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Ross Valley Charter School

EIN 47-1755679 · Fairfax, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION AT RVC IS TO ENCOURAGE CURIOSITY AND INQUIRY, FOSTER CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND DEVELOP A CONFIDENT LOVE OF LEARNING. OUR PROGRAM GOES BEYOND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION BY USING INQUIRY, EXPLORATION, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)......AND HANDS-ON, IMMERSION-BASED EXPERIENCES. THE MULTI-AGE EXPERIENCE CREATES STRONG BONDS AND A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR EXPLORATION. AT RVC, OUR ACTIVE, LEARNING-BY-DOING APPROACH PREPARES STUDENTS TO WORK EFFECTIVELY TOGETHER IN TEAMS, THINK CRITICALLY, SEEK INFORMATION TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND BE LIFELONG LEARNERS AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT MEMBERS OF OUR DIVERSE GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$3.2 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
2.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 87%
Employees
58
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$170,670, school director/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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 53% 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 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • 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

    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

    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

    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. $2.8 million spent. ROSS VALLEY CHARTER (RVC) IS A PROGRESSIVE TK-5 PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL OPEN TO ALL CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS THAT DEVELOPS LIFELONG LEARNERS BY GIVING STUDENTS THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT TO FOLLOW THEIR NATURAL CURIOSITY. RVC'S INSPIRATION BEGAN MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO WHEN A GROUP OF PARENTS IN THE ROSS VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT SOUGHT AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, THEY CHOSE TO MODEL THEIR PROGRAM, CALLED THE INNOVATIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY (ILC), ON THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH, WHICH IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT CHILDREN LEARN BY CONSTRUCTING THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS, AND THAT THE TEACHER IS A GUIDE AND FACILITATOR WHO COLLABORATES, CO-LEARNS, AND RESEARCHES WITH THE STUDENTS.

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 November 6, 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 October 2015.

    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 November 4, 2026.

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