Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Ghs Academy

EIN 31-1758772 · El Dorado Hls, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak42 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GHS PROVIDES AN ENRICHED EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS A CULTURE OF INTEGRITY, RESPECT AND SERVICE TO OTHERS. WITH HIGH STANDARDS IN ACADEMICS AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, GHS PREPARES STUDENTS TO BE CONFIDENT AND SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL CITIZENS.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$2.7 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
-8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 94%
Employees
28
Volunteers
82
Highest pay
$199,342, 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: 42 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 68% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $2.4 million spent. GOLDEN HILLS SCHOOL IS A FULLY ACCREDITED, INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL IS SELF-MANAGED AND CONTROLLED AND NOT PART OF A CORPORATE CHAIN. WE OFFER A COMPLETE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS IN JUNIOR-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT THE SUCCESSFUL EDUCATION OF A CHILD REQUIRES AN EQUAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS, THEIR PARENTS AND THE SCHOOL. AT GOLDEN HILLS SCHOOL, WE ARE COMMITTED TO NURTURING AND DEVELOPING THIS PARTNERSHIP TO ENSURE AN ENRICHED AND SUPERIOR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR EACH OF OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR FAMILIES.SMALL CLASS SIZES, STUDENT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, EXPERIENCED AND CARING TEACHERS AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT ARE THE FOUNDATIONS ON WHICH GOLDEN HILLS SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED. WE BELIEVE IN MEETING AND THEN CHALLENGING EACH STUDENT AT THEIR OWN ABILITY-LEVEL, PROVIDING HIM OR HER WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROGRESS AT HIS OR HER OWN PACE. THIS PERSONALIZED APPROACH ALLOWS EACH STUDENT TO MAXIMIZE THEIR ACADEMIC, SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL POTENTIAL.OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAM FOCUSES ON IMPARTING A STRONG ACADEMIC FOUNDATION, THROUGH SMALL GROUP, ABILITY-BASED LEARNING WITH DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION. BY ENSURING THAT STUDENTS ACQUIRE ACADEMIC SKILLS EARLY IN THEIR EDUCATION, THEY ARE EMPOWERED AND CAPABLE OF BECOMING PARTNERS IN THEIR OWN EDUCATION AND TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING IN AN AGE-APPROPRIATE MANNER. CHARACTER EDUCATION IS A CRITICAL PART OF WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS GUIDED BY OUR CHARACTERS OF GOLD WHICH ARE INTEGRATED INTO EVERYTHING THAT IS TAUGHT TO THE STUDENTS.IN ADDITION, GOLDEN HILLS SCHOOL OFFERS AN EXTENSIVE PORTFOLIO OF ENRICHMENT CLASSES ENABLING US TO DELIVER "A COMPLETE EDUCATION" AT A LEVEL THAT IS UNMATCHED IN THE SACRAMENTO AREA. WE INCORPORATE PHYSICAL EDUCATION DAILY AT ALL GRADE LEVELS TAUGHT BY A FULL-TIME PHYSICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR. OUR STUDENTS ENJOY ART, MUSIC, DANCE, DRAMA, SPANISH, AND COMPUTER INSTRUCTION.OUR ATHLETICS PROGRAM IS EXTENSIVE AND VERY POPULAR. WE PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTY SPORTS PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES BASKETBALL, VOLLEYBALL, WRESTLING, FOOTBALL AND CROSS COUNTRY. OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORT CLINICS INCLUDING GOLF AND BASKETBALL. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE ON CAMPUS IN OUR COMPLETE GYMNASIUM WITH STAGE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND OUR ATHLETIC FIELD. TOTAL STUDENTS ENROLLED FOR THE 2024/2025 FISCAL YEAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 142.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2002.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 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.