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Sagebrush Elementary School

EIN 46-1064904 · Richland, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair50 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CHILDREN AGES 3-12 WITH A TRADITIONAL MONTESSORI EDUCATION IN A WARM AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CELEBRATE EACH CHILD AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND EMBRACE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES.

Income
$874,500
Spending
$780,130
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
-1.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 87%
Employees
15
Volunteers
100
Highest pay
$96,591, 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

Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

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

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 52% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    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

    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 (2)
  1. $624,613 spent. WE PROVIDED 98 CHILDREN AGES 3-12 WITH A TRADITIONAL MONTESSORI EDUCATION IN A WARM AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT WHERE EACH CHILD WAS CELEBRATED AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND WHERE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES WERE EMBRACED. THROUGH THE YEARS SINCE SAGEBRUSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S INCEPTION, BOTH SAGEBRUSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SAGEBRUSH MONTESSORI THRIVED AND GREW TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. IN THE FALL OF 2018, SAGEBRUSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ACQUIRED SAGEBRUSH MONTESSORI, A PRIVATELY-OWNED SCHOOL WITH AUTHENTIC MONTESSORI PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS AND MERGED INTO A SINGLE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION NOW COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS SAGEBRUSH MONTESSORI. ACQUISITION OF SAGEBRUSH MONTESSORI WAS FINALIZED IN SPRING 2019.DURING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, SAGEBRUSH MONTESSORI OFFERED TWO PROGRAMS: 1. CHILDREN'S HOUSE CLASSROOMS; DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN AGES 3-6 WITH A HALF-DAY PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND A FULL-DAY PROGRAM FOR KINDERGARTNERS.2. ELEMENTARY PROGRAM CLASSROOMS WHICH PROVIDE TRADITIONAL MONTESSORI EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AGES 6-12.
  2. $32,149 spent. IN ADDITION TO TRADITIONAL MONTESSORI EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN, BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILDCARE IS AVAILABLE TO ENROLLED STUDENTS. CURRENTLY OUR CHILDCARE PROGRAMS HAVE 30 CHILDREN THAT PARTICIPATE EACH WEEK.

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 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 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 April 2014.

    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.