Zeeland Christian School 
The information on this page was last updated 6/10/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Parents have chosen Zeeland Christian expectant for a high-quality Christian education. We are committed to leveling up our clarity of action, intentionality, and communication with parents on integrating faith and learning. Enlivening our commitment to integrating faith and learning reflects a reformed understanding of how God is always at work in all things.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Zeeland Christian School
334 W Central Ave
Zeeland, MI 49464
Website: zcs.org
Phone: 616.772.2609
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 381566660
CEO/President: Betsy Koop
Chairman: Molly Kehrer
Board size: 9
Founder:
Ruling year: 1947
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
To enable students to function to their fullest potential in contemporary society as Christian citizens who respond lovingly to God's will, recognize the significance of serving others, and accept their responsibility toward the world.
Mission statement
To provide a high-quality Christian education based on the Reformed understanding of the Christian faith. We do so as an extension of the Christian family, assisting parents in carrying out their responsibility to instruct their children in the Christian faith.
Statement of faith
Zeeland Christian School is committed to Jesus Christ and seeks to teach and live out our historic Christian faith through a Reformed lens as found in the Three Forms of Unity. We recognize and respect that outside of issues pertaining to salvation there are varying interpretations within a Reformed perspective and within our school. We also honor the home-church-school relationship which places the primary source of influence and guidance upon the parents in the home. We recognize that the ZCS belief statement may not completely align with the beliefs of each ZCS family, and our instruction will always encourage students to view their parents as the best resource when discussing topics with various interpretations. Fulfilling the mission by being fully functioning in contemporary society means that as a school and Society we will aim to demonstrate that as a body of believers we can peacefully live with, love, and graciously serve alongside others with whom we may not have complete agreement.
Authority of Scripture: We believe that the Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, is the only infallible and divinely inspired word of God. (Article 5 Belgic Confession) (2 Tim. 3:16)
Trinity: We believe in one sovereign God who exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are equal in attributes, nature, and deity and thus worthy of equal honor. (Article 1 & 8: Belgic Confession; Nicene Creed, 2 Cor. 13:14)
God the Father: As the first person of the Trinity, God is revealed to us as our Father through Jesus Christ. God is not a distant, unknowable spiritual entity, but rather our loving, powerful, and wise heavenly Father. His nature is love. This divine love compelled him to send Christ to the world so that all people who believe may have eternal life. (I Cor 8:6)
Jesus Christ: We believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. We believe in Christ's sinless life, His atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension into heaven, and His imminent return. His love for all people is an extension of God's love. (John 3:16)
Holy Spirit: We believe the Holy Spirit is the presence and power of God with us here and now, leading the church, uniting God's people, applying God's forgiveness to our broken lives, speaking to us, and spurring us individually and communally towards holiness.The Holy Spirit is the giver of new life, abides in the hearts of those who are saved, enables believers to love, and holds the promise of eternal salvation. (Romans 8:9)
Salvation: We believe that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ (Eph 2:8-9). It is completely a work of God.
Love: We believe that the perfect life and sacrificial death of Christ are the demonstration of God's divine love for all people. Believers are instructed to love God above all else and love their neighbors as themselves. All things done by a believer, without exception, should be done in love. This love flows from a deep adoration for God's mercy, fulness, sufficiency and the grace we have received. It is reflected in outward behaviors and inward attitudes. All people, as image bearers of God, are worthy of love. (I Cor 16:14, Mark 12:31)
Sin: We believe that sin is any thought, attitude, or action that is not consistent with God's will or his perfect character. Through the disobedience of Adam and his first sin, we all struggle with sin due to a corrupt nature. These sins lead to death and eternal separation from God, apart from the pardon that can be received through Jesus' death on the cross. (Romans 5:12-13)
Forgiveness: We believe that God offers redemption and healing to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. This act of grace, offered to all who repent and believe in the saving power of Christ's death, covers all sin and is credited as righteousness to anyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord. (I John 1:9)
Creation of All Things: We believe God, "created all things, including heaven and earth and all other creatures from nothing...He has given all creatures their being, form, and appearance, and their various functions for serving the Creator." This belief affirms the goodness of creation and endows it with meaning and purpose. (Article 12: Belgic Confession)
Creation and Science: We believe all of life, including scientific endeavor, must be lived in obedience to God and in subjection to his Word. Therefore we encourage Christian scholarship that integrates faith and learning. Humanity is created in the image of God; all theorizing that minimizes this fact and all theories of evolution that deny the creative activity of God are rejected. (Christian Reformed Church-Position Statement on Creation and Science).
Unity: We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. This unity demonstrates the truth of Christ in John 17 and brings glory to God the Father. Unifying love in the body of Christ includes a commitment to do good for the family of God. (Eph 2:14)
Value of Human Life: We believe that God created all human life with immeasurable worth, not to exclude those with varied physical and/or cognitive abilities, the marginalized, the oppressed, pre-born babies, and the aged. As such, we are called to value, protect, and defend all human life as determined by the scriptures. (Psalm 139: 13-16, I Cor 12:12-31)
Marriage: We believe that the term "marriage" is the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:18-25)
Sexuality/Gender: We believe that God's original, perfect design wonderfully and immutably created humans as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Gen 1:26-27)
Purity: We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4) All other sexual intimacy or sexual activity (including adultery, pre-marital sex, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. (Matthew 15:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
The ZCS Belief Statement is not designed to say all that can be said about our Christian faith. The Bible, as the inspired and infallible Word of God, speaks with absolute authority regarding the proper conduct of humankind and is the unchanging foundation for all belief and behavior. It is the gift and responsibility of the ZCS Board of Trustees to guide our life, faith, doctrine, policy, practice and discipline in accordance with God's word and our shared mission, vision and values.
