The Willow School Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE WILLOW SCHOOL, A SMALL, INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, IS COMMITTED TO COMBINING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND THE JOY OF LEARNING AND TO EXPERIENCING THE WONDER OF THE NATURAL WORLD. MASTERY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IN AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM THAT HELPS STUDENTS COMPREHEND THE PATTERNS OF HOW THINGS ARE CONNECTED AND PREPARES THEM FOR ALL AREAS OF THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION. THE SCHOOL IS DEDICATED TO MAINTAINING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, AN OUTSTANDING FACULTY, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF PLACE FOSTER INDEPENDENT THINKING, CREATIVITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND INTEGRITY. THE WILLOW SCHOOL EDUCATION ENABLES CHILDREN TO DEVELOP AN ETHICAL APPROACH TO ALL RELATIONSHIPS, TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, AND TO BELIEVE IN THEIR POWER TO EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE.
- Income
- $7.0 million
- Spending
- $7.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- -14.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 86%
- Employees
- 85
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $368,720, 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
Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 48% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 11 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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)
- $5.9 million spent. THE WILLOW SCHOOL OFFERS AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM WHICH ALLOWS STUDENTS TO LEARN MATERIAL IN GREAT DEPTH AS WELL AS TO SEE THE CONNECTIONS THAT NATURALLY EXIST AMONG SUBJECT AREAS. THE PRIMARY DEVICE FOR INTEGRATION OF THE CURRICULUM IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS USING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. PARALLEL TO THAT USAGE IS THE STUDY OF FRENCH OR SPANISH FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. WHILE THE DISCIPLINES OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE, AND OF LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL STUDIES, ARE OFTEN CONNECTED AT THE WILLOW SCHOOL, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN, FOR INSTANCE, HOW SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES HAVE SHAPED THE WAYS HUMANS RELATE TO EACH OTHER OR HOW THE USE OF MATHEMATICS DETERMINES THE DESIGN OF MUSIC AND ARCHITECTURE. ALL LEARNING IS SPIRAL, AS THE CHILD RETURNS TO SKILLS AND SUBJECT MATTER ONCE PRESENTED BUT NOW MORE COMPLEX AND CHALLENGING.
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 January 2003.
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.