Creative Minds International Public Charter School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL IS TO CULTIVATE WITHIN ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THE MINDSET, SKILLS, CREATIVITY, AND COMMITMENT TO EQUITY ESSENTIAL IN BECOMING GLOBALLY AWARE AND INDEPENDENTLY MINDED CITIZENS.
- Income
- $17.9 million
- Spending
- $19.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- -0.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 94%
- Employees
- 195
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $266,656, executive di
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: 31 out of 100. Higher than 4% 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
2 of 20It owes 92% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 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 (1)
- $16.7 million spent. ESTABLISHED IN 2012, CREATIVE MINDS INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL STRIKES A UNIQUE BALANCE IN EDUCATION BY TAKING A GLOBAL APPROACH TO LEARNING WHILE ALWAYS MAINTAINING FOCUS AND ATTENTION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT. CREATIVE MINDS ENCOURAGES AND RESPECTS INDIVIDUALITY. OUR TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATION STAFF SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO BUILD ON THEIR STRENGTHS AND TALENTS. THROUGH THE LENS OF OUR INTERNATIONAL CURRICULUM, OUR STUDENTS IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH 8TH GRADE GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF, AND AN APPRECIATION AND RESPECT FOR, DIFFERENCES OF ALL KINDS, MAKING THEM CONFIDENT, CULTURALLY AWARE INDIVIDUALS CAPABLE OF SUCCEEDING IN A DIVERSE AND GLOBAL SOCIETY. IN 2017, CREATIVE MINDS BECAME THE FIRST SCHOOL IN THE UNITED STATES TO ACHIEVE ACCREDITATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM (IPC) AND BEGAN USING THE INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE YEARS CURRICULUM (IMYC). INTERNATIONAL EARLY YEARS CURRICULUM (IPC): IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FOURTH GRADE, THE INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY CURRICULUM PROVIDES A RIGOROUS, THEMATIC TEACHING STRUCTURE DESIGNED TO ENGAGE CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES IN BEING CREATIVE THINKERS AND PROBLEM-SOLVERS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD. INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS COMBINE CORE ACADEMIC SUBJECTS, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND THE ARTS. THE CURRICULUM IS DESIGNED SO THAT STUDENTS DO THE FOLLOWING: - ACQUIRE THE ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND UNDERSTANDING OF A BROAD RANGE OF SUBJECTS. - ENGAGE WITH THEIR LEARNING THROUGH POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, SO THEY REMAIN COMMITTED TO LEARNING THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. - DEVELOP THE PERSONAL QUALITIES THEY NEED TO BE GOOD, CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS. - DEVELOP A SENSE OF THEIR NATIONALITY AND CULTURE, AND AT THE SAME TIME, DEVELOP RESPECT FOR THE NATIONALITIES AND CULTURES OF OTHERS. INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE YEARS CURRICULUM (IMYC) THE IMYC PROCESS OF LEARNING CREATES OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT LEARNING AND DEVELOP A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE, WORK WITH PEERS, TAKE RISKS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AND BECOME CONFIDENT, INDEPENDENT, AND ENGAGED LEARNERS. LEARNING WITH THE IMYC FOLLOWS SIX-WEEK UNITS BASED ON A CONCEPTUAL IDEA OR THEME CALLED THE BIG IDEA. STUDENTS LINK THE LEARNING IN THEIR DIFFERENT SUBJECTS THROUGH THIS BIG IDEA AND ANALYZE WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING FROM PERSONAL, INTERPERSONAL,AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES. ALL CREATIVE MINDS STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH-GRADE STUDY COMMON CORE STANDARDS-BASED ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS. IN ADDITION TO ARTS INTEGRATION IN OUR ACADEMIC SUBJECTS THROUGH IPC AND IMYC, WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH MUSIC, MOVEMENT, AND VISUAL ARTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. GLOBAL LANGUAGE CLASSES IN