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Hms School for Children With Cerebral Palsy

EIN 23-1352327 · Philadelphia, PA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong97 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HMS SCHOOL EDUCATES, NURTURES, AND CARES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH COMPLEX PHYSICAL DISABILITIES RESULTING FROM CEREBRAL PALSY, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY OR OTHER NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENTS, WITH THE (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)GOAL OF ENABLING EACH TO REACH THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL. WE PROMOTE INDEPENDENCE AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR YOUTH IN A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT SO EACH CAN LEAD A FULFILLING, STIMULATING LIFE NOW AND AS AN ADULT.

Income
$13.0 million
Spending
$12.9 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
43.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 86%
Employees
160
Volunteers
62
Highest pay
$180,925, chief financial officer

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: 97 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 43.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 33 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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)
  1. $7.0 million spent. EDUCATION: AT HMS SCHOOL, WE ARE LEADERS IN THE FIELD OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, WITH EXPERTISE IN PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION, UTILIZING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, AS WELL AS THE LATEST IN STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM COLLABORATES SEAMLESSLY TO SUPPORT EACH STUDENT'S UNIQUE NEEDS AND ACHIEVE THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) GOALS. HMS PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR 64 STUDENTS ACROSS 180 SCHOOL DAYS, IN ADDITION TO OFFERING 25 EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR DAY SESSIONS OVER THE SUMMER, WHICH WERE ATTENDED BY 60-62 STUDENTS. STUDENTS WORK DIRECTLY WITH A CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN A SMALL CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT, WHERE THE STUDENT-TO-TEACHER RATIO IS APPROXIMATELY 8:1. EACH STUDENT IS ASSIGNED A DEDICATED TEAM OF 9-14 STAFF MEMBERS TO ASSIST WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND ENHANCE THEIR PROGRAM EXPERIENCE. TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE, STUDENTS ARE ASSIGNED NURSING STAFF, PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANTS, AND A SOCIAL WORKER FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THEY NEED.
  2. $2.2 million spent. HEALTH AND FOOD SERVICES: HEALTH SERVICES IS COMPRISED OF OUR DEDICATED TEAM OF LICENSES PEDIATRIC NURSES AND PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANTS WHO TEND TO OUR STUDENTS COMPLEX MEDICAL NEEDS FOR OUR RESIDENTIAL AND DAY SCHOOL PROGRAMS, ENSURING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS WITH COMPLEX MEDICAL CONDITIONS. OUR NURSES WORK ALONGSIDE TRAINED CAREGIVING STAFF TO DELIVER EXPERT MEDICAL SUPPORT TAILORED TO EACH CHILD'S NEEDS. HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDES APPROXIMATELY 1,200 HOURS OF NURSING AND PERSONAL CARE FOR OUR STUDENTS. NURSES ALSO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT BY CHAPERONING WEEKLY FIELD TRIPS AND POWER MOBILITY GROUPS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS ENABLES THE STUDENTS TO WORK ON THEIR MOBILITY GOALS IN AN URBAN SETTING. NURSES ACCOMPANIED STUDENTS ON 45 CLASS FIELD TRIPS, 32 HORSEBACK RIDING TRIPS AND 60 POWER MOBILITY GROUP TRIPS DURING THE DAY SCHOOL PROGRAM. FOOD SERVICES' PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO FULFILL THE DIETARY NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS ATTENDING HMS SCHOOL. SPECIALIZED MEALS ARE PREPARED ON SITE ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC DIET ORDERS FROM EACH STUDENT'S PHYSICIAN. FEEDING SUPPORT PLANS ARE FORMULATED BY HMS' SPEECH THERAPISTS TO GUIDE FOOD SERVICES STAFF ON INDIVIDUALIZED MEAL TEXTURES TO ENSURE SAFE FEEDING PRACTICES DURING MEALS. OVER 6,200 MEALS WERE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AND EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR (SUMMER) PERIODS. FOOD SERVICES ALSO PROVIDES MEALS FOR STAFF WHEN SCHOOL IS IN SESSION, AS WELL AS 3 MEALS PER DAY FOR STAFF WHO WORK IN THE RESIDENCE. OVERALL, STAFF RECEIVED OVER 19,000 MEALS.
  3. $1.7 million spent. RESIDENTIAL SERVICES: FOR RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS, HMS OFFERS A PROGRAM THAT EXTENDS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM WALLS. OPEN 260 DAYS EACH YEAR, HARRIS HALL RESIDENCE PROVIDES BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND RESPITE SERVICES TO ANY CLINICALLY ELIGIBLE HMS STUDENT. DURING THEIR STAY - WHETHER RESIDENTIAL OR RESPITE - THE RESIDENTIAL COORDINATOR WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE RECREATIONAL THERAPY TEAM TO DELIVER A WIDE RANGE OF AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS COMMUNICATION, MOBILITY, FEEDING, AND SOCIALIZATION, CREATING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO ADULT LIFE BEYOND HMS. FAMILIES CAN CHOOSE FROM 5-DAY, 7-DAY OR OVERNIGHT RESPITE PROGRAMS, OFFERING FLEXIBILITY TO MEET INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. FOR SY 24-25, WE SERVED 6 PERMANENT RESIDENTS, 21 STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED 530 NIGHTS OF RESPITE CARE, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING 4,700 HOURS OF NURSING AND PERSONAL CARE. BEYOND DAILY CARE, THE RESIDENCE ENRICHES STUDENT LIFE THROUGH AT LEAST FIVE SESSIONS OF RECREATIONAL OR EXPRESSIVE ARTS THERAPIES EACH WEEK, MONTHLY FIELD TRIPS, AND COMMUNITY OUTINGS. ADDITIONALLY, HARRIS HALL HOSTS A WEEK-LONG AFTERNOON AND EVENING CAMP EACH SUMMER, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS EXPERIENCE BOTH STRUCTURED LEARNING AND MEANINGFUL SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
  4. $529,961 spent. THERAPIES: HMS INTEGRATES A WIDE RANGE OF THERAPIES - SPEECH/LANGUAGE, PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, RECREATION, MUSIC, DANCE/MOVEMENT, AND ADAPTIVE ART - INTO ITS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. THESE SERVICES ARE INDIVIDUALIZED TO MEET EACH STUDENT'S UNIQUE NEEDS AS DETERMINED DURING THE IEP PROCESS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HMS TEAM, THE FAMILY, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE STUDENT. THERAPIES HELP OUR STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND ENHANCE DEVELOPMENT. THERAPY SESSIONS MAY BE ONE-ON-ONE, IN SMALL GROUPS, OR EMBEDDED IN CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES, WITH FLEXIBILITY FOR OPTIMAL TIMING AND CO-TREATMENT. STUDENTS RECEIVED BETWEEN 12-18 SESSIONS PER WEEK OF THE VARIOUS THERAPY ACTIVITIES, EACH LASTING UP TO 45 MINUTES. EACH STUDENT WORKS WITH OUR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TEAM, WHO ARE ON THE LEADING EDGE OF PROVIDING EQUIPMENT AND/OR DEVICES THAT HELP OUR STUDENTS IMPROVE, MAINTAIN, OR INCREASE THEIR FUNCTIONAL AND COMMUNICATION CAPABILITIES.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1951.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.