The Windward School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $84.2 million
- Spending
- $77.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 9.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 85%
- Employees
- 463
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $931,647, 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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 2522 of 22 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 (2)
- $61.1 million spent. EDUCATION - ON THREE CAMPUSES, WINDWARD EDUCATED 960 STUDENTS WHO ALL STRUGGLE WITH LANGUAGE-BASED LEARNING DISABILITIES (LBLD). STUDENTS HAVE AVERAGE TO ABOVE-AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE AND ARE TAUGHT WITH AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED METHODOLOGY DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO HELP STUDENTS ACHIEVE LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY. WINDWARD'S ACADEMIC CURRICULUM IS RESEARCH-BASED AND MULTISENSORY IN NATURE AND GIVES STUDENTS THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND RETURN WITH CONFIDENCE TO MAINSTREAM SETTINGS. STUDENTS ENTER AND LEAVE WINDWARD AT DIFFERENT POINTS THROUGHOUT GRADES 1-9 WINDWARD REMEDIATES STUDENTS' LBLD, AND 98% OF STUDENTS RETURN TO MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS AFTER COMPLETING THE PROGRAM.
- $2.5 million spent. THE WINDWARD INSTITUTE (WI), IS A DIVISION OF AND SERVES THE WINDWARD SCHOOL AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY BY: PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT; FORMING PARTNERSHIPS WITH LEADING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS; ADVOCATING FOR STUDENTS WITH LANGUAGE-BASED LEARNING DISABILITIES; AND EXPANDING THE WINDWARD SCHOOL'S REPUTATION AND EXPERTISE. THE WI PRODUCES A BIANNUAL PRINT AND DIGITAL PUBLICATION, THE BEACON, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO MORE THAN 10,000 SUBSCRIBERS PROVIDING RESEARCH AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AROUND LANGUAGE-BASED LEARNING DISABILITIES, CHILD DEVELOPMENT, PEDAGOGY, AND LEARNING THEORY. THE WI ALSO HOLDS IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL COURSES, WORKSHOPS, AND LECTURES BENEFITING MORE THAN 2,000 INDIVIDUALS SEEKING PROFESSIONAL OR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE MISSION OF THE WI IS TO INCREASE CHILDHOOD LITERACY RATES BY DISRUPTING THE EDUCATIONAL STATUS QUO TO SAVE MORE LIVES.
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 1955.
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.
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.