Masters School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MASTERS SCHOOL CELEBRATES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, DEEP UNDERSTANDING, AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTION. A COMMUNITY OF DIVERSE INDIVIDUALS, WE GATHER TO LEARN, TO STRIVE, TO DARE, TO DO - TO BE A POWER FOR GOOD IN THE WORLD.
- Income
- $66.1 million
- Spending
- $55.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- -0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 68%
- Employees
- 255
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $1.0 million, 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: 61 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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.
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (1)
- $46.4 million spent. THE MASTERS SCHOOL IS AN INDEPENDENT DAY AND BOARDING SCHOOL, FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 5 THROUGH 12, THAT EMPOWERS INDEPENDENT THINKERS THROUGH AN EXPANSIVE AND INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM BASED ON ACTIVE INTELLECTUAL EXPLORATION. LOCATED ON 96 PICTURESQUE ACRES ON THE HUDSON RIVER AND JUST 12 MILES FROM THE VAST RESOURCES OF NEW YORK CITY, THE SCHOOL IS A DIVERSE AND VIBRANT CONVERGENCE OF IDEAS, CULTURES, ARTS AND ATHLETICS.IN A KIND AND INCLUSIVE CULTURE, WHERE DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT IS CELEBRATED, STUDENTS CAN CONFIDENTLY FIND THEIR OWN VOICES IN DISCUSSION-BASED CLASSES, WHILE GAINING A DEEPER, BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUBJECT MATTER AND EACH OTHER. MUCH LIKE THE CURRICULUM AT A LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE, MASTERS' CURRICULUM IMPARTS A BROAD KNOWLEDGE TO STUDENTS AND DEVELOPS THEIR INTELLECTUAL CAPACITIES IN A TRANSFORMATIONAL WAY. MASTERS IS DISTINGUISHED BY ITS NOVEL APPROACH OF USING THE HARKNESS METHOD OF TEACHING AROUND A SINGULAR, OVAL TABLE FOR ALL MAIN SUBJECT AREAS. HARKNESS CHALLENGES STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, TO EXTRACT AND CONSTRUCT THEIR OWN MEANING FROM THE CONTENT, AND THEN TO SHARE IT COURAGEOUSLY AND ARTICULATELY WITH THEIR PEERS AND TEACHERS WHILE GAINING RESPECT FOR THE VOICES OF OTHERS.AT MASTERS, STUDENTS TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF DEVELOPING THEIR MANY TALENTS AND INTERESTS-WHETHER ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS, PERFORMING ARTS, VISUAL ARTS, OR SERVICE PROJECTS. AT MASTERS, THERE IS AN APPRECIATION FOR THE VALUE OF A WELL-BALANCED EDUCATION AND THE DOORS IT OPENS-INCLUDING ADMISSION TO TOP-RANKED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.ARTS AT MASTERSTHE ARTS PLAY A VITAL ROLE AT THE MASTERS SCHOOL. FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE CURRICULUM AND THE LIFE OF THE SCHOOL, THEY ALSO FEATURE PROMINENTLY IN CO-CURRICULAR OFFERINGS AND STUDENT PERFORMANCE GROUPS. OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY THE ARTS-BOTH DURING THE DAY AND AFTER SCHOOL-ABOUND. DANCE AND DRAMA, PAINTING AND PHOTOGRAPHY, MUSIC IN ITS COUNTLESS FORMS-WE OFFER IT ALL AND ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE.PERFORMING ARTSTHE DEPARTMENT OF PERFORMING ARTS AT THE MASTERS SCHOOL ENCOMPASSES DANCE, MUSIC AND THEATER STUDIES AND EXPERIENCES. ACROSS A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCE MEDIUMS AND IN A WIDE RANGE OF PERFORMANCE SETTINGS, FROM ENSEMBLE PIECES TO TECHNICAL ARTISTS, STUDENTS HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY THEIR HAND AT PERFORMANCE ART. FURTHER, THE DEPARTMENT OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS AREAS THROUGH COURSES THAT OFFER PERSPECTIVES IN PRODUCTION, THEORY AND HISTORY.VISUAL ARTSTHE GOAL OF THE MASTERS VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM IS TO HAVE STUDENTS DEVELOP THE CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, AND TECHNICAL SKILL TO PRACTICE ART AS A VITAL MEANS OF SELF-EXPRESSION. THE FACULTY ARE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, AND OUR STUDENTS TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF NEW YORK CITY CULTURAL RESOURCES TO COMPLEMENT