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Missouri Valley Montessori School

EIN 45-0342297 · Bismarck, ND

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceGood74 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported a significant diversion of its assets during the year.
  • It reported an excess benefit transaction with an insider.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

PROVIDING A MONTESSORI SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Income
$767,703
Spending
$808,124
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
-1.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 91%
Employees
33
Volunteers
140
Highest pay
$74,252, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 44 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 74 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    5 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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. $765,640 spent. MISSOURI VALLEY MONTESSORI (MVM) HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THE SCHOOL STRIVES TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE TO CHILDREN IN ITS COMMUNITIES OF BISMARCK AND MANDAN, NORTH DAKOTA. MVM WAS STARTED IN 1977 BY A GROUP OF PARENTS WHO WANTED A MORE EDUCATIONAL AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN AGES THREE TO SEVEN. EACH SCHOOL YEAR, MVM PROVIDES QUALITY EDUCATION TO SEVENTY-SIX CHILDREN; NINETEEN CHILDREN IN EACH OF THE FOUR CLASSROOMS. MVM TEACHERS HOLD NORTH AMERICAN MONTESSORI CERTIFICATIONS AND ARE LICENSED THROUGH NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. MVM OFFERS EXTENDED-DAY PROGRAMMING FROM 7:30 A.M. TO 5:30 P.M. AS WELL AS A SUMMER SESSION TO ACCOMMODATE WORKING FAMILIES. THE MVM MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A QUALITY ENVIRONMENT, BASED UPON THE MONTESSORI METHOD, PREPARING ITS STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, FULFILLING THEIR CREATIVE POTENTIAL AND ASSISTING IN THEIR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. MISSOURI VALLEY MONTESSORI (MVM) HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THE SCHOOL STRIVES TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE TO CHILDREN IN ITS COMMUNITIES OF BISMARCK AND MANDAN, NORTH DAKOTA. MVM WAS STARTED IN 1977 BY A GROUP OF PARENTS WHO WANTED A MORE EDUCATIONAL AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN AGES THREE TO SEVEN. EACH SCHOOL YEAR, MVM PROVIDES QUALITY EDUCATION TO SEVENTY-SIX CHILDREN; NINETEEN CHILDREN IN EACH OF THE FOUR CLASSROOMS. MVM TEACHERS HOLD NORTH AMERICAN MONTESSORI CERTIFICATIONS AND ARE LICENSED THROUGH NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. MVM OFFERS EXTENDED-DAY PROGRAMMING FROM 7:30 A.M. TO 5:30 P.M. AS WELL AS A SUMMER SESSION TO ACCOMMODATE WORKING FAMILIES. THE MVM MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A QUALITY ENVIRONMENT, BASED UPON THE MONTESSORI METHOD, PREPARING ITS STUDENTS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, FULFILLING THEIR CREATIVE POTENTIAL AND ASSISTING IN THEIR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 October 13, 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 August 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 November 1977.

    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 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.