Richmond Waldorf School

What it reported doing in 2024

Established in 1996, Richmond Waldorf School is a Pre-K through 8th grade independent Waldorf School located on a 2.8 acre urban campus in Richmond, VA. We serve 192 students through a developmentally- appropriate curriculum that honors each student for who they are and seeks to develop their whole person - intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. RWS emphasizes hands-on learning with an artistic and practical approach to academic subjects. Waldorf students develop meaningful skills in a way that inspires confidence, builds practical skills, and cultivates creativity. RWS Faculty and Administration are dedicated to growing Waldorf education and share the common goal of raising a new generation of students to care for each other, themselves, and the world around them. Waldorf class teaching is demanding and enormously rewarding work. Our educators model what it means to be a whole human and the pedagogy reinforces strong and meaningful relationships. One notable aspect of our grades program is that the Waldorf teacher remains with their class for multiple years - often from first through eighth grade. This paradigm centers healthy child development by showing students how their teacher works to continually cultivate an atmosphere of awareness and interest, present new opportunities for self-discovery, and demonstrate their service to the world. With a specialized curriculum, investing in a faculty of credentialed Waldorf teachers and staff is naturally a large portion of the program's expenses. 70% of RWS faculty have over ten years teaching experience. Just as our teachers grow our students' sense of self-reliance, our school aims to continually offer increased professional development opportunities and compensation.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 73.2%; rating input score 73
• Program expense ratio: 91.5%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $1.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 3; 3rd 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• 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: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 18.9%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.38; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.46; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.8%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 10.4% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 10.4% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 17.6% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings