Idea School FY2021 filing

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $1,000 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

The Idea School provides a child-centered education that nurtures competence, creativity, collaboration, and compassion through work that is meaningful to students and promotes lifelong learning.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2021. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 46-4692379) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$98K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $10K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
89% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$98K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
4.2 mo
of spending, in cash
4.2 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $40K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$202K
50% of total assets
Liabilities are 50% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 9 voting members
6 of 9 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$1.1M
Spent
$903K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$202K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$818K
FY2024$791K
FY2025$629K
Expenses
$903K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$903K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$813K
FY2024$795K
FY2025$690K
Net assets
$202K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$202K
FY2022$107K
FY2023$118K
FY2024$114K
FY2025$54K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 2014.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $801K Management & general 11% · $99K Fundraising 0% · $3K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $98K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Head of Scho
$41,761Pt VII · Sec A
$35,327Pt VII · Sec A
Staff Repres
$20,442Pt VII · Sec A
$820Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jaime Johnson’s $57K as Director is at the 50th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2021
Jaime Johnson$57,422—
Bahne Kuehne—$41,761
David R Higuera—$35,327
Faffs Riederer—$20,442
Marjorie Miller—$820

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Idea School executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Nurtures competence, creativity, and compassion through meaningful, lifelong learning.

Questions for Idea School

Tap to ask. Idea School sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Idea School answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $801K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

During the 2020

21 school year, we provided an experiential, engaging education for a total of 60 students, k-8. Specifically, we designed a curriculum and pedagogy built upon students' intrinsic motivation to learn and make real-world connections.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 46-4692379) · Dispute this line
$801Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2020
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$40K
Grants paid · 9 grants · $751K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$126,009
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,793
Unitemized GrantFY2023$110,832
Unitemized GrantFY2023$26,680
Unitemized GrantFY2022$98,582
Unitemized GrantFY2022$35,669
Unitemized GrantFY2022$480
Unitemized GrantFY2020$339,858
Unitemized GrantFY2020$10,070

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$785K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$308K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$903K
Ln 25
Programscol B$801K
Managementcol C$99K
Fundraisingcol D$3K
Owns and owesPt X
$202K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$319K
Total assetsLn 16$404K
LiabilitiesLn 26$202K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$308K
Government grantsLn 1e$83K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$785K
Investment incomeLn 3$411
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7$3K
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$24K
SavingsLn 2$295K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$319K
Accounts receivableLn 4$4K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$239
InvestmentsLn 11–13$80K
Total assetsLn 16$404K
LiabilitiesLn 26$202K
Net assetsLn 32$202K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$85K$319K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$80K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K$239
Total assetsLn 16$87K$404K
LiabilitiesLn 26$84K$202K
Net assetsLn 32$3K$202K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$350K$350K
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$40K$40K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$285K$285K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$31K$26K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$25K$22K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$19K$19K
Accounting feesLn 11c$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$19K$19K$19
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10K$307$9K
Office expensesLn 13$12K$2K$9K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$7K$3K$2K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$58K$57K$80
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K$221
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$958$958
InsuranceLn 23$5K$1K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$30K$30K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$104$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$903K$801K$99K$3K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Mar 31, 2026 $629K$690K−$60K$54K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Jan 27, 2025 $791K$795K−$4K$114K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Dec 5, 2023 $818K$813K$5K$118K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Sep 23, 2022 $1.0M$1.1M−$83K$107K 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 12, 2021 $1.1M$903K$194K$202K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990
Part I · Summary $1,096,643 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $196,983$307,650
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $484,070$785,200
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,927$3,793
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $682,980$1,096,643
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $48,980$349,928
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $442,198$381,763
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $1,008$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $171,969$170,821
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $664,155$902,512
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $18,825$194,131
Part VI · Governance 6 of 9 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,096,643 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$83,100
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$224,550
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$307,650
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $785,200$785,200
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $411$411
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $3,382$3,382
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $785,200 · Excluded from tax $3,793$1,096,643
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $902,512 across 17 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $349,928$349,928
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Management $40,432$40,432
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $284,996$284,996
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $26,110 · Management $4,908$31,018
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $22,256 · Management $3,061$25,317
IX-11a Management feesManagement $19,220$19,220
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $5,277$5,277
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $18,615 · Management $19$18,634
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $307 · Management $9,388$9,695
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,013 · Management $8,644 · Fundraising $1,068$11,725
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,008 · Management $2,066 · Fundraising $1,953$7,027
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $57,493 · Management $80$57,573
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,193 · Management $221$3,414
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $958$958
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,305 · Management $4,172$5,477
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $30,233$30,233
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $104 · Management $1,484$1,588
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $800,519 · Management $98,972 · Fundraising $3,021$902,512
Part X · Balance sheet $403,618 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $9,844$23,880
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $75,557$295,325
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $400$3,896
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,197$239
X-11 Publicly traded securities$80,278
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $86,998$403,618
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$2,237
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $701$199,384
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $83,801$201,621
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,197$201,997
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,197$201,997
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $86,998$403,618
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $201,997 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,096,643
XI-2 Total expenses$902,512
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$194,131
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,197
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$4,695
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$26
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$201,997

Form 990 e-file FY2021 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

The names, titles, and financial information shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records. More

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown. A filing can only be corrected by the organization filing an amended return with the IRS; the corrected information appears here at our next update.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing, and less than the filing contains. Our pages do not display home addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, contact the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures come from public IRS Form 990 filings. Comparisons are computed from the filing against similar orgs. They are not a rating.