Hillbrook School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HILLBROOK PROVIDES AN EXTRAORDINARY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT FOSTERS A LOVE OF LEARNING IN OUR STUDENTS AND HELPS THEM TO DEVELOP THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE TO ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. (CONTINUED ON SCH. O)AT HILLBROOK, STUDENTS ARE KNOWN, RESPECTED, AND VALUED AS INDIVIDUALS AND EVERY DAY IS A JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY, IMAGINATIVE THINKING, CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING, LAUGHTER, AND FRIENDSHIP.
- Income
- $27.3 million
- Spending
- $27.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- -13.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 77%
- Employees
- 134
- Volunteers
- 225
- Highest pay
- $747,470, 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 82% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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: 83 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
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)
- $22.7 million spent. HILLBROOK SCHOOL IS A CO-EDUCATIONAL COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL FOUNDED IN 1935 AND INCORPORATED IN 1999 AS A CALIFORNIA NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION TO PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION FOR APPROXIMATELY 440 PRIMARY, MIDDLE, AND UPPER SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IN JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TENTH GRADE.DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022, THE SCHOOL'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED A PLAN TO EXPAND ITS OPERATION TO ADD AN UPPER SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IN NINTH THROUGH TWELFTH GRADES. IN JUNE 2022, THE SCHOOL SIGNED LONG-TERM LEASES AT TWO HISTORICAL BUILDINGS PROVIDING FOR A SECOND URBAN CAMPUS LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE. THE SCHOOL ENROLLED AND LAUNCHED ITS FIRST NINTH GRADE CLASS IN THE FALL OF 2023, ITS FIRST TENTH GRADE CLASS IN THE FALL OF 2024, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)AND ITS FIRST ELEVENTH GRADE CLASS IN THE FALL OF 2025. THE SCHOOL PLANS TO ADD A TWELFTH GRADE CLASS IN THE FALL OF 2026, WITH A TARGET UPPER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT EVENTUALLY RAMPING UP TO APPROXIMATELY 300 STUDENTS. THE UPPER SCHOOL IS FOCUSED ON A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAM THAT BALANCES SKILLS-BASED AND INTEGRATED, INTERDISCIPLINARY OFFERINGS, WITH A DEEP COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND SOCIAL IMPACT EDUCATION.
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 December 1948.
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.