Lake Washington Girls Middle School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF LWGMS IS TO EMPOWER GIRLS TO BE CONFIDENT YOUNG WOMEN, STRONG IN MIND, BODY, AND VOICE. LWGMS IS A PLACE WHERE GIRLS EXPLORE, EXPERIMENT, DISCOVER, CREATE, AND LEARN ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM. SINCE 1998, THE SCHOOL HAS CHALLENGED ITS STUDENTS WITH HIGH STANDARDS AND HELPED EVERY LWGMS GIRL FIND THE TOOLS SHE NEEDS TO SUCCEED. GIRLS ARE EMPOWERED TO THINK CRITICALLY, DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND ENJOY LEARNING THROUGH AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM.
- Income
- $3.8 million
- Spending
- $4.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- -22.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 92%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 110
- Highest pay
- $287,266, 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: 22 out of 100. Higher than 2% 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
5 of 20It owes 68% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 41 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 2511 of 12 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
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)
- $3.0 million spent. SINGLE GENDER (GIRLS) MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION: LWGMS PROVIDES A PROGRAM WITH CREATIVE, CONNECTED, AND ENGAGING CURRICULUM, TAUGHT BY PASSIONATE TEACHERS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS. IT IS DESIGNED TO SPECIFICALLY ENGAGE THE MINDS, BODIES, AND VOICES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS. THE CORE ACADEMIC OFFERINGS INCLUDE HUMANITIES, MATH, SCIENCE, SPANISH, AND STEAM. THE FINE ARTS ARE CONSIDERED A VALUABLE ESSENTIAL EVERY LWGMS STUDENT TAKES AT LEAST 90 MINUTES OF VISUAL ARTS PER WEEK, AS WELL AS A FULL YEAR STEAM COURSE. OUR PROGRAM EDUCATES THE WHOLE GIRL, INTELLECTUALLY, SOCIALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY, WITH A COMMITMENT TO CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION. LWGMS USES A GIRLCENTERED PEDAGOGY INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM WITH A 21ST CENTURY APPROACH, ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO TAKE APPROPRIATE RISKS, DEVELOP LEADERSHIP, AND EMBRACE CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, AND COMMUNITY. GIRLS FACE THEIR FEARS ON BACKCOUNTRY EXCURSIONS, ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES WITH ADULTS, SPEAK AND PERFORM IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH COMPUTER CODE, ANALYZE CONTROVERSIAL CURRENT EVENTS AND PERIODS IN HISTORY, AND DEFEND THEIR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO EXPERT GUESTS. GIRLS LEARN TO POSITIVELY RESOLVE CONFLICTS, TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES AND OTHERS, TO VALUE AND PRACTICE KINDNESS, AND TO MANAGE COMPETING DEMANDS OF ACADEMICS, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, FAMILY, AND FRIENDSHIPS. LWGMS GIRLS GAIN THE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE, COMPASSION, AND STRENGTH OF CHARACTER TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
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 November 6, 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 1997.
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 November 4, 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.