Financial Health

In year 64, Sacramento Waldorf School reconciled with its areas of strength and its areas in need of development. The longstanding pedagogical strength of SWS, in partnership with the national influences streaming in from Rudolf Steiner College for many decades, had resulted in strong teachers and healthy enrollment. This fortuitous relationship contributed to large class sizes and an abundance of teachers. The closure of RSC and the shifts the pandemic required brought the need to develop the administrative function to more effectively meet the needs of our times and the size of our school. A business office diagnostic in the spring of 2022 and the spring of 2023, guided the school’s policies, practices, and procedures into a season of review, research, and strict fidelity.

In support of the community, the Community Fund was set up to help our families navigate the inevitable financial impacts brought by unprecedented economic disruptions. While SWS has long prioritized its striving to provide financial assistance to families in need, delayed tuition payments became a risk that required strict policies and procedures to ensure the financial security of our school. Tuition support grants were pursued while direct action was taken to ensure tuition contract integrity.

The Advancement Task Force was formed in the spring of 2023 to frame the needs of development work at Sacramento Waldorf School. It was recognized that the first phase required to evolve development planning was attending to community building. In the early months of summer 2023, new opportunities to raise community spirit were initiated.

Preliminary steps of the Salary and Wage Project, initiated through Board of Trustee and Administration collaboration in 2021, were taken to support increased SWS compensation. School leadership recognized that long-range planning was necessary to schedule compensation increases that would develop consistently over the coming years. This slow and deliberate process closed FY 23 informing the due diligence that would be poised to be taken up in FY24 to realize the vision formed through the Salary and Wage Project research.

2022–23 Income       

Gross Tuition and Fees: $8,589,643

Financial Aid & Discounts: ($1,139,217)

Program Income: $438,226

Development Revenue: $181,319

Restricted Contributions: $504,908

Gain on Investments: $83,673

Interest & Dividends: $24,044

Facility Rental revenue: $400     

Net Revenue: $8,376,718

2022–23 Expenses

Academic & Student Programs: $5,894,051          

General & Administrative Services: $1,854,303

Development & Fundraising Services: $244,095      

Facilities: $1,279,343

Total Expenses: $9,271,792