Bay School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOUNDED IN 1998, THE BAY SCHOOL'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFICALLY BASED EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH THAT SERVES CHILDREN WITH AUTISM. THE YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL EDUCATES STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND TWENTY-TWO REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN, GENDER OR RELIGION.
- Income
- $5.5 million
- Spending
- $5.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 3.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 91
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $698,235, president, director
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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 72% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 253 of 5 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)
- $5.1 million spent. THE BAY SCHOOL, A MAY CENTER SCHOOL, IS A NONPUBLIC, NONPROFIT SCHOOL DEDICATED TO PROVIDING EDUCATION AND INTERVENTION SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD) AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT IS ONE OF MAY INSTITUTE'S FOUR SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS LOCATED IN MASSACHUSETTS AND CALIFORNIA FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD AND OTHER SPECIAL NEEDS. AT THIS FULL-DAY, YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL, WE EDUCATE STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5 AND 22. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FACILITATE THE STUDENT'S SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION BACK INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MAY CENTER SCHOOLS ARE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS LEADERS IN "BEST PRACTICE" EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. OUR STUDENTS ARE SURROUNDED BY CARING, HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IN THEIR CARE. A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT INCLUDES TEACHERS, THERAPISTS, AND CONSULTANTS IMPLEMENTS THE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN/INDIVIDUALIZED TRANSITION PLAN (IEP/ITP) GOALS OF STUDENTS REFERRED BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND REGIONAL CENTERS. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION AND RELATED SERVICES ON AN INDIVIDUALLY CONTRACTED BASIS. FROM THE FIRST DAY A CHILD ENTERS ONE OF OUR CLASSROOMS, WE BEGIN TO CAREFULLY CREATE A PERSONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE, ASSESSING NEEDS AND DEVELOPING SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. TEACHING PROGRAMS ARE DEVELOPED BASED ON EACH STUDENT'S EDUCATIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS. TEACHERS AT THE BAY SCHOOL ARE CERTIFIED BY THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING AS SPECIALISTS (MODERATE TO-SEVERE) IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. THEY WORK WITH STUDENTS ONE ON- ONE AND IN SMALL GROUPS, COMBINING BEST PRACTICES FROM THE FIELDS OF APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) AND SPECIAL EDUCATION. CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES EMPHASIZE ALL AREAS OF A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE, SOCIAL SKILLS, SCHOOL READINESS, SELF-CARE, AND PLAY SKILLS STATE-OF-THE-ART TEACHING PROCEDURES SUCH AS DIRECT INSTRUCTION, DISCRETE TRIAL TEACHING, PRECISION TEACHING, OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING, AND INCIDENTAL TEACHING ARE USED TO TEACH EACH STUDENT MEANINGFUL SKILLS TO MAXIMIZE PARTICIPATION AT SCHOOL, AT HOME, AND IN THE COMMUNITY. AT THE BAY SCHOOL, WE RECORD DATA DAILY ON ALL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN EACH STUDENT'S IEP. OUR HIGHLY STRUCTURED SYSTEMS ENABLE US TO REGULARLY MEASURE PROGRESS, REEVALUATING AND ADJUSTING EACH INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM, AS NECESSARY, IN ORDER TO CONSTANTLY CHALLENGE, MOTIVATE, AND ENCOURAGE EACH CHILD. FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES PLACE STRONG EMPHASIS ON PARENT TRAINING. ACCORDINGLY, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO OBSERVE THEIR CHILD WHILE IN SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND IMPLEMENT TEACHING PROCEDURES IN THE HOME. THE BAY SCHOOL'S SPECIALIZED CARE ENABLES EACH CHILD TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT AND ONGOING IMPROVEMENT IN SKILLS. THESE IMPROVEMENTS RESULT FROM THE TIRELESS WORK OF OUR STAFF COMBINED WITH OUR UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS. FOR OLDER STUDENTS AT THE BAY SCHOOL, THE FOCUS IS ON TRANSITIONAL SKILLS THAT BOLSTER SELF-CONFIDENCE AND FOSTER SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE SCHOOL'S VOCATIONAL PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS DEVELOP THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO OBTAIN PAYING JOBS AND ACHIEVE AS MUCH INDEPENDENCE AS POSSIBLE. THE VOCATIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHER WORKS WITH INSTRUCTORS AND PARENTS TO DEVELOP SPECIFIC VOCATIONAL GOALS FOR EACH STUDENT. THE FIRST WORK OPPORTUNITIES OFTEN OCCUR RIGHT AT THE SCHOOL AND MAY INVOLVE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RESTOCKING CLASSROOM SUPPLIES, DELIVERING MAIL, AND SHREDDING PAPER. MANY STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO TRANSITION INTO THESE VOCATIONAL POSITIONS. THESE WORK EXPERIENCES PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN INVALUABLE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND SATISFACTION.
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 November 1999.
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.
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