Crestone Charter School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CRESTONE CHARTER SCHOOL IS A K-12 NON-GRADED SCHOOL EDUCATING STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE METHODS APPLICABLE TO THE PROFICIENCY-BASED EDUCATION WITH AN OUTDOOR COMPONENT.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- -17 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 80%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 22
- Highest pay
- $54,393, executive dir.
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: 48 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% 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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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)
- $2.1 million spent. The School returned to normal operations in 2023 following several years of modified services during COVID. All students and staff resumed in-person learning full-time on campus. We were able to return to our mission-driven experiential educational programming, including our beginning of year all-school 3 day overnight campout, and our regular field trips throughout the year, as well as our end of year trips. Our entire high school class was able to travel to Brazil for two weeks as part of our international travel program. We rebuilt our community involvement, bringing back events such as art shows, ecstatic dance, theater productions, and community meals. We increased parent volunteerism after several years of not having parents in the building at all because of COVID. We utilized much-needed State, Local, and Federal Recovery Funds to support student and staff emotional and physical wellness programs. We also provided a 3 day retreat in the fall of 2023 for staff at an off campus location for professional development and planning in preparation for the 23-24 school year as we knew it would require a lot of extra support returning to school after such a long period of disruption from the COVID years. By the end of the school year, staff, students, and families reported feeling much stronger and more in sync with traditional school and were well prepared to meet the challenges the year brought. The transition to in-person learning was deemed a success.
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 March 1996.
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.