Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Garden School

EIN 11-1631783 · Jackson Hts, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GARDEN SCHOOL, IN THE INDEPENDENT TRADITION, AFFIRMS THE PRIMACY OF LEARNING. WE EMPOWER EVERY STUDENT IN OUR EDUCATIONALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY TO RESPONSIBLY MEET THE CHALLENGES OF EVERYDAY LIFE BY PROMOTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT. WE FURTHER BELIEVE THAT BY RECOGNIZING EACH STUDENT'S INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY, GARDEN SCHOOL FOSTERS THE SELF-WORTH NECESSARY TO SUCCEED.

Income
$13.3 million
Spending
$13.0 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
1.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 95%
Employees
152
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$435,700, head of school

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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 55% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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

    15 of 16 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

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $9.0 million spent. INSTRUCTIONAL - SEE SCHEDULE OGARDEN SCHOOL IS A NURSERY THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL WITH A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC CURRICULUM AND AN ENROLLMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 250 STUDENTS. ALL CHILDREN ARE UNIQUELY TALENTED AND HAVE THEIR OWN LEARNING STYLES, SO WE COMBINE TIME-TESTED TEACHING METHODS WITH CREATIVE APPROACHES TO REACH OUT TO ALL OF OUR LEARNERS THROUGH A FLEXIBLE TEACHING PHILOSOPHY THAT IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH SMALL CLASS SIZES. OUR STUDENTS EVOLVE INTO READERS, WRITERS, AND CRITICAL THINKERS. THEY GAIN A DEEP UNDERSTANDING IN MATH AND THE SCIENCES. THEY BECOME SPEAKERS OF A SECOND (AND SOMETIMES EVEN A THIRD) LANGUAGE. THEY ACQUIRE SOPHISTICATED EYES AND EARS FOR THE ARTS, AND THEY LEARN THE VALUE OF HELPING OTHERS AND TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS THE BALANCE REQUIRED FOR BOTH.
  2. PRE-KINDERGARTEN SEE SCHEDULE OGARDEN SCHOOL HOSTS A PRE-K FOR ALL PROGRAM ACCREDITED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM OFFERS AN ENRICHED CURRICULUM TO 210 CHILDREN ACROSS 12 CLASSROOMS. THE PROGRAM IS COMPREHENSIVE IN THAT IT PROVIDES INSTRUCTION AND ENRICHMENT IN LITERACY, EARLY NUMERACY, THE ARTS, AND SOCIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT. THE GARDEN SCHOOL PKFA PROGRAM IS EVALUATED BY ITS ACCREDITING BODY REGULARLY AND CONSISTENTLY SCORES WELL ABOVE AVERAGE IN ALL DOMAINS. COMPARED TO OTHER PKFA PROGRAMS, THE SCHOOL BENCHMARKS IN THE 75TH PERCENTILE OR ABOVE.
  3. SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM - SEE SCHEDULE OIN ADDITION TO OUR CORE N-12 AND PKFA PROGRAMS, GARDEN SCHOOL ALSO RUNS A SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM . THE SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM FOCUSES ON HELPING CHILDREN DEVELOP THE SKILLS THEY REQUIRE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. BY COMBINING ACADEMIC AND ARTS ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS ALONG WITH OUTDOOR PLAY, STRUCTURED ATHLETICS, AND DAILY SWIMMING, STUDENTS KEEP SKILLS SHARP DURING THE SUMMER BREAK WHILE ALSO FORMING NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING FUN.

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1938.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.