLS NEW YORK CITY CURRENTLY SERVES OVER 8,700 K-12 STUDENTS ACROSS 24 SCHOOLS IN BROOKLYN, INCLUDING BOTH SINGLE-SEX AND CO-EDUCATIONAL SCHOOLS. CLOSE TO 100% OF THE UNCOMMON NYC GRADUATING CLASS OF 2020 (252 OF 255 STUDENTS) WAS ACCEPTED INTO A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. 125442004 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 182 0 1634 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 12 12 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 X JENNIFER CONSILVIO 6467742150 55 BROAD ST 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK CITY NY 10004 X MICHAEL HALL TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 JOHN KIM TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 LINTON MANN III CHAIR 1.00 X X 0 0 0 TONY PASQUARIELLO VICE CHAIR 1.00 X X 0 0 0 JOHN GREENSTEIN TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 SHAKIMA WILLIAMS-JONES TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 EKWUTOZIA U NWABUZOR SECRETARY 1.00 X X 0 0 0 JOSEPH F WAYLAND TREASURER 1.00 X X 0 0 0 CHRYSTAL STOKES WILLIAMS TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 ANN MATHEWS TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 JABALI SAWIKI TRUSTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 BRETT PEISER EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 MICHAEL BLAKE MANAGING DIRECTOR, NY SCHOOLS 1.50 X 0 0 0 SCOTT SCHUSTER KCCSM PRINCIPAL 50.00 X 163334 0 11790 JUSTIN PIGEON BSCMS PRINCIPAL 50.00 X 153252 0 11804 THOMAS O'BRIEN UCHS PRINCIPAL 50.00 X 149822 0 9644 ASHANTI HERNDON EGMS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 50.00 X 138948 0 11369 ALEXANDRA BRONSON WCCS PRINCIPAL 50.00 X 145394 0 10689 ISHANI MEHTA ES PRINCIPAL 50.00 X 135208 0 11366 885958 0 66662 47 0 1 0 UNCOMMON SCHOOLS INC 55 BROAD ST 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10004 MANAGEMENT SERVICES 16243218 EXCELLENCE ACADEMICS 55 BROAD ST 3RD FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10004 RENT SERVICES 4220385 MINDSHIFTRICOH 45610 WOODLAND ROAD SUITE 200 STERLING VA 20166 IT SERVICES 2272641 AC-INTERIORS CORP 30 WALL ST 8TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10005 CONSTRUCTION SERVICES 1996149 MARTINEZ CLEANING COMPANY INC PO BOX 690136 EAST ELMHURST NY 11369 CLEANING SERVICES 320696 9 5867099 1687924 563561 7555023 PER PUPIL REVENUE 611110 147102085 147102085 147102085 868439 868439 155525547 147102085 0 868439 335241 302417 32824 78456511 72920747 5535764 1050260 1050260 6511854 6057584 454270 5965798 5549173 416625 20073607 17072118 3001489 83098 83098 187081 187081 2786665 2382659 404006 633302 633302 2993737 1079845 1913892 1786238 987495 798743 852093 492699 359394 4509367 4459436 49931 1217836 1217836 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMEN 4342236 4342236 SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS 3088795 3088795 STUDENT SERVICES 2964754 2964754 REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 1571272 1571272 663457 487212 176245 140073202 125442004 14631198 0 4600097 5112045 52106969 63968846 4497976 3435428 441543 1990638 972037 4276787 37783167 21891324 16814130 15891843 379378 383364 79812130 95058951 5605667 5336446 63697 5605667 5400143 X 74206463 89658808 74206463 89658808 79812130 95058951 15452345 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 16523 0 0 16523 0 PART II-B, LINE 1: DURING THE YEAR UNCOMMON NYC ATTEMPTED TO INFLUENCE NATIONAL, STATE OR LOCAL LEGISLATION, INCLUDING ANY ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION ON A LEGISLATIVE MATTER OR REFERENDUM, THROUGH THE USE OF DIRECT CONTACT WITH LEGISLATORS, THEIR STAFF, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OR A LEGISLATIVE BODY. OUR STAFF WERE ENGAGED IN ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SHARING INFO ABOUT UNCOMMON AND TALKING ABOUT KEY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR CHARTER/RENAISSANCE SCHOOLS. 