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The Nueva School

EIN 94-1633387 · Hillsborough, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY INSPIRES PASSION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, FOSTERS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ACUITY AND DEVELOPS THE STUDENT'S IMAGINATIVE MIND.

Income
$87.6 million
Spending
$74.9 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
-6.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 69%
Employees
380
Volunteers
150
Highest pay
$872,579, 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

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 31% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% 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

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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. $59.2 million spent. THE NUEVA SCHOOL, AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED, NONPROFIT, INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL, HAS SERVED GIFTED AND TALENTED LEARNERS SINCE 1967. TODAY, NUEVA SERVES 967 STUDENTS PREK-12. NUEVA IS LOCATED IN THE NEIGHBORING TOWNS OF HILLSBOROUGH AND SAN MATEO, EQUIDISTANT BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND SILICON VALLEY, SERVING SIX DIFFERENT COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. A CONSTRUCTIVIST SCHOOL, NUEVA IS KNOWN FOR ITS DISTINCTIVE INQUIRY-BASED INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES, PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, AND PIONEERING WORK IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND DESIGN THINKING. THE NUEVA COMMUNITY INSTILLS A PASSION FOR LIFELONG LEARNING, FOSTERS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ACUITY, AND DEVELOPS THE IMAGINATIVE MIND. OUR SCHOOL HAS RECEIVED THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON AWARD AND THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS AWARD FOR SCHOOL DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY, HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN APPLE DISTINGUISHED PROGRAM AND APPOINTED AN ASHOKA CHANGEMAKER SCHOOL, CO-FOUNDED THE COMMON GROUND SPEAKER SERIES AND THE ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS FOR GIFTED STUDENTS, HOSTS THE BIENNIAL INNOVATIVE LEARNING CONFERENCE, AND WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AND NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR THOMAS FRIEDMAN IN HIS BOOK THAT USED TO BE US IN THE CHAPTER "AVERAGE IS OVER."

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1967.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.