Lakes International Language Academy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO PREPARE TOMORROW'S CRITICAL THINKERS AND GLOBAL CITIZENS THROUGH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND INQUIRY-DRIVEN STUDY. TO DELIVER A HIGH CALIBER EDUCATION FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE THAT COMBINES SECOND-LANGUAGE ACQUISITION WITH A PROVEN INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING APPROACH, ENHANCING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS.
- Income
- $21.8 million
- Spending
- $21.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- -1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 87%
- Employees
- 407
- Volunteers
- 300
- Highest pay
- $175,371, executive director
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
Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 117% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 256 of 9 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 (4)
- $16.8 million spent. K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL WITH FOR-FEE PRESCHOOL. THE SCHOOL HAS COMPLETED ITS 21ST YEAR OF OPERATION. IT BEGAN AS A K-6 SCHOOL AND EXPANDED TO GRADES 7-8 IN 2015 AND GRADES 9-12 IN 2016. THE SCHOOL SERVES STUDENTS AT THREE BUILDINGS ON TWO CAMPUSES. KINDER CENTER SERVES PREK AND K; LOWER SCHOOL SERVES GRADES 1-5; UPPER SCHOOL HOUSES GRADES 6-12. K-12 STUDENT ENROLLMENT TOTALED 1293 STUDENTS IN FY25. THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE ORGANIZATION AUTHORIZED LILA AS AN IB WORLD SCHOOL FOR ALL GRADES. AUTHORIZATION OCCURS AFTER A THREE-YEAR CANDIDACY FOR EACH LEVEL: PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME FOR GRADES PREK TO 5, MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME FOR GRADES 6-10, AND DIPLOMA PROGRAMME FOR GRADES 11-12. AUTHORIZATION ONLY RESULTS WHEN A SCHOOL HAS BUILT AND IMPLEMENTED ITS IB PROGRAMME CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK TO EXACTING STANDARDS. THE SCHOOL OFFERS MANDARIN CHINESE IMMERSION AND SPANISH IMMERSION TRACKS TO GRADE 5. UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AS A FOCUS, BUT THE CURRICULUM IS NOT FULL IMMERSION. INSTEAD, IT IS MEANT FOR NEW LANGUAGE LEARNERS AS WELL AS FOR IMMERSION STUDENTS MATRICULATING FROM LOWER SCHOOL OR OTHER IMMERSION SCHOOLS. LILA GRADUATES TYPICALLY EARN THE STATE BILINGUAL SEAL ON THEIR DIPLOMAS. THE SCHOOL HAS GRADUATION RATES SURPASSING 95%.
- $616,103 spent. COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM, KINDER PREP PRESCHOOL. A FEE-BASED PRESCHOOL FOR AGES 3-5, KINDER PREP PRESCHOOL DOES NOT RECEIVE STATE PUPIL FUNDING. KINDER PREP PRESCHOOL OPENED IN FALL 2013. ITS CURRICULUM REFLECTS THE IB WHOLE-CHILD PHILOSOPHY AND HAS A RICH LANGUAGE COMPONENT, WITH TEACHERS SPEAKING CHINESE, SPANISH, AND ENGLISH TO ALL PARTICIPANTS. ABOUT 115 STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR. LICENSED BILINGUAL TEACHERS PARTNER WITH CLASSROOM AIDES TO DELIVER ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL EDUCATION, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND. IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, KINDER PREP PILOTED A TUITION WAIVER PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME STUDENTS WHO WERE UNABLE TO RECEIVE STATE PREK AID DUE TO CHILD'S AGE OR DUE TO A CHANGE IN ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE AFTER THE STATE AID APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSED. THE SCHOOL BENEFITS FROM THE INCREASED PREK INTAKE WHEN THE CHILD(REN) MATRICULATE TO KINDERGARTEN. IT ALSO ALLOWS FAMILIES WITH A STATE-PAID PREK CHILD TO HAVE BOTH THEIR PRE-K AGED CHILDREN ATTEND KINDER PREP.
- $1.3 million spent. COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM: EXPLORER CLUB SCHOOL AGE CARE. LILA'S EXPLORER CLUB SCHOOL AGE CHILDCARE PROGRAM IS A FOR-FEE PROGRAM THAT SERVED APPROXIMATELY 200 STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR. THE PROGRAM EMPLOYEES ENHANCE STUDENTS' EXPOSURE TO SPANISH AND CHINESE LANGUAGE AS THEY CONDUCT THEIR PROGRAM IN SPANISH, CHINESE, AND ENGLISH. IT IS QUALIFIED AS A FOUR STAR PARENT AWARE PROGRAM, THE HIGHEST RATING. THE PROGRAM IS LOCATED AT KINDER CENTER AND LOWER SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND SERVES GRADES PREK TO 5.
- $1.0 million spent. NUTRITION SERVICES FUND. LAKES INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY CONTRACTED WITH A NEW FOOD SERVICES PARTNER AND IS NOW HANDLING REVENUES AND EXPENSES OF THE PROGRAM THROUGH THE SCHOOL. THE PROGRAM OFFERS GRADES PREK TO 12 BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DAILY. STUDENTS ENJOY FROM-SCRATCH COOKING THAT MEETS STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOLS.
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 November 6, 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 2004.
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 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.