19841337 8506438 11334899 14887601 12192995 2694606 3054229 1191891 1862338 15891843 X 155525547 0 155525547 0 155525547 140073202 0 140073202 0 140073202 PART X, LINE 2: THE CHARTER SCHOOL IS A TAX-EXEMPT ORGANIZATION UNDER SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE AND APPLICABLE STATE REGULATIONS AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL AND STATE TAXES ON INCOME. THE CHARTER SCHOOL FILES FORM 990 TAX RETURNS IN THE U.S. FEDERAL JURISDICTION. THE TAX RETURNS FOR THE YEARS ENDED JUNE 30, 2017 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020 ARE STILL SUBJECT TO POTENTIAL AUDIT BY THE IRS. MANAGEMENT OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL BELIEVES IT HAS NO MATERIAL UNCERTAIN INCOME TAX POSITIONS AND, ACCORDINGLY IT WILL NOT RECOGNIZE ANY LIABILITY FOR UNRECOGNIZED TAX BENEFITS. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 SCHEDULE E, PART I, LINE 3 THE ORGANIZATION PUBLICIZES ITS RACIALLY NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY ON THE SCHOOL APPLICATION AND AT VARIOUS COMMUNITY CENTERS USED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE SCHOOL AND ITS PROGRAMS. SCHEDULE E, PART I, LINE 6 THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVES START-UP GRANTS FOR FACILITIES AND IMPLEMENTATION AND CORE PUPIL AID. X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SCOTT SCHUSTER KCCSM PRINCIPAL 156834 0 6500 0 0 0 3554 0 8236 0 175124 0 0 0 JUSTIN PIGEON BSCMS PRINCIPAL 136752 0 16500 0 0 0 3568 0 8236 0 165056 0 0 0 THOMAS O'BRIEN UCHS PRINCIPAL 133322 0 16500 0 0 0 3564 0 6080 0 159466 0 0 0 ASHANTI HERNDON EGMS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 132448 0 6500 0 0 0 3564 0 7805 0 150317 0 0 0 ALEXANDRA BRONSON WCCS PRINCIPAL 128894 0 16500 0 0 0 3561 0 7128 0 156083 0 0 0 X 563561 FMV 0 0 0 FORM 990, PART I, LINE 1: UNCOMMON SCHOOLS NEW YORK CITY PREPARES OUR STUDENTS TO ENTER, SUCCEED IN, AND GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. OUR ORGANIZATION COMPRISES 24 HIGH-PERFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOCATED IN BROOKLYN NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING BROWNSVILLE, CROWN HEIGHTS, AND EAST NEW YORK. THIS YEAR, WE ARE PROVIDING A K-12 PATHWAY FOR 8,800+ STUDENTS AGED 5-18 ACROSS EIGHT ELEMENTARY, TWELVE MIDDLE, AND FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS. WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING REGULAR TOUCHPOINTS, ACCESS TO RESOURCES, AND CAREER GUIDANCE TO 800+ ALUMNI AGED 18-24 WHO ARE PURSUING COLLEGE DEGREES AND POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS. OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE PRIMARILY PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS WHO LIVE IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS OF BROOKLYN. MORE THAN EIGHT IN TEN STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE- OR REDUCED-PRICE LUNCH, 88% ARE BLACK, 7% ARE LATINX, AND 4% ARE MULTI-RACIAL. UNCOMMON NYC IS MANAGED BY UNCOMMON SCHOOLS, INC. (USI) A CHARTER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION (CMO) THAT OPERATES 