SPANISH AND MANDARIN ARE PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE EXPOSING THEM TO BOTH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE. TECHNOLOGY IS AN INTEGRATED PART OF OUR CURRICULA. THE IPC AND IMYC CLEARLY DEFINE LEARNING GOALS THAT DESCRIBE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. STUDENTS BUILD SKILLS IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY THROUGH HANDS-ON PROJECTS THAT ARE PART OF THE IPC AND IMYC. TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO COMMUNICATE, CONNECT, AND HONE CRITICAL THINKING. EXTENDED CREATIVE DAY CREATIVE MINDS BOASTS A DYNAMIC AND INCLUSIVE EXTENDED CREATIVE DAY PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES A WIDE ARRAY OF CLUBS, SPORTS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROGRAMMING IS TO OFFER ENRICHING, DISCOVERY-BASED ACTIVITIES THAT COMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS MISSION AND ALLOW STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEIR TALENTS AND INTERESTS. THE CLUBS INCLUDE GIRLS WHO CODE, DEBATE, STUDENT GOVERNMENT, BASKETBALL, AND MORE. AT CREATIVE MINDS, WE KNOW THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE READY TO PARTICIPATE IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY, THEY REQUIRE MORE THAN ACADEMIC SKILLS. THEY NEED STRONG SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO NAVIGATE AN INCREASINGLY DIVERSE, GLOBAL SOCIETY. PERSONAL GOALS CREATIVE MINDS TEACHES AND EXPLORES THE PERSONAL GOALS AND DISPOSITIONS EMPHASIZED IN THE IEYC, IPC, AND IMYC. WE THOUGHTFULLY CREATE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO PRACTICE THE FOLLOWING SEVEN TRAITS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY AND YEAR. ADAPTABILITY: WE ARE OKAY WITH CHANGE. WE CAN CHANGE OUR ACTIONS OR ATTITUDE TO FIT NEW SITUATIONS. COMMUNICATIONS: WE SHARE OUR IDEAS AND LET OTHERS SHARE THEIRS. WE CAN EXPRESS OURSELVES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE. COOPERATION: WE WORK TOGETHER AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER TO ACHIEVE A GOAL. WE UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE CAN CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING DIFFERENT WHEN WORKING TOGETHER. THINKER: WE ASK QUESTIONS TO LEARN NEW THINGS. WE PLAN INVESTIGATIONS TO SEEK TRUTH AND BETTER UNDERSTAND IMPORTANT ISSUES. ETHICAL: WE ARE HONEST, AND WE HELP OTHERS. WE HAVE STRONG MORAL PRINCIPLES, AND WE ACT ON THEM TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS. RESILIENT: WE TRY AGAIN, EVEN WHEN IT IS HARD. WE HANDLE DISAPPOINTMENTS WITH MATURITY AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD OUR GOALS DESPITE SETBACKS. RESPECTFUL: WE TREAT OTHERS THE WAY WE WANT TO BE TREATED. WE LEARN ABOUT AND ACCEPT ONE ANOTHERS DIFFERENCES WITH KINDNESS. EMPATHETIC: WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED AND HOW IT AFFECTS OURSELVES AND OTHERS. WE REFLECT ON OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO BETTER OURSELVES. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION CREATIVE MINDS UNIQUE PROGRAM IS BASED ON AN INCLUSIVE PHILOSOPHY OF EQUITABLE EDUCATION AND A HOLISTIC PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH. WE CELEBRATE THE WISDOM OF DIVERSE LEARNING PROFILES AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, AND THOUGHTFULLY DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES INTO EVERY SCHOOL DAY FOR STUDENTS TO PLAY TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER, COLLABORATE, LISTEN, EMPATHIZE, AND DISCUSS THEIR IDEAS. AS MANY STUDIES, SUCH AS THE GREAT BRITISH DIVERSITY EXPERIMENT, HAVE SHOWN, ALL STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM LEARNING IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND AT CREATIVE MINDS WE ALSO FIND THIS TO BE TRUE. INCLUSION ENCOURAGES OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE MORE AUTHENTIC AND TO CONTRIBUTE IN A MORE CREATIVE WAY. THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING NEW CONNECTIONS DRAMATICALLY INCREASES, AND STUDENTS ARE MORE WILLING TO ANALYZE AND ASSESS IDE
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 May 2012.
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.
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