Bridge School
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Teaching and ensuring that children with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of assistive technology and the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative educational strategies.
- Income
- $3.7 million
- Spending
- $4.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 23.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 57%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $307,970, ed, bridge to life
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 23.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 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 2513 of 13 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 July 31, 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 (4)
- $1.5 million spent. Education: The Bridge School's education program provides intensive intervention in education and communication to students with complex communication needs and severe physical impairments. The school program serves children in the San Francisco bay area and operates from 8:30am until 3:00 pm on a 180 day academic year. Two classrooms serve 14 children ranging in age from 3 to 14 years. The educational curriculum is based on core standards established by the California Department of Education. Delivery of the curriculum in ensured through innovative teaching and communication techniques and assistive technology. Students have age-appropriate inclusion opportunities in general education classes at North Elementary and Crocker Middle Schools. The Bridge School's education program is designed to support the following general outcomes for each enrolled student. Students will: 1. develop competence using augmentative and alternative communication systems and strategies 2. have clearly defined strategies for participation in the general education curriculum and classroom activities 3. have gained access to instructional materials through assistive technology applications. Comprehensive assessments are conducted with each student by the educational team, which may include a special educator, a speech and language therapist, and assistive technologist, and/or ancillary support staff. These assessments are conducted during the first year of enrollment, at the time of the child's triennial review, and prior to transition. The assessment information is incorporated into the educational narrative for the annual IEP Review along with data/information collected on the goals and objectives implemented for each student. Guiding principals: The Bridge School's education program is based on the principal of providing access to and participation in a state approved, age-appropriate curriculum adapted to the special needs of children with motor, sensory, and speech impairments. Our overall motto, participation through communication, is supported by our focus on developing augmentative and alternative communication systems for all students within the context of an academic curriculum. The educational program is designed to: 1. assist students in developing competence in using AAC systems and strategies 2. provide students access to a general education curriculum through active participation in all classroom activities 3. maximize each student's educational potential by providing access to assistive technology for learning and tools for literacy development 4. transition students to their home school districts in the least restrictive environment once they achieve competence with AAC and technology for learning 5. provide long-term support to students and their educational teams in the home school district placement.
- $980,599 spent. Bridge To Life (BTL): 1. serving individuals with physical and/or communication impairments from birth through adulthood, locally, nationally and globally. 2. providing professional development opportunities in our areas of expertise. 3. contracting with families, agencies and school districts to offer direct services to students with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs to address: receptive and expressive language, augmentative and alternative communication, Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI), positioning and seating, access through assistive technology, self-determination and futures planning, literacy. Currently we are offering: CVI assessments and training packages, Receptive and expressive language assessment and therapy, Consulting on positioning and seating, Direct speech and language services for users of augmentative and alternative communication
- $176,443 spent. Outreach and Dissemination: The Bridge School's mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals how use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) globally. Key to achieving this mission is the global dissemination of effective intervention strategies developed and tested in our educational program to parents, professionals, and users of AAC/AT. Various avenues are used in our dissemination efforts including and international teacher-in-residence program, our AAC by the bay conference, our adult activity group, and our information-rich website. Our staff presents at numerous professional conferences; we publish articles in referred journals; we train individuals from universitates and every other year, we host a professional from a developing country as a teacher-in-residence. This professional studies with our staff form 7 to 10 months, attends local university classes, visits comparable educational programs, and participates in professional conferences. When the teacher-in-residence returns to his/her home country, they work with their local support network to disseminate the strategies they have learned from their experiences during their residency. The Bridge School follows up with an in-country visit to provide site-specific training, conduct local and regional workshops, provide demonstration teaching, respond to radio and TV interviews, and participate in organized conference events. All of our outreach and dissemination efforts are designed to have global impact on the education of children with severe speech and physical impairments.
- $387,143 spent. Transition & Others: Research Program
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1988.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.