Shefa School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SHEFA SCHOOL IS A JEWISH COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE-BASED LEARNING DISABILITIES. SHEFA IS HEBREW FOR ABUNDANCE, REFLECTING OUR BELIEF THAT EACH CHILD POSSESSES ABUNDANT STRENGTHS. OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD UPON THESE STRENGTHS WHILE TEACHING STUDENTS THE SKILLS TO OVERCOME THEIR CHALLENGES IN A CARING AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY THAT SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES JEWISH VALUES AND TRADITIONS. EMBRACING FAMILIES FROM A RANGE OF JEWISH BACKGROUNDS AND PRACTICES, SHEFA NURTURES OUR STUDENTS' JEWISH IDENTITY AND TEACHES THE SKILLS TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN JEWISH LIFE.WE PRIORITIZE EACH CHILD'S LEARNING NEEDS BY PROVIDING EXCELLENT, INDIVIDUALIZED, RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTION TO FOSTER ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AND CONFIDENCE. WE EMPOWER STUDENTS TO BECOME ACTIVE, JOYFUL, LIFELONG LEARNERS, CRITICAL THINKERS, KIND AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS, AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND THE BROADER WORLD.
- Income
- $29.4 million
- Spending
- $30.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- -31.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 68%
- Employees
- 141
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $625,961, 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: 40 out of 100. Higher than 14% 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
2 of 20It owes 92% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (1)
- $25.2 million spent. THE SHEFA SCHOOL OFFERS FAMILIES A UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL CHOICE: HIGH-QUALITY, RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTION FOR CHILDREN WITH LANGUAGE-BASED LEARNING DISABILITIES THAT IS SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED WITH JEWISH COMMUNITY, LEARNING, CULTURE, AND TRADITIONS. EACH CHILD'S UNIQUE GIFTS, TALENTS, SKILLS, AND INSIGHTS IS THE LAUNCHING POINT FOR AN INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN THAT FOSTERS ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AND CONFIDENCE. BY CELEBRATING A CHILD'S STRENGTHS, ENCOURAGING THEIR INTERESTS, AND GIVING THEM THE TOOLS TO OVERCOME THEIR CHALLENGES, WE CREATE A WARM, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY, WHERE STUDENTS FEEL UNDERSTOOD, ACCEPTED, AND VALUED. FOR THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR THE SCHOOL ENROLLED 223 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
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 May 2015.
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.
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.