Aspire Public Schools
To open and operate small, high-quality charter schools in low-income neighborhoods; to increase academic performance of underserved students; to develop effective educators; to share successful practices with other forward thinking educators; to catalyze change in public schools.
Aspire Public Schools at a glance
- Total assets
- $396,044,030
- -4.8% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $315,418,312
- -0.7% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $1,901,357
- -27.4% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $329,898,068
- -1.4% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Aspire Public Schools funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
1 grant across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 1 grant of 1 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $3.5M (2020) to $3.9M (2021). In 2021 it made 1 grant totaling $3.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Journey Community Schools Inc Memphis, TN | Cash transfer per assignment agreement to transition tn charter school to journey | $3,933,972 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $396,044,030 | $315,418,312 | $329,898,068 | — | — | $1,901,357 |
| 2024 | $415,924,317 | $317,680,540 | $334,530,181 | — | — | $2,617,395 |
| 2023 | $293,695,053 | $326,951,965 | $293,334,046 | — | — | $784,937 |
| 2022 | $245,280,490 | $254,804,415 | $250,355,454 | — | — | $867,957 |
| 2021 | $207,841,845 | $233,476,749 | $211,117,883 | $3,933,972 | 1 | $-3,407,962 |
| 2020 | $156,797,476 | $226,820,045 | $234,341,288 | $3,505,000 | 1 | $265,914 |
About Aspire Public Schools
Based on IRS filings
Aspire Public Schools is a public charity focused on Education, based in Oakland, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $396.0M in total assets. Net investment income was $1.9M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Aspire Public Schools is led by Mala Batra, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2020; 14 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mala Batra
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$280K (2020) → $300K (2025)
Anthony Solina
Executive Director
Area Superintendent → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$202K (2020) → $230K (2025)
Javier Cabra
Executive Director
Associate Superintendent → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$152K (2020) → $230K (2025)
Elizabeth M. Kennedy
Executive Director
Vice President Advancement → Executive Director Aspire Foundation, 2024
Executive Director Aspire Foundation → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$185K (2021) → $228K (2025)
Christopher Carr
Executive Director
Area Superintendent → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$173K (2022) → $230K (2025)
Beth Hunkapiller
Board Chair
Director → Chairman, 2021
Chairman → Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katy M. Ellison
Head of Education
Associate Superintent → Area Superintendent, 2023
Area Superintendent → Head of Education, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$161K (2020) → $206K (2025)
Mary E. Cha-Caswell
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$235K (2020) → $253K (2025)
Daniel Soleimani
General Counsel
Chief of Staff → General Counsel, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$183K (2021) → $213K (2025)
Michael Wimbish
Chief Financial Officer
CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$123K (2021) → $232K (2025)
Lisa M. Freccero
Vice President Strategy & Program Supports
Vice President Program Support → Vice President Program Supports, 2023
Vice President Program Supports → Vice President Strategy & Program Supports, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$175K (2022) → $207K (2025)
Leilani C. Lafaurie
Regional Superintendent & E
Regional Superintendent & Equitable Instruction → Regional Superintendent & Equitable Instru, 2024
Regional Superintendent & Equitable Instru → Regional Superintendent & E, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$165K (2023) → $208K (2025)
Melissa I. Brookens
Superintendend
Regional Superintendent & Equity Leadership → Reginal Superintendend & Equity Leadership Sc, 2024
Reginal Superintendend & Equity Leadership Sc → Superintendend, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$177K (2023) → $206K (2025)
Wesley J. Frakes
Principal
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$185K (2024) → $200K (2025)
Joel Ramirez
Supe Cultrly Rspnv Ldr Dv
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$205K (2025)
Anthony Barkett
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ay'anna Moody
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lorea Martinez
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christina Christopher
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Veleta Savannah
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (26)
- Former: Carol Ornelas (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Stephanie A. Vaughn (2024) — Senior Director of Hr
- Former: Bess Kennedy (2020–2023) — Executive Director Aspire Foundation
- Former: Kay Hong (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Nisa Frank (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Benjamin Gonzales (2021–2023) — Senior Director, Student & Family Support
- Former: Christina Laster (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Jennifer L. Green (2021–2023) — Managing Director of Schools
- Former: Julissa Acre (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Sonjhia Lowry (2023) — Chief Equity & People Officer
- Former: Jennifer C. Garcia (2020–2022) — Chief Academic Officer
- Former: Leslie Parker Hume (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Stefan J. Bean (2020–2022) — Area Superintendent
- Former: Joe Regueiro (2022) — Senior Director & Technology
- Former: Ana L. Martinez (2020–2021) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Anupam Mishra (2020–2021) — Chief People Officer
- Former: Jeanine Hawk (2020–2021) — Chief Financial Officer · Filing note: Until oct 2020
- Former: Warren Felson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Leon Lundie (2021) — Principal & Interim
- Former: Nicole Williams Browning (2021) — Area Superintendent
- Former: Ian Roberts (2020) — Chief Schools Officer · Filing note: Until nov 2019
- Former: Jim Boyd (2020) — Director
- Former: Jonathan Garfinkel (2020) — Chairman
- Former: Karla Fachner (2020) — Principal
- Former: Nickalous Manning (2020) — Area Superintendent
- Former: Nicole Williams-Browning (2020) — Area Superintendent
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $300K, to Mala Batra (Chief Executive Off. (Till 06/30/25)). 14 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Aspire Public Schools
How large is Aspire Public Schools?
Aspire Public Schools reported $396.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $315.4M.
What is Aspire Public Schools?
Aspire Public Schools is a public charity focused on Education, based in Oakland, CA. It holds $396.0M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Aspire Public Schools operate?
Aspire Public Schools has awarded grants in Tennessee.
What is Aspire Public Schools's EIN?
Aspire Public Schools's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3311088. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 15, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Aspire Public Schools's focus areas in our free grants database
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Aspire Public Schools down — hundreds of funders to go?