Westside Neighborhood School

What it reported doing in 2024

Westside neighborhood school (the school) is accredited by the California association of independent schools. The school operates a private preschool, elementary, and middle school, which offers a well-rounded academic curriculum, including language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, art, music, technology and foreign language. The school's total enrollment in fiscal year 2024-25 is 589. The school embraces a positive, child-centered approach to education that strives to fully develop the potential of each student, intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. Our high academic and ethical standards encourage students to take responsibility for their learning and their behavior. Our curriculum is designed to engage students in a highly differentiated, project-based, active learning curriculum that challenges all students to grow. We provide an environment where each child is able to experience success, is confident in taking intellectual risks, where individuals feel valued in their differences and value the differences in others. Our goal is to instill in our students a love of learning and an understanding of our world, and to provide for our teachers and staff an environment of collegiality and professional growth. The school recognizes that children have different learning styles and learn at different rates. Our program is built from the best practices derived from the progressive, developmental and traditional educational philosophies, and employs a variety of experiential age-appropriate activities designed to accommodate students' needs, invite their creativity and challenge their growth. We strive to be a community of lifelong learners, where academic excellence, creativity, sense of humor, independence, self-discipline and high moral standards are valued.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 83.6%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 79.6%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.49 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -4%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.46; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.92; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.8%; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.3% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.8% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 19.1% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings