Bethany Christian Schools Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
350941106
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Goshen, IN, USA
Phone
5745342567
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Affiliation
Christianity

Reported finances

Revenue
$5,018,342
Expenses
$5,565,966
Assets
$16,155,619
Liabilities
$354,019

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

15 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • TIM LEHMAN (HEAD OF SCHO): $113,922 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To promote and support an academically rigorous christian education from an anabaptist-mennonite perspective, preparing and equipping youth to engage the world and make worthy contributions to the cause of christ.

What it reported doing in 2024

Bethany christian schools is an independent school serving over 300 students in grades k-12. Bethany began as a high school founded by the mennonites, a historic peace church, and due to its robust strategic plan, has added lower grades over the years. Bethany offers challenging academics and a wide variety of extracurricular activities in athletics and the fine arts, preparing students to participate in god's work in the world. At bethany, students receive encouragement to pursue excellence in the arts, sports and academics within the context of finding deeper meaning in life through faith. Elementary and middle school students experience a hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum that develops true learning and invites creative problem-solving. High school students may choose from 8 ap courses and additional dual credit courses, along with electives in the arts, sciences, and technology. Students of all ages enjoy a farm-to-school program and delicious cafeteria food. Sat scores and graduation outcomes for bethany students consistently outperform state averages. More than 90% of students typically go on to attend college after graduation. A close community with strong teacher-student relationships has long been a bethany distinctive. Pursuant to its core values, at bethany, each child is known, loved and prepared to participate in god's work in the world. What bethany christian schools value: + faith that lives: christ calls us to discipleship, peaceable living, and service (micah 6:8 and hebrews 12:2) + academic excellence: through a holistic educational experience, students develop morally grounded thinking and a desire for life-long learning (proverbs 18:15) + rooted in community: modeling god's love, we respect our differences, build compassionate relationships, and practice reconciliation (acts 2:46- 47)

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 78% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 80
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 45
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.9%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 81.1%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.24 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -10.9%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.9; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2%; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.7% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.9% of revenue deployed · 81.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $4.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $114K · 15 people listed
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 23/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 12/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.