Classical Academy Charter School of Clifton Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON'S (THE "CHARTER SCHOOL") MISSION IS TO BLEND CORE TRADITIONAL LEARNING FOUNDATIONS AND MODERN DAY EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES TO CREATE A PROGRESSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH THE FUSION OF A CURRICULUM DEEPLY ROOTED IN HUMANITIES AND LIBERAL ARTS AND OUR COMPREHENSIVE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PROGRAM, CLASSICAL ACADEMY STRIVES TO FOSTER NOT ONLY SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS BUT ALSO THE GROWTH OF OUR STUDENTS AS FUTURE LEADERS THROUGH THE INFUSION OF CORE VALUES AND POSITIVE SOCIAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES.
- Income
- $3.7 million
- Spending
- $2.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 16 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 82%
- Employees
- 32
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $108,476, sba/board se
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: 96 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 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 (2)
- $1.8 million spent. CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON PROVIDES A FULL RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES APPROPRIATE TO GRADES 6-8. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE REGULAR, AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION AND BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTION. THE CHARTER SCHOOL COMPLETED THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF 183 STUDENTS. THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON'S THREE YEAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN GRADES 6, 7, AND 8 AND ITS PRACTICES AND POLICIES CONTINUE TO PROVE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN PRODUCING HIGH STUDENT LEARNING. THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON HAS PRODUCED OUTSTANDING RESULTS, CONSISTENTLY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS, IS NOT A SUBJECTIVE APPRAISAL. IN 2008 THE FEDERAL DEPT. OF EDUCATION HONORED THE SCHOOL WITH A "NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD (ONLY THE 2ND NEW JERSEY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IN 16 YEARS TO BE SO HONORED); IN 2012 THE NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF EDUCATION DESIGNATED THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON A 'REWARD' SCHOOL, ITS DESIGNATION FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL; AND IN 2013, THE 'NATIONAL NEW CAMPAIGN FOR ACHIEVEMENT NOW' (NJCAN), A CITIZENS EDUCATION ACTION GROUP, RECOGNIZED THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON WITH ITS 'TOP TEN' AWARDS: ONE AWARD FOR BEING A TOP TEN NJ SCHOOL FOR EDUCATING 'LOW INCOME STUDENTS- AND ANOTHER 'TOP TEN' AWARD FOR EDUCATING TO HIGH LEVELS 'LATINO STUDENTS', AND ONE FOR OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN MIDDLE-SCHOOL EDUCATION. IN 2018, CLASSICAL ACADEMY WAS GRANTED AN ENROLLMENT INCREASE FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR BY AN ADDITIONAL SIXTY STUDENTS. CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AND HAS PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND SUMMER PROGRAM THAT BUILD THE WHOLE CHILD. CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON PROVIDES A FULL RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES APPROPRIATE TO GRADES 6-8. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE REGULAR, AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION AND BASIC SKILLS INSTRUCTION. THE CHARTER SCHOOL COMPLETED THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF 183 STUDENTS. THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON'S THREE YEAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM IN GRADES 6, 7, AND 8 AND ITS PRACTICES AND POLICIES CONTINUE TO PROVE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN PRODUCING HIGH STUDENT LEARNING. THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON HAS PRODUCED OUTSTANDING RESULTS, CONSISTENTLY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS, IS NOT A SUBJECTIVE APPRAISAL. IN 2008 THE FEDERAL DEPT. OF EDUCATION HONORED THE SCHOOL WITH A "NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD (ONLY THE 2ND NEW JERSEY PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL IN 16 YEARS TO BE SO HONORED); IN 2012 THE NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF EDUCATION DESIGNATED THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON A 'REWARD' SCHOOL, ITS DESIGNATION FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL; AND IN 2013, THE 'NATIONAL NEW CAMPAIGN FOR ACHIEVEMENT NOW' (NJCAN), A CITIZENS EDUCATION ACTION GROUP, RECOGNIZED THE CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON WITH ITS 'TOP TEN' AWARDS: ONE AWARD FOR BEING A TOP TEN NJ SCHOOL FOR EDUCATING 'LOW INCOME STUDENTS- AND ANOTHER 'TOP TEN' AWARD FOR EDUCATING TO HIGH LEVELS 'LATINO STUDENTS', AND ONE FOR OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN MIDDLE-SCHOOL EDUCATION. IN 2018, CLASSICAL ACADEMY WAS GRANTED AN ENROLLMENT INCREASE FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR BY AN ADDITIONAL SIXTY STUDENTS. CLASSICAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL OF CLIFTON IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AND HAS PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND SUMMER PROGRAM THAT BUILD THE WHOLE CHILD.
- $296,547 spent. THE CHARTER SCHOOL IMPLEMENTED THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA) SUCCESSFUL YOUNG CHARTER SCHOOL WITH GREAT PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE. WITH A FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP, CIVICS, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ACADEMICS, THE CHARTER SCHOOL MAINTAINS A LARGE WAITING LIST FOR ENTRANCE AND IS ARMED WITH A STRONG BOARD, EXPERIENCED STAFF, SIGNIFICANT SEED FUNDING, A WELL-DEVELOPED MISSION AND ACCOMPANYING CORE VALUES. AND THE IDEA PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS WERE ENACTED BY CONGRESS TO PREAUTHORIZE THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT WITH MAJOR FOCUS ON PROVIDING ALL CHILDREN WITH FAIR, EQUAL AND SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION THROUGH ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
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 May 2002.
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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