The High Desert Partnership in Academic Excellence Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HIGH DESERT PARTNERSHIP IN ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION, INC., IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BUSINESSES, FOUNDATIONS, EDUCATORS, PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND OTHERS, PROMOTES AND SUPPORTS THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS OVERSEES THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FOUNDATION AND RECEIVES AND UTILIZES FUNDS ACQUIRED THROUGH SOLICITATION FOR THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH THE CORPORATION WAS FORMED. THE MISSION OF THE LEWIS CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH IS TO ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS OPERATED BY THE CORPORATION PREPARE STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY THROUGH DATA-DRIVEN INNOVATIVE AND RESEARCH-PROVEN PRACTICES. ACADEMY FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE EXISTS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS THROUGH A RELEVANT, RIGOROUS COLLEGE PREPARATORY EDUCATION. NORTON SCIENCE AND LANGUAGE ACADEMY EXISTS TO ENSURE LEARNING FOR A DIVERSE POPULATION OF STUDENTS WITHIN A SAFE AND RIGOROUS BILINGUAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT.
- Income
- $45.3 million
- Spending
- $47.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 59%
- Reserves
- -6.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 98%
- Employees
- 495
- Volunteers
- 330
- Highest pay
- $301,033, president & ceo
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: 32 out of 100. Higher than 5% 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
10 of 20It owes 41% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1559% 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 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 257 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 (3)
- $14.2 million spent. NORTON SCIENCE AND LANGUAGE ACADEMY OPENED IN AUGUST 2008. THIS SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN THE SAN BERNARDINO INNER CITY. BESIDES BEING MODELED AFTER THE ACADEMY FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, IT IS ADDITIONALLY UNUSUAL BECAUSE THE INSTRUCTION IS CONDUCTED AS DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION. IN THIS MODEL, CLASSES ARE CONDUCTED IN A LANGUAGE NOT USUALLY SPOKEN BY A MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS (IN THIS CASE SPANISH) FOR THE GREATER PART OF THE CLASS SESSION AND ONLY IN ENGLISH FOR A SMALLER PART OF THE DAY. WHEN THE STUDENTS REACH FIFTH OR SIXTH GRADE THEY ARE INTRODUCED IN EXTRA ACTIVITIES TO A THIRD LANGUAGE. BY THIS PROCESS THE STUDENTS ARE FLUENT IN TWO OR MORE LANGUAGES BY THE EIGHTH GRADE. ATTENDANCE IS APPROXIMATELY 821 STUDENTS IN TK-8 GRADES.
- $13.3 million spent. THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES A TK-12 PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, ACADEMY FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. THE SCHOOL PROVIDED INSTRUCTION FOR APPROXIMATELY 1,433 TK-12 STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL IS MODELED ON THE PRINCIPAL THAT CHILDREN LEARN BETTER WHEN THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED ALONG WITH THE TEACHER IN THE EDUCATION PROCESS. THE SCHOOL HAS ENTERED INTO PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESSES, COLLEGES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SPECIFICALLY NASA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS THE STUDENTS HAVE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HANDS ON LEARNING. ONE EXAMPLE IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA-AMES. WHEN NASA PERFORMED THEIR JUNO PROJECT TO ORBIT JUPITER, OUR STUDENTS AND STUDENTS IN SOUTH AMERICA, THROUGH LEWIS CENTERS MISSION CONTROL, WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRACKING OF SPACECRAFT VIA THE INTERNET. THEY OPERATED THE DEEP SPACE RADIO TELESCOPE DSS-13 LOCATED AT THE GOLDSTONE DEEP SPACE NETWORK IN THE MOJAVE DESERT. SUCH PROGRAMS ARE ONCE IN A LIFE TIME OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENTS TO PERFORM REAL SCIENCE IN REAL TIME. THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS HANDS-ON INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL.
- $648,896 spent. THE LEWIS CENTER HAS CONDUCTED EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA TO SCHOOLS WORLDWIDE. THE CAMPUS OWNED BY THE FOUNDATION CONSISTS OF 150 ACRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THROUGH WHICH THE MOJAVE RIVER FLOWS. THE PROPERTY PROVIDES RICH OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS OF THE TWO CHARTER SCHOOLS AND OTHER LOCAL SCHOOLS TO VIEW AND INTERACT WITH NATURE. THERE ARE MANY ENDANGERED SPECIES WHOSE HOME HABITAT IS ON THE PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY ALSO CONTAINS THE SITE OF A 400 YEAR OLD NATIVE AMERICAN LIVING CENTER WHICH INCLUDES PETROGLYPS AND A BURIAL SITE. THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES AN EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH TO SCHOOL CHILDREN WHO VISIT THE CAMPUS ON FIELD TRIPS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FORMER STUDENTS ATTENDING HIGHER EDUCATION
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 1993.
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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