The Peak School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE PEAK SCHOOL SEEKS TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR LEARNING, TO DEVELOP STUDENTS OF DIVERSE TALENTS AND BACKGROUNDS WHO THINK CRITICALLY AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY, AND TO GRADUATE COMPASSIONATE, CONFIDENT, CAPABLE STUDENTS WHO WILL EMBRACE THEIR ROLES AS LOCAL AND GLOBAL CITIZENS.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- -13.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 94%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $202,615, head of scho
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: 45 out of 100. Higher than 21% 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
0 of 20It owes 101% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
10 of 10Gave 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $1.5 million spent. THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT AT THE PEAK SCHOOL IS CHALLENGING, THOUGHT PROVOKING, ENGAGING, AND AUTHENTIC. WE AIM TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY TO ANALYZE INFORMATION, TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY, AND TO QUESTION THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. OUR DYNAMIC FACULTY PUSHES STUDENTS TO CONSIDER KNOWLEDGE IN NEW WAYS AND TO REACH BEYOND THE USUAL IN THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS OF CONCEPT MASTERY. AT PEAK, WE ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL IN FOUR PRIMARY WAYS: ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS. EACH YEAR, THE PEAK SCHOOL'S CURRICULUM IS GUIDED BY ONE CENTRAL QUESTION. THIS QUESTION UNITES THE DISCIPLINES, PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS ACROSS MUTIPLE SUBJECT AREAS. IMMERSION PROJECTS. STUDENTS COMPLETE IN-DEPTH RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY, PORTFOLIO, OR SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS AT THREE DISTINCT POINTS IN THEIR PEAK SCHOOL CAREER, EARNING THEIR MOVEMENT FROM ONE DIVISION TO THE NEXT. THESE PROJECTS ENCOURAGE INTELLECTUAL RISK-TAKING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND STRENGTH IN COMMUNICATION SKILLS. INTEGRATED TEACHING. AT THE MIDDLE-SCHOOL LEVEL, THE PEAK SCHOOL TEACHERS USE CRITICAL THOUGHT THROUGH MULTI-SUBJECT TEACHING IN THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE. STUDENTS SPEND LONGER PERIODS OF TIME IN EACH CLASS. STUDENTS ARE EVALUATED BY THE ENTIRE FACULTY ACROSS THE LEARNING AREAS, RATHER THAN IN EACH CLASS. DIVISION LEARNING: AT THE PEAK SCHOOL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT STUDENTS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AFFECTS THEIR LEARNING AND THAT STUDENTS CANNOT ALWAYS BE BROKEN UP CHRONOLOGICALLY IN A WAY THAT IS MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH. STUDENTS AT THE PEAK SCHOOL MOVE THROUGH THREE DIVISIONS, ALLOWING THEM TO SPEND MORE OR LESS TIME ON SPECIFIC CONCEPTS AS NEEDED. THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT AT THE PEAK SCHOOL IS CHALLENGING, THOUGHT PROVOKING, ENGAGING, AND AUTHENTIC. WE AIM TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO THINK CRITICALLY TO ANALYZE INFORMATION, TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY, AND TO QUESTION THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. OUR DYNAMIC FACULTY PUSHES STUDENTS TO CONSIDER KNOWLEDGE IN NEW WAYS AND TO REACH BEYOND THE USUAL IN THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS OF CONCEPT MASTERY. AT PEAK, WE ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL IN FOUR PRIMARY WAYS: ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS. EACH YEAR, THE PEAK SCHOOL'S CURRICULUM IS GUIDED BY ONE CENTRAL QUESTION. THIS QUESTION UNITES THE DISCIPLINES, PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND CONCEPTS ACROSS MUTIPLE SUBJECT AREAS. IMMERSION PROJECTS. STUDENTS COMPLETE IN-DEPTH RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY, PORTFOLIO, OR SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS AT THREE DISTINCT POINTS IN THEIR PEAK SCHOOL CAREER, EARNING THEIR MOVEMENT FROM ONE DIVISION TO THE NEXT. THESE PROJECTS ENCOURAGE INTELLECTUAL RISK-TAKING, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, AND STRENGTH IN COMMUNICATION SKILLS. INTEGRATED TEACHING. AT THE MIDDLE-SCHOOL LEVEL, THE PEAK SCHOOL TEACHERS USE CRITICAL THOUGHT THROUGH MULTI-SUBJECT TEACHING IN THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE. STUDENTS SPEND LONGER PERIODS OF TIME IN EACH CLASS. STUDENTS ARE EVALUATED BY THE ENTIRE FACULTY ACROSS THE LEARNING AREAS, RATHER THAN IN EACH CLASS. DIVISION LEARNING: AT THE PEAK SCHOOL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT STUDENTS' PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AFFECTS THEIR LEARNING AND THAT STUDENTS CANNOT ALWAYS BE BROKEN UP CHRONOLOGICALLY IN A WAY THAT IS MOST EFFECTIVE FOR THEIR ACADEMIC GROWTH. STUDENTS AT THE PEAK SCHOOL MOVE THROUGH THREE DIVISIONS, ALLOWING THEM TO SPEND MORE OR LESS TIME ON SPECIFIC CONCEPTS AS NEEDED.
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 April 2012.
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.