55 HIGH-PERFORMING PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND MASSACHUSETTS. THOUGH WE ARE ADAPTING TO RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC, UNCOMMON NYC REMAINS COMMITTED TO OUR CORE EDUCATIONAL MODEL, WITH EACH SCHOOL EXHIBITING: 1) A COLLEGE-PREPARATORY MISSION; 2) A LONGER SCHOOL DAY AND YEAR; 3) HIGH STANDARDS FOR ACADEMICS AND CHARACTER; 4) AN ACADEMICALLY-FOCUSED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT; 5) A FOCUS ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTION; AND 6) A FACULTY OF COMMITTED AND TALENTED LEADERS AND TEACHERS. YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY PROVEN THAT, BY RELENTLESSLY INNOVATING HOW OUR SCHOOLS IMPLEMENT THESE ATTRIBUTESNO MATTER WHAT CHALLENGES MIGHT ARISEOUR STUDENTS CAN CONTINUE TO DEFY THE ODDS AND LEAP OVER ACHIEVEMENT AND COLLEGE-READINESS BARS. AT THE END OF THE '19-20 SCHOOL YEAR, SENIORS ACROSS UNCOMMON NYC EXCEEDED THE COLLEGE READINESS BENCHMARKS IN READING/WRITING AND MATH, SCORING A COMBINED AVERAGE OF 1077, MORE THAN 60 POINTS ABOVE THE 1010 BENCHMARK SET BY THE COLLEGE BOARD, AND 5 POINTS HIGHER THAN THE CLASS OF 2019'S AVERAGE. FURTHERMORE, ALL JUNIOR CLASSES EXCEEDED THE COLLEGE READINESS BENCHMARKS FOR JUNIORS IN BOTH SUBJECTS, DESPITE HAVING FEWER OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THE EXAM DUE TO CANCELLATION OF EXAMS BY ADMINISTRATORS IN RESPONSE TO THE SPREAD OF THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS. LAST YEAR, 100% OF UNCOMMON NYC SENIORS TOOK AT LEAST 1 AP EXAM BEFORE GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL AND MORE THAN SIX IN TEN PASSED ONE OR MORE OF THE EXAMS THEY TOOK. WHILE NATIONAL AND STATE REPORTS FOR RECENT YEARS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD, OUR GRADUATES WELL EXCEEDED THE 2018 AP PASS RATE AVERAGES NATIONALLY (23% PASSING ONE OR MORE EXAM) AND AT THE STATE LEVEL (29%). THIS FALL, MORE THAN 8 IN 10 STUDENTS FROM NYC'S GRADUATING CLASS ENROLLED IN FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES, COMPARED TO A RECORD LOW NATIONWIDE OF FEWER THAN 3 IN 10. AS EDUCATORS OF STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS STRUGGLE TO SUSTAIN STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT, WE ARE HUMBLED TO REPORT THAT SINCE SY20-21 SCHOOL LAUNCH, WE HAVE MAINTAINED NEARLY 90% MEDIAN DAILY STUDENT ATTENDANCE ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS. RECENT SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES SINCE LAST MARCH, OUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN PIVOTING TO RE-IMAGINE OUR SCHOOLS' PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONS FOR THE CURRENT CONTEXT. IN SPRING '20, WE WORKED URGENTLY TO ENSURE THAT NO MATTER STUDENTS' GRADE LEVEL THEY DID NOT MISS A DAY OF LEARNING AFTER WE CLOSED SCHOOLS. IN SUMMER '20, WE MARSHALLED CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS TO REFLECT ON AND ANALYZE OUR INITIAL PANDEMIC APPROACH AND BUILD EVEN BETTER TOOLS, SYSTEMS, TRAININGS, AND MODELS TO EDUCATE STUDENTS IN AND OUT OF THE PHYSICAL CLASSROOM DURING SY20-21. IN AUGUST, WE BEGAN TO PUT THIS PLANNING INTO PRACTICE, TRAINING ALL STAFF IN REMOTE BEST PRACTICES AND LAUNCHING OUR REMOTE 2.0 MODEL ACROSS ALL SCHOOLS. DIFFERENTIATED BY GRADE-SPAN AND LEVERAGING SEVERAL NEWLY ADOPTED AND ADAPTED EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS AND TOOLS, OUR HIGH-QUALITY REMOTE 2.0 MODEL IS A CAREFUL, THOROUGH EVOLUTION OF THE MODEL WE IMPLEMENTED IN SPRING '20. IT