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
D
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Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: K-12 Schools/Academies
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1032 of 1366 | 132 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1185 of 1366 | 144 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1018 of 1366 | 123 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 453 of 1367 | 48 of 155 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 11% | 32% | 27% | 12% | 9% | 8% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 13% | 18% | 17% | 33% | 32% | 22% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 87% | 82% | 83% | 67% | 68% | 78% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 78% | 76% | 75% | 76% | 82% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 93% | 128% | 110% | 92% | 90% | 91% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 76% | 100% | 84% | 69% | 69% | 75% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 7% | -28% | -10% | 8% | 10% | 9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | -16% | -5% | 4% | 6% | 6% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 18% | 20% | 21% | 20% | 15% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.53 | 0.62 | 0.51 | 0.46 | 0.47 | 0.52 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.21 | 5.78 | 4.73 | 3.92 | 5.12 | 4.77 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.82 | 3.60 | 2.43 | 1.80 | 2.39 | 2.48 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 2.88 | 5.46 | 3.78 | 5.71 | 4.12 | 2.02 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.34 | 0.18 | 0.26 | 0.18 | 0.24 | 0.50 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.08 | 2.72 | 3.63 | 5.51 | 3.80 | 2.44 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 30% | 16% | 6% | 4% | 5% | 10% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 13% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 125% | 135% | 184% | 208% | 204% | 173% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $3,358,781 | $3,440,673 | $3,762,747 | $3,511,600 | $4,094,721 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $42,747 | $695,354 | $1,311,460 | $31,150 | $16,398 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $3,401,528 | $4,136,027 | $5,074,207 | $3,542,750 | $4,111,119 |
| Long-term investments | $7,119,003 | $6,239,538 | $5,707,821 | $5,214,509 | $5,841,646 |
| Fixed assets | $9,130,228 | $9,201,577 | $9,085,427 | $9,369,840 | $9,670,523 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $16,249,231 | $15,441,115 | $14,793,248 | $14,584,349 | $15,512,169 |
| Total assets | $19,650,759 | $19,577,142 | $19,867,455 | $18,127,099 | $19,623,288 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $484,702 | $698,194 | $733,731 | $685,828 | $1,885,249 |
| Other current liabilities | $138,067 | $396,044 | $155,004 | $173,063 | $154,335 |
| Total current liabilities | $622,769 | $1,094,238 | $888,735 | $858,891 | $2,039,584 |
| Debt | $2,515,110 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $2,515,110 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $3,137,879 | $1,094,238 | $888,735 | $858,891 | $2,039,584 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $16,478,279 | $18,450,537 | $18,830,955 | $17,268,208 | $17,401,591 |
| With donor restrictions | $34,601 | $32,367 | $147,765 | $0 | $182,113 |
| Net assets | $16,512,880 | $18,482,904 | $18,978,720 | $17,268,208 | $17,583,704 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $1,684,708 | $1,507,240 | $3,232,861 | $3,056,188 | $2,446,581 |
| Program service revenue | $6,410,680 | $6,303,934 | $5,796,039 | $5,431,403 | $7,281,475 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $147,848 | $290,621 | $67,156 | $345,132 | $518,616 |
| Other revenue | $1,326,186 | $1,031,594 | $847,031 | $596,375 | $992,044 |
| Total other revenue | $7,884,714 | $7,626,149 | $6,710,226 | $6,372,910 | $8,792,135 |
| Total revenue | $9,569,422 | $9,133,389 | $9,943,087 | $9,429,098 | $11,238,716 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $9,536,610 | $7,665,484 | $6,838,985 | $6,471,152 | $8,400,439 |
| Management and general | $2,177,574 | $1,978,971 | $1,888,420 | $1,727,833 | $1,578,536 |
| Fundraising | $532,072 | $410,858 | $389,571 | $266,948 | $206,502 |
| Total expenses | $12,246,256 | $10,055,313 | $9,116,976 | $8,465,933 | $10,185,477 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($2,676,834) | ($921,924) | $826,111 | $963,165 | $1,053,239 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($2,676,834) | ($921,924) | $826,111 | $963,165 | $1,053,239 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Tom Dejonge | Head of School | $110,000 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2025
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 6/10/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Founded in 1915...
Zeeland Christian School began as the Society for Christian Instruction of Zeeland in 1915. Several Christian Reformed Churches worked together to provide a Christian education experience for the Zeeland community, and since its founding, two themes have been present: language skills and accessibility. One of the original goals was to teach the Dutch language, and during the Great Depression, families were allowed to split wood to work for their tuition payments.
These themes of language and accessibility continue today through our Spanish and Mandarin Immersion programs, and for the 2023-24 school year, over 20% of our student body will receive financial aid - ranging from 5-90% of their tuition.
Initially housed in a two-story building on Cherry St., Zeeland Christian built a second location on Central Avenue in 1949. This remains our main campus, educating students from three years old to 8th grade. In 2019, we added an outdoor preschool location called Creation Ridge, located on the campus of Ridgepoint Community Church near the border of Zeeland and Holland.
A significant milestone in the school's history occurred in 1989 when leadership stepped out in faith to serve students with varied abilities. Since then, Zeeland Christian has become a global leader in inclusive education. We all bear the image of Christ, and each student has infinite value. While far from perfect, we strive to provide the support each student needs to ignite their God-given fullest potential.