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Waldorf School of Garden City

EIN 11-1855654 · Garden City, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WALDORF SCHOOL OF GARDEN CITY EDUCATES CHILDREN TO MEET THE WORLD WITH PURPOSE, GRATITUDE AND RESPECT. OUR CURRICULUM, INSPIRED BY RUDOLF STEINER, PROGRESSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AWAKENING STUDENTS TO THE EXPERIENCE OF KNOWLEDGE, STRENGTHENING THEIR SENSE OF MORAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND EMPOWERING THEM TO ACT WITH COURAGE AND CONVICTION. THE SCHOOL'S AIM TO GRADUATE A DIVERSE GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE DISTINGUISHED BY THE SCOPE AND ACUITY OF THEIR MINDS AS WELL AS THE DEPTH OF THEIR CHARACTER.

Income
$15.0 million
Spending
$14.0 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 85%
Employees
275
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$221,556, faculty chair

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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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 17 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 (4)
  1. $8.2 million spent. IN KEEPING WITH THE SCHOOL'S CORE MISSION, DURING THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, THE WALDORF SCHOOL OF GARDEN CITY EDUCATED 304 STUDENTS FROM NURSERY THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE. AN ADDITIONAL 90 FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN THE PARENT-CHILD PROGRAM, WHICH IMMERSES THE YOUNG CHILD IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS HEALTHY, AGE-APPROPRIATE SENSORY, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OFFERS RELAXING ACTIVITY AND CONVERSATION FOR THE ADULTS. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE PRE-SCHOOL EARLY MORNING DROPOFF AND AFTERNOON PLAYGROUP AND EXTENDED DAY PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED, ALONG WITH A WIDE RANGE OF AFTER-SCHOOL SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES RESULTING IN A SCHOOL DAY BEGINNING AT 7:30AM AND OFTEN EXTENDING BEYOND 6:00PM. THE WALDORF CURRICULUM, WHICH IS INTERDISCIPLINARY AND EXPERIENTIALLY ORIENTED, MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AT EACH STAGE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT BALANCING INTELLECTUAL RIGOR WITH ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY. DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, THE AUXILIARY PROGRAMS AND SPORTS WERE ALL OPENED TO THE STUDENTS.
  2. $1.8 million spent. ACTIVITIES AT CAMP GLEN BROOK (THE WALDORF SCHOOL'S 250 ACRE EXTENSION CAMPUS, LOCATED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE) INCLUDES RESIDENTIAL SUMMER AND WINTER CAMPERS, AS WELL AS A VISITING SCHOOLS PROGRAM. APPROXIMATELY 200 CAMPERS, REPRESENTING NUMEROUS WALDORF SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, PARTICIPATED IN THE 2023 GLEN BROOK SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM. THE TWO THREE-WEEK SESSIONS EMPHASIZE HARMONY OF THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT THROUGH TRADITIONAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS GAMES, SPORTS, ART, MUSIC, NATURE STUDY, CAMPING, SWIMMING CANOEING, AND CARING FOR ANIMALS. THE VISITING SCHOOLS PROGRAM SUPPORT APPROXIMATELY 250 STUDENTS FROM THE WALDORF SCHOOL OF GARDEN CITY AND 150 CHILDREN FROM OTHER WALDORF SCHOOLS. STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ENHANCED BY GLEN BROOK RESOURCES, DEVELOPED NEW SKILLS THROUGH PRACTICAL WORK, AND EXPERIENCED SOCIAL GROWTH THROUGH SHARED COMMUNITY LIVING.
  3. $474,179 spent. SUMMER CAMP AT THE WALDORF SCHOOL OF GARDEN CITY, A DAY CAMP LOCATED ON OUR GARDEN CITY CAMPUS, ENROLLED APPROXIMATELY 280 STUDENTS DURING THE SUMMER OF 2024. SERVING CHILDREN AGES THREE TO THIRTEEN, THE CAMP INCLUDES BOTH HALF AND FULL DAY PROGRAMS, WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO ENGAGE THE INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM OF CAMPERS FROM PRESCHOOL TO TEENAGERS.
  4. $436,107 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS

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 1961.

    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.