THEIR CLASSROOM WORK.ATHLETICS AT MASTERSMASTERS BELIEVES ATHLETICS PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DEVELOPING STUDENTS' CHARACTER AND ENCOURAGING HEALTHY AND ENTHUSIASTIC COMPETITION. THROUGH ATHLETICS OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES LEARN HOW TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY THEMSELVES BUT FOR THEIR TEAMMATES, COACHES, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY - PREPARING THEM FOR THE MANY CHALLENGES IN LIFE.MASTERS COACHES CONSISTENTLY CHALLENGE ATHLETES WHILE HONORING PARTICIPATION, ACHIEVEMENT AND EFFORT THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS. OUR SUCCESS IS NOT MEASURED IN VICTORIES ALONE, BUT ALSO IN THE INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT OF EACH STUDENT-ATHLETE.OUR ATHLETES STRIVE TO BE THE BEST PERSON THEY CAN BE WHETHER IT'S IN THE CLASSROOM, ON THE PLAYING FIELD OR IN THE COMMUNITY. WE BELIEVE THAT THE SKILLS OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES DEVELOP DURING THEIR TIME AT MASTERS WILL HELP MOLD THEM INTO PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM60 COMPETITIVE TEAMSFALL: CROSS COUNTRY, FIELD HOCKEY, SOCCER, GIRLS' TENNIS AND GIRLS' VOLLEYBALLWINTER: BASKETBALL, FENCING, INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD, SQUASH AND SWIMMINGSPRING: BASEBALL, GOLF, LACROSSE, SOFTBALL, BOYS' TENNIS, BOYS' VOLLEYBALL, TRACK AND FIELDLEAGUES, CONFERENCES AND ASSOCIATIONSFAA - FAIRCHESTER ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONISFL - INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS FENCING LEAGUENYSAIS - NEW YORK STATE ASSOC. OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLSNEPSAC - NEW ENGLAND PREP SCHOOL ATHLETIC COUNCILPSAA - PRIVATE SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONNYCAL - NEW YORK CITY ATHLETIC LEAGUEDISTINCTIVE PROGRAMSETHICAL LEADERSHIPAT MASTERS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT TOMORROW'S LEADERS WILL NEED NOT ONLY THE BASIC SKILLS OF LEADERSHIP, BUT ALSO A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY VALUE. A KEY COMPONENT OF LEADERSHIP IS LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR HOLDING TRUE TO THOSE VALUES WHEN ENCOUNTERING CHALLENGES. THE ETHICAL LEADERSHIP PROJECT WAS DESIGNED WITH THESE ASPECTS IN MIND. OUR GOAL FOR THE PROGRAM IS THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN ENGAGE IN A COMMON EXPLORATION TO BECOME A POWER FOR GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR WORLD.THE ETHICAL LEADERSHIP PROJECT AT THE MASTERS SCHOOL CULTIVATES AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT DEVELOP A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES AND THE IMPACTS THEY HAVE ON THEIR COMMUNITIES. TEACHING INTEGRAL COMPONENTS OF LEADERSHIP AND MENTORING STUDENTS IN MEANINGFUL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES, THE PROJECT EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO CHOOSE POSITIVE ACTION AND PURSUE LIVES OF SIGNIFICANCE.INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIPINNOVATION, ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMSMASTERS' INNOVATION, ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMS AIM TO CULTIVATE INGENUITY BY CHALLENGING STUDENTS TO THINK CREATIVELY, STRATEGIZE AND PROBLEM-SOLVE. OUR GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO THINK, DO AND MAKE, AND TO FOSTER A CROSS-DISCIPLINARY, ENTREPRENEURIAL THOUGHT PROCESS, WHILE DEVELOPING SKILLS, IDEAS AND CHARACTER TRAITS.THROUGH A PROJECT-BASED MODEL, OUR STUDENTS BUILD CONFIDENCE, ACCUMULATE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, TAKE RISKS, NURTURE UNCONVENTIONAL TALENTS AND TACKLE REAL-LIFE CHALLENGES.DESIGN THINKING AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIPIN DESIGN THINKING AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP, STUDENTS LEARN THE PRINCIPLES OF "DESIGN THINKING" WITH A FOCUS ON ENTREPRE
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
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1925.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 21, 2026.
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