To provide an academically exceptional education to students grade 9 through 12 in a warm, supportive, and nurturing environment.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 87 volunteers and 181 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.1M a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.3M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $55.5M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 5.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $55K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$50.9M
47% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 47% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
29
of 29 voting members
Looks good: 29 of 29 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$36.7M
+6% vs prior year
Spent
$32.7M
To programs
72%
Net assets
$57.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$36.7M
FY2025▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$22.3M
FY2021$25.9M
FY2022$29.5M
FY2023$25.9M
FY2024$34.7M
FY2025$36.7M
Expenses
$32.7M
FY2025▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$21.0M
FY2021$24.7M
FY2022$26.2M
FY2023$28.1M
FY2024$29.4M
FY2025$32.7M
Net assets
$57.5M
FY2025▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$41.9M
FY2021$48.8M
FY2022$38.9M
FY2023$40.0M
FY2024$49.1M
FY2025$57.5M

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

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 1948.

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $23.5M Management & general 20% · $6.6M Fundraising 8% · $2.6M

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

36 people listed on the 990; $2.3M 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
Head of School
$708,689Pt VII · Sec A
$360,227Pt VII · Sec A
$345,971Pt VII · Sec A
Asst Head for Mission Advancement
$248,446Pt VII · Sec A
Asst Hos for Acad & Dean of Faculty
$219,136Pt VII · Sec A
Director of College Counseling
$186,831Pt VII · Sec A
Director of HR
$182,361Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Christina K Mazzola’s $709K as Head of School is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Christina K Mazzola$708,689$581,545————
Christina Mazzola——$516,825$528,212$492,465—
Chris Mazzola—————$402,404
Jim Zimmerman$360,227$341,706$327,321———
David Hanson$345,971$327,953$312,330$310,102$175,768—
Nathalio Gray$248,446$229,475————
Chancellor Sims———$220,055——
Jeffrey Symonds$219,136$179,694————

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 The Branson School executive salaries →

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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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates high school students with a quality curriculum.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $23.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The branson school maintains and conducts a secondary school for approximately 395 girls and boys in which they are provided with such instruction and education that shall be adequate for the preparation of students for admission to universities and colleges of the highest attainment.

$23.5Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$55K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 10 grants · $19.8M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,356,663
Unitemized GrantFY2023$3,966,066
Unitemized GrantFY2022$3,441,961
Unitemized GrantFY2022$24,476
Unitemized GrantFY2021$2,816,630
Unitemized GrantFY2021$51,826
Unitemized GrantFY2020$2,580,582
Unitemized GrantFY2020$32,500
Unitemized GrantFY2020$31,326
Unitemized GrantFY2019$2,453,827

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$36.7M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$26.5M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$2.5M
Money outPt IX
$32.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$23.5M
Managementcol C$6.6M
Fundraisingcol D$2.6M
Owns and owesPt X
$57.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$13.7M
Total assetsLn 16$108.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$50.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
36
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a29
IndependentVI 1b29
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.4M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$26.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$2.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$213K
Gains on assetsLn 7$916K
Total revenueLn 12$36.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$12.6M
SavingsLn 2$1.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$13.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$55.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$22.4M
Total assetsLn 16$108.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$50.9M
Net assetsLn 32$57.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5181
VolunteersI 687
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.3M$13.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$46.4M$55.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$22.5M$22.4M
Total assetsLn 16$97.7M$108.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$48.6M$50.9M
Net assetsLn 32$49.1M$57.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$4.4M$4.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.2M$795K$251K$120K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$14.1M$9.6M$3.0M$1.4M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.2M$800K$279K$115K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.9M$1.2M$401K$298K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.0M$758K$193K$86K
Legal feesLn 11b$155K$155K
Accounting feesLn 11c$78K$78K
Investment management feesLn 11f$473K$473K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2.0M$1.6M$142K$304K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$107K$107K
Office expensesLn 13$228K$129K$64K$35K
Information technologyLn 14$597K$299K$298K
OccupancyLn 16$1.1M$740K$291K$30K
TravelLn 17$69K$66K$660$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$203K$146K$47K$10K
InterestLn 20$680K$510K$150K$20K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1.3M$958K$281K$38K
InsuranceLn 23$330K$330K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.1M$1.1M$12K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$650K$497K$122K$31K
Total functional expensesLn 25$32.7M$23.5M$6.6M$2.6M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $36.7M$32.7M$4.0M$57.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $34.7M$29.4M$5.2M$49.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $25.9M$28.1M−$2.2M$40.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $29.5M$26.2M$3.3M$38.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $25.9M$24.7M$1.3M$48.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $22.3M$21.0M$1.3M$41.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $36,694,267 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $9,118,009$7,414,444
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $23,661,478$26,532,785
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,578,109$2,534,254
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $298,734$212,784
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $34,656,330$36,694,267
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $3,966,066$4,356,663
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $16,873,640$19,349,242
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,581,422$9,023,589
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $29,421,128$32,729,494
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $5,235,202$3,964,773
Part VI · Governance 29 of 29 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body29
VI-1b Independent voting members29
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
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $36,694,267 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,414,444
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,089,677
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,414,444
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $26,532,785$26,532,785
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,617,943$1,617,943
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $212,784$212,784
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $916,311$916,311
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $26,532,785 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,747,038$36,694,267
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $32,729,494 across 21 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $4,356,663$4,356,663
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $794,538 · Management $251,236 · Fundraising $119,584$1,165,358
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $9,590,465 · Management $3,032,538 · Fundraising $1,443,440$14,066,443
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $799,540 · Management $278,840 · Fundraising $114,991$1,193,371
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,187,552 · Management $400,950 · Fundraising $298,335$1,886,837
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $758,219 · Management $193,056 · Fundraising $85,958$1,037,233
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $154,938$154,938
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $77,950$77,950
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $473,391$473,391
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,598,338 · Management $141,760 · Fundraising $303,777$2,043,875
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $107,457$107,457
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $129,134 · Management $64,241 · Fundraising $35,073$228,448
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $298,827 · Management $298,330$597,157
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $739,568 · Management $290,758 · Fundraising $29,583$1,059,909
IX-17 TravelPrograms $66,409 · Management $660 · Fundraising $2,285$69,354
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $145,605 · Management $47,082 · Fundraising $10,460$203,147
IX-20 InterestPrograms $509,758 · Management $149,529 · Fundraising $20,390$679,677
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $957,794 · Management $280,953 · Fundraising $38,312$1,277,059
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $329,545$329,545
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,057,774 · Management $12,460 · Fundraising $1,699$1,071,933
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $497,315 · Management $121,786 · Fundraising $30,648$649,749
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $23,487,499 · Management $6,600,003 · Fundraising $2,641,992$32,729,494
Part X · Balance sheet $108,483,084 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $9,562,337$12,566,663
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,769,292$1,084,372
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,051,121$4,452,863
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $11,023,020$12,055,113
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $404,538$429,976
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $22,538,767$22,439,860
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $44,411,710$49,986,421
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $1,979,170$5,467,816
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $97,739,955$108,483,084
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,297,475$1,775,123
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $21,805,389$24,285,668
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $25,532,184$24,879,843
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $48,635,048$50,940,634
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,826,676$11,756,647
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $40,278,231$45,785,803
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $49,104,907$57,542,450
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $97,739,955$108,483,084
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $57,542,450 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$36,694,267
XI-2 Total expenses$32,729,494
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,964,773
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$49,104,907
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$4,472,770
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$57,542,450

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

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