Urban School of San Francisco
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE URBAN SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO SEEKS TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR LEARNING, INSPIRING ITS STUDENTS TO BECOME SELF-MOTIVATED, ENTHUSIASTIC PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR EDUCATION - BOTH IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND.
- Income
- $31.6 million
- Spending
- $30.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 87%
- Employees
- 223
- Volunteers
- 272
- Highest pay
- $725,920, 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: 43 out of 100. Higher than 18% 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
5 of 20It owes 53% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 46 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 26 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
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)
- $27.2 million spent. FOUNDED IN 1966, URBAN OFFERS A DEMANDING COLLEGE PREPARATORY PROGRAM IN THE ARTS, ENGLISH, HISTORY, LANGUAGES, SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS. INCOMING STUDENTS ARE ISSUED STATE OF THE ART LAPTOP COMPUTERS FOR SCHOOL AND HOME USE TO HELP FULLY INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CURRICULUM. THE SCHOOL FIELDS INTERSCHOLASTIC TEAMS IN MANY SPORTS AND PROVIDES NUMEROUS EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT LEADERS, WRITERS AND PERFORMERS. THROUGH FIELDWORK, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND INTERNSHIPS, STUDENTS EXPLORE AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR OWN HAIGHT-ASHBURY NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY. URBAN HAS A FACULTY OF 58 FULL AND PART TIME TEACHERS AND 424 STUDENTS IN GRADES 9 THROUGH 12. THE TEACHER STUDENT RATIO IS 1:10. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THE URBAN SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO IS ACCREDITED BY THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (WASC) AND IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (NAIS), THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS (CAIS), THE COUNCIL FOR THE ADVANCEMENT AND SUPPORT OF EDUCATION (CASE), AND THE SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST BOARD. URBAN IS ALSO A MEMBER OF A BETTER CHANCE (ABC), THE BAY COUNTIES LEAGUE (BCL). THE URBAN SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO ADMITS STUDENTS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN TO ALL THE RIGHTS PRIVILEGES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES GENERALLY ACCORDED OR MADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL. IT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN IN ADMINISTRATION OF ITS EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, ATHLETIC OR SCHOOL ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS.
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 June 1971.
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.