MEETS ALL STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE, KEEPS THEM ENGAGED IN THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, AND ENSURESAND TRACKSTHAT THEY ARE LEARNING. TO GIVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM, THIS FALL WE PROVIDED ALL 21,000+ STUDENTS UNCOMMON LAPTOPS WITH ALIGNED CAPABILITIES SO ALL OUR SCHOLARS COULD THRIVE REMOTELY. THIS JANUARY, WE BEGAN RE-OPENING OUR NYC SCHOOLS' DOORS FOR NEARLY 3,500 STUDENTS, LAUNCHING OUR HYBRID MODEL. UNDER THIS MODEL, STUDENTS ACROSS ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS LEARN IN SCHOOL AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (ONCE THEY RETURN) AT LEAST ONCE, AND OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND KINDERGARTENERS UP TO FOUR DAYS. OUR OPERATIONS TEAMS SPENT MONTHS DESIGNING STUDENTS' IN-SCHOOL EXPERIENCE FOR MAXIMUM SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY. SCHOOLS ARE NOT ONLY FULLY EQUIPPED WITH PPE AND SANITATION FOR ALL BUT ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING PRE-ENTRY, IN-SCHOOL, AND DEPARTURE PROTOCOLS THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND STATE AND LOCAL GUIDELINES TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF AS SAFE AS WE KNOW HOW. DURING OUT-OF-SCHOOL DAYS, STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH THE REST OF THEIR CLASSMATES IN OUR REMOTE 2.0 PROGRAMMING, THE BACKBONE OF OUR SY20-21 APPROACH, WHICH CONTINUES TO PROVIDE LIVE INSTRUCTION, RESOURCES, ASSIGNMENTS, AND SMALL-GROUP INSTRUCTION FOR ALL 8,700+ NYC STUDENTS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 3 THE SCHOOL UTILIZES UNCOMMON SCHOOLS, INC. ("USI"), AN UNRELATED 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES TO THE SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL DELEGATES HIRING OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES, PLANNING AND EXECUTING BUDGETS, AND OTHER FINANCIAL OPERATIONS TO USI. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2020, THE SCHOOL PAID USI $20,073,607 FOR THEIR SERVICES. BRETT PEISER IS ON THE SCHOOL'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE CEO OF USI. USI DOES NOT COMPENSATE BRETT PEISER TO BE ON THE BOARD OF THE SCHOOL AND HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE BOARD IS ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS. MICHAEL BLAKE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF USI AND IS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK STATE REGIONS. THE CHARTER SCHOOL PAYS USI MANAGEMENT FEES FOR THE SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDING THE SERVICES OF MICHAEL BLAKE. MICHAEL BLAKE RECEIVED 2019 COMPENSATION FROM USI IN THE AMOUNT OF $163,069 AND NONTAXABLE BENEFITS OF $6,799. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 7A INCLUDED IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY IS ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B THE FORM 990 IS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD, REVIEWED FOR ACCURACY AND FILED UPON APPROVAL. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C BOARD MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO EVALUATE AND DISCLOSE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 THROUGH THE ANNUAL BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS ALL COMPENSATION FOR KEY EMPLOYEES IS APPROVED BY SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST POLICY ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C THE PROCESS IS CONSISTENT WITH PRIOR YEARS.