Franklin Classical School

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $2,500 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

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

The mission of the Franklin Classical School is to provide a biblically- based education that is both academically excellent and spiritually vital to enable young men and women to know and serve the lord jesus christ and to transform families, institutions, and nations for the glory of god.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 40 volunteers and 50 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $531K a year · 18% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$161K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 10.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $395K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$884K
26% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 26% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.5M
+12% vs prior year
Spent
$2.7M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$2.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.5M
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$3.5M
FY2023$3.1M
FY2024$3.1M
FY2025$3.5M
Expenses
$2.7M
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.8M
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$2.6M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$2.9M
FY2025$2.7M
Net assets
$2.5M
FY2025▲ +49%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$26K
FY2021$196K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$2.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 1998.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $2.2M Management & general 17% · $464K Fundraising 1% · $32K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $161K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Academic Dea
$103,000Pt VII · Sec A
$57,850Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Melinda Mahand’s $103K as Academic Dea is at the 33rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Melinda Mahand$103,000—$86,000$89,727$64,743$70,526
Jeff Dokkestul————$68,907$67,838
Thomas Carson—$58,650$56,150———
Thomas Carson III$57,850——$41,980$33,715$31,385
Brian Hatcher———$45,568——
George Grant——$20,000$29,795—$28,350
Sherri Clark————$15,100$21,650

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 Franklin Classical 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers biblically-based education for academic excellence and spiritual growth.

Questions for Franklin Classical School

Tap to ask. Franklin Classical School sees how many people are interested.

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

1 program · $2.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Christian education provided for the benefit of students in kindergarten through 12TH grades

$2.2Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$395K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.5M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$722K
Investment incomeLn 3$113K
Money outPt IX
$2.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.2M
Managementcol C$464K
Fundraisingcol D$32K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.2M
Total assetsLn 16$3.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$884K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$722K
Government grantsLn 1e$16K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$672
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$113K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2K
Total revenueLn 12$3.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.2M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$40K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$77K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$150K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$376K
Intangible assetsLn 14$14K
Other assetsLn 15$530K
Total assetsLn 16$3.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$884K
Net assetsLn 32$2.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 550
VolunteersI 640
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3More from this return
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$376K$341K$296K$287K$302K
Given inLn 1b$18K$52K$103K
SpentLn 1d–1f$2K$55K$20K$11K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M$2.2M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$341K$376K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$41K$150K
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M$3.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$884K$884K
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M$2.5M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$55K$46K$8K$167
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$1.0M$228K$26K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$134K$107K$24K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$94K$75K$17K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$19K$19K
Accounting feesLn 11c$78K$78K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$379K$370K$9K$231
Advertising and promotionLn 12$25K$13K$13K
Office expensesLn 13$51K$50K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$8K$2K$663
OccupancyLn 16$500K$449K$51K
InterestLn 20$139$139
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$33K$26K$7K
InsuranceLn 23$37K$29K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.7M$2.2M$464K$32K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Dec 18, 2025 $3.5M$2.7M$841K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 $3.1M$2.9M$224K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 15, 2024 $3.1M$2.7M$417K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 13, 2023 $3.5M$2.6M$957K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 16, 2022 $2.4M$2.2M$240K$196K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Mar 19, 2021 $2.3M$1.8M$508K−$26K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,514,078 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $60,605$721,805
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,925,736$2,677,199
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $60,174$112,979
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $95,855$2,095
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,142,370$3,514,078
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,501,273$1,540,013
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,417,184$1,133,128
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,918,457$2,673,141
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $223,913$840,937
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,514,078 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$15,716
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$706,089
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$672
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$721,805
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,677,199$2,677,199
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $112,979$112,979
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $2,095$2,095
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,792,273$3,514,078
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,673,141 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $46,280 · Management $8,330 · Fundraising $167$54,777
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,003,548 · Management $227,881 · Fundraising $26,080$1,257,509
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $107,093 · Management $24,096 · Fundraising $2,677$133,866
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $75,089 · Management $16,895 · Fundraising $1,877$93,861
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $19,320$19,320
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $78,356$78,356
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $370,263 · Management $8,521 · Fundraising $231$379,015
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $12,685 · Management $12,685$25,370
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $49,689 · Management $1,014$50,703
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,681 · Management $1,857 · Fundraising $663$10,201
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $449,162 · Management $51,151$500,313
IX-20 InterestManagement $139$139
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $26,421 · Management $6,605$33,026
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $29,348 · Management $7,337$36,685
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,177,259 · Management $464,187 · Fundraising $31,695$2,673,141
Part X · Balance sheet $3,426,510 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,080,084$2,239,890
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $25,353$40,050
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $44,842$76,948
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $40,647$150,167
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $341,230$376,163
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $53,273$13,592
X-15 Other assets$529,700
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,585,429$3,426,510
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $45,999$77,836
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $837,627$805,934
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $883,626$883,770
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $324,666$1,766,577
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,377,137$776,163
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,701,803$2,542,740
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,585,429$3,426,510
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,542,740 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,514,078
XI-2 Total expenses$2,673,141
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$840,937
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,701,803
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,542,740

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

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

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.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street 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, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.