Cottonwood Day School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AT COTTONWOOD DAY SCHOOL, OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH LEARNING CHALLENGES AND PARTNER WITH FAMILIES, SO STUDENTS CAN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND THERAPEUTICALLY IN A SUPPORTIVE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT.
- Income
- $834,307
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 54%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $87,381, executive director
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: 46 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 40% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% 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: 95 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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)
- $875,482 spent. COTTONWOOD DAY SCHOOL IN BOZEMAN, MT IS THE FIRST AND ONLY PRIVATE, NONPROFIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN THE STATE OF MONTANA. STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES NEED A SPECIFIC LEARNING APPROACH TO ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS. COTTONWOOD DAY SCHOOL PROVIDES A UNIQUE AND EXCEPTIONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. COTTONWOOD DAY SCHOOL'S SPECIALIZED APPROACH TO INSTRUCTION TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THAT EACH STUDENT'S LEARNING STYLE IS UNIQUE. OUR COMPREHENSIVE TEAM OF READING, ELEMENTARY, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPISTS WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO ENSURE THAT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF EACH CHILD'S LEARNING PLAN ARE MET. STUDENTS WITH LANGUAGE BASED DISABILITIES LIKE DYSLEXIA AND OTHER LEARNING DISABILITIES TYPICALLY HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH WORD RECOGNITION, DECODING AND SPELLING. THESE FUNDAMENTAL DIFFICULTIES IMPACT READING COMPREHENSION. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT SCAFFOLDED, MULTISENSORY PROGRAMS ARE SUCCESSFUL IN TEACHING STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LANGUAGE AND READING. AT COTTONWOOD DAY SCHOOL, WE INTEGRATE A MULTISENSORY APPROACH ACROSS ALL ACADEMIC CONTENT AREA SUBJECTS. INCORPORATING THESE APPROACHES INVOLVES PRESENTING NEW MATERIAL AND REVIEWING PREVIOUSLY LEARNED MATERIAL USING VISUAL, AUDITORY AND KINESTHETIC METHODS.
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 November 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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Cottonwood Charter School (El Dorado Hills, CA), EIN 83-3542401. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.