The Episcopal School of Dallas 
The information on this page was last updated 2/9/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
ESD is a co-ed, college preparatory school for curious and joyful learners, ages 3 through grade 12, located in Dallas, Texas.
Contact information
Mailing address:
The Episcopal School of Dallas
4100 Merrell Road
Dallas, TX 75229
Website: esdallas.org
Phone: 214-358-4368
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 751451116
CEO/President: David Baad
Chairman: Chris Elliston
Board size: 41
Founder:
Ruling year: 1974
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
On the first day of school in 1974, The Reverend Canon Stephen B. Swann and his faculty of two gathered their eleven students around a campfire, and they together established the principles that would become the foundation of The Episcopal School of Dallas. Our Founding Tenets of religio, daily worship; eruditio, scholarship; and disciplina, training within a community of learners, have continued to direct our mission to ignite a life of purpose in each student through the development of an educated conscience. In combination with outdoor education and service learning, these elements are essential to the ESD experience, allowing teachers to shepherd children through lessons that enable them to overcome trepidation, develop resilience, and embrace stillness.
Though we have grown to serve more than 1,100 students, age 3 to 12th grade, we continue to know and love each child. We optimally challenge all students, capitalizing on their passions or interests, making our most advanced curriculum accessible to all. We shape our curriculum using the Hallmarks of an ESD Education: academic excellence and rigor, a strong sense of community, understanding of self, and a faith-informed foundation of values. Our community members live with honor, integrity, and respect for all as expressed in our Code of Conduct.
Mission statement
Our mission: Igniting a life of purpose through the development of an educated conscience.
Statement of faith
The Episcopal School of Dallas was founded on the belief that every child was made in the image of a loving God. We believe our Episcopal Identity has to be incarnate. It is visible in how we all live and interact with one another and what we carry forth into the world.
"As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, and both our worship and our mission are in Christ's name. In Jesus, we find that the nature of God is love, and through baptism, we share in his victory over sin and death."
To find out more, please visit EpiscopalChurch.org.
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: K-12 Schools/Academies
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1172 of 1435 | 175 of 191 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1151 of 1435 | 161 of 191 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1004 of 1435 | 137 of 191 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 820 of 1436 | 123 of 191 |
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% | 30% | 38% | 33% | 36% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 13% | 10% | 11% | 9% | 10% | 9% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 87% | 90% | 89% | 91% | 90% | 91% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 78% | 78% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 93% | 95% | 92% | 102% | 102% | 100% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 76% | 74% | 72% | 82% | 81% | 80% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 7% | 5% | 8% | -2% | -2% | 0% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | 4% | 6% | -1% | -1% | 0% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 18% | 18% | 16% | 17% | 17% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.54 | 0.40 | 0.39 | 0.41 | 0.39 | 0.35 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.99 | 2.29 | 2.38 | 2.59 | 3.03 | 3.25 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.80 | 0.92 | 0.92 | 1.05 | 1.17 | 1.13 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 2.80 | 1.23 | 1.23 | 1.11 | 1.06 | 1.02 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.35 | 0.81 | 0.81 | 0.90 | 0.94 | 0.98 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.98 | 2.47 | 2.42 | 1.17 | 0.57 | 0.23 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 29% | 43% | 43% | 44% | 40% | 40% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 117% | 142% | 147% | 137% | 154% | 174% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $40,406,938 | $37,821,506 | $32,971,995 | $26,288,416 | $22,371,582 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $13,965,817 | $12,640,292 | $11,687,016 | $11,884,634 | $13,250,646 |
| Short-term investments | $133,657 | $122,483 | $83,130 | $65,769 | $74,791 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $54,506,412 | $50,584,281 | $44,742,141 | $38,238,819 | $35,697,019 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $70,261,801 | $69,469,731 | $70,713,354 | $72,793,917 | $75,486,896 |
| Other long-term assets | $82,061 | $300,279 | $416,526 | $4,715,757 | $4,690,626 |
| Total long-term assets | $70,343,862 | $69,770,010 | $71,129,880 | $77,509,674 | $80,177,522 |
| Total assets | $124,850,274 | $120,354,291 | $115,872,021 | $115,748,493 | $115,874,541 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $2,464,833 | $1,974,014 | $1,788,636 | $1,753,938 | $1,736,829 |
| Other current liabilities | $41,701,062 | $39,227,272 | $38,357,559 | $34,344,079 | $33,196,968 |
| Total current liabilities | $44,165,895 | $41,201,286 | $40,146,195 | $36,098,017 | $34,933,797 |
| Debt | $8,661,360 | $9,215,574 | $9,622,603 | $9,996,137 | $10,396,301 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $600,083 | $1,239,401 | $1,564,539 | $581,862 | $621,360 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $9,261,443 | $10,454,975 | $11,187,142 | $10,577,999 | $11,017,661 |
| Total liabilities | $53,427,338 | $51,656,261 | $51,333,337 | $46,676,016 | $45,951,458 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $70,842,095 | $68,406,038 | $64,487,343 | $66,253,795 | $66,596,538 |
| With donor restrictions | $580,841 | $291,992 | $51,341 | $2,818,682 | $3,326,545 |
| Net assets | $71,422,936 | $68,698,030 | $64,538,684 | $69,072,477 | $69,923,083 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $5,377,143 | $5,340,913 | $4,294,212 | $4,451,166 | $3,497,341 |
| Program service revenue | $45,720,706 | $44,052,272 | $40,458,474 | $38,753,552 | $36,442,350 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $1,522,499 | $1,440,655 | $785,237 | $189,804 | $19,850 |
| Other revenue | $328,689 | ($82,772) | $705,059 | $844,041 | $323,762 |
| Total other revenue | $47,571,894 | $45,410,155 | $41,948,770 | $39,787,397 | $36,785,962 |
| Total revenue | $52,949,037 | $50,751,068 | $46,242,982 | $44,238,563 | $40,283,303 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $39,291,862 | $36,459,512 | $37,768,643 | $35,731,225 | $32,191,120 |
| Management and general | $9,222,112 | $8,536,059 | $7,657,202 | $7,708,384 | $6,811,552 |
| Fundraising | $1,715,082 | $1,584,725 | $1,645,197 | $1,479,552 | $1,270,402 |
| Total expenses | $50,229,056 | $46,580,296 | $47,071,042 | $44,919,161 | $40,273,074 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $2,719,981 | $4,170,772 | ($828,060) | ($680,598) | $10,229 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $2,719,981 | $4,170,772 | ($828,060) | ($680,598) | $10,229 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| David Baad | Head of School | $660,586 |
| Ruth Burke | Associate Head of School | $306,212 |
| Blanca Mary Hernandez | Chief Financial Officer | $293,288 |
| Denis Stokes | Chief Advancement Officer | $283,219 |
| Matthew Peal | Head of Upper School | $184,783 |
| Jonathan Chein | Head of Middle School | $181,974 |
| Rebecca Brady | Chief Academic Officer | $179,678 |
| Michael Schneider | Director of Summer Programs | $175,977 |
| Tracey Shirey | Head of Lower School | $173,495 |
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 2/9/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
On the first day of school ever, Father Swann, two teachers, and 11 seventh graders traveled to Galveston. As they sat around a campfire, they spoke of the importance of community, honor, and integrity. The traditions that began that day - of outdoor education, community, and equality around the campfire - continue today. The founding belief that each child is made in the image of a loving God remains paramount to all that we do.