Laurel Schools Annual Financial Summary

Little Laurels Montessori Preschool is an independent nonprofit organization and is entirely self-funded, without financial support from the government, religious institutions, or other organizations. Funds for operations and capital improvements are raised through tuition, fees and charitable contributions. 

Our Annual Bread and Butter Fund

As a nonprofit we rely on donations to achieve our mission each and every year. Our annual ‘bread and butter’ fund goes into our general operating expenses including teacher training, hiring additional staff resources to keep our student-to-teacher ratio the lowest in our area, capital improvements for spaces to meet students needs, and security upgrades.

Your contribution enables us to reach more children and offer our staff additional education, compensation and benefits.

We are making significant strides in improving the diversity, equity and inclusivity of our program, reaching out to serve the children in our community. This year we have given tuition assistance and scholarships to twice as many students as we did in the last school year.

Your donation makes this possible. You are the reason we are able to continue to do what we do best - give children an excellent education!

Our Commitment to Educational Excellence

Within the last two years we have received generous donations
that allowed us to complete the following projects

  • Fencing in our entire campus, so as to ensure the safety of our children and staff. - $62,450

  • Blacktop application and resurfacing for half of the parking lot and the drive-through on the south exit - $43,700

  • Plumbing and sewer repairs last winter totaling $7,700 to winterize our Kindergarten classroom’s plumbing and install upgraded materials.

  • We are nearing completion on our retaining wall and raised garden beds on the East edge of our campus behind the Kindergarten space and Music room.

Art, Music, and Additional Teaching Staff

  • In addition to our outstanding 1:10 teacher-student ratio, our elementary program is enriched by specialized resource staff: a dedicated music teacher, a part-time art teacher, and a part-time resource teacher who provides personalized one-on-one support. No other school delivers the daily individualized instruction our students enjoy, an incredible commitment valued at approximately $128,000 per year.

  • Each of our preschool classrooms benefits from an additional assistant teacher, exceeding state-mandated staffing requirements and far surpassing industry standards. This commitment maintains our preschool ratio at an exceptional 6:1—much lower than the typical 10:1 ratio found at other schools. To achieve this, we employ five additional full-time staff members, ensuring consistent support rather than relying on float staff moving between classrooms. This approach fosters a calm and productive learning environment while providing children with familiar, trusted faces, even if a teacher is absent. This unparalleled level of care represents an annual investment of over $250,000.

  • The quality of education and additional opportunities that these staff bring to our students is priceless!

We Have Made The Following Commitments
for the 2024-25 School Year

  • Tuition assistance for students across the campus for qualified families - $150,000+

  • We have made a pledge to offer an additional $60,000 of teacher trainings, certifications, and professional development courses to our staff. They deserve it!

Expansion Goals and Our 2025-2026 School Year

As a non-profit school, there is no limit to the amount of good we can do in the community, given we have the resources. The following are additional projects and goals that we would like to take on within the 2025 calendar year.

  • Beginning the process of expanding our elementary school to a full preschool and K-8 campus which would include a science lab and additional classrooms and staff.

  • Opening a low cost tutoring center for neighborhood children who do not attend Laurel schools.

  • Expanding our hours and afterschool programming for all ages through 5:30 pm to accommodate those families that need the extra hours of care.

  • Additional benefits for our staff, including retirement contribution matching, full healthcare coverage (rather than a stipend), and special bonuses.

  • The blue shop, as we affectionately refer to it, is a large workshop building on our north campus where children have field tripped in order to do tumbling and gross motor movement, art projects, theater rehearsals, and more! This shop was originally built in the 1970’s and is in need of some renovations and a new roof in order to get it up and running as a regular curricular space.

    We had a feasibility study done over a year ago, and an estimate of $100,000-$150,000 is needed to complete this project. The upgrades would allow us to install the rock climbing wall we have been dreaming of for a few years!

Giving - FAQs

Is my donation tax deductible?

Absolutely! Gifts to Laurel Schools are tax deductible as we are a 501(c)(3) organization.
Our Tax ID is 38-383-0684.

Make a payment using a credit or debit card here: https://www.littlelaurels.org/donate

Make checks payable to “Laurel Academy” or “Little Laurels” and send to
12700 35th AVE NE, Seattle, WA 98125

Corporate Matching:
Contact your HR department to find out if your company will match your donation!
Tax ID 38-383-0684.