The Cambridge School of Weston Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042103964
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Weston, MA, USA
Phone
7816428600
Rating
80
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Elementary, Secondary Education, K - 12

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$23,925,216
Expenses
$24,372,511
Assets
$69,562,267
Liabilities
$28,670,284

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

Leadership & pay

30 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • LISE CHARLIER (HEAD OF SCHOOL): $515,803 total reported compensation
  • SUSAN RYAN (CFO): $240,762 total reported compensation
  • DIANA BARUNI (ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS): $203,534 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The cambridge school of weston's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning and meaningful relationships. Our dynamic program inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.

What it reported doing in 2024

The cambridge school of weston is a progressive, coeducational, day and boarding school for grades 9 through 12, and post graduate. Established in 1886, we are dedicated to fostering individual strengths and multiple intelligences through a wide range of challenging courses and a variety of teaching styles. In fy2025, the school had 226 day students and 84 boarding students.our unique module system fosters deep learning and innovative teaching in all disciplines. Classes are an hour and a half long, and students concentrate intensely on three subjects at a time. Our curriculum is diverse and interdisciplinary, combining demanding academics with extensive offerings in the visual and performing arts. Students are encouraged to explore new educational experiences and areas of study, and to be proactive in planning their academic schedules. We offer more than 300 courses. No two student schedules are alike. Each student works with an advisor and the academic office to create a unique academic schedule that balances personal interests with college expectations and the school's requirements for graduation. Ultimately, each student schedule aims to provide balance, rigor, and stimulation throughout the year.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 90% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 75% for direct work, and 25% for grants.
  • 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: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 87
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 41
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 79.6%; rating input score 80
  • Program expense ratio: 77.4%; rating input score 77
  • Fundraising efficiency: $1.66 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • 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: 90.9%; rating input score 91; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -1.9%; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.85; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.41; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.4%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 1.9% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.5% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 3.9% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 79.6% of revenue deployed · 77.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 20 of 22 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $18.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $516K · 30 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $3.6M reported
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 filed money-flow records
  • 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 5/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 24/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 33/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.