Heritage Christian School 
The information on this page was last updated 6/9/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Heritage Christian School is a new school with a prestigious legacy. It was founded in July 2012 by the acquisition of Los Angeles Baptist Middle School/High School, by Hillcrest Christian School. HCS offers young people a challenging college-preparatory education, interwoven with Judeo-Christian religious and spiritual values.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Heritage Christian School
17531 Rinaldi St
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Website: hcs.la
Phone: 818-368-7071
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 954562939
CEO/President: Esther Choi
Chairman: Mark Campbell
Board size: 9
Founder: Hillcrest Christian Church
Ruling year: 1996
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
At Heritage Christian School, our utmost goal is to exalt God. We are committed to providing a comprehensive education that encompasses academic excellence, spiritual growth, social and emotional well-being, physical development, and cultural awareness, all rooted in a biblical perspective.
Mission statement
Our mission is to support parents in their endeavor to raise their children according to the teachings and guidance of the Lord. We are dedicated to helping our students foster a meaningful relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Statement of faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons-Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for salvation of the lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those that are saved to the resurrection of eternal life and those that are lost to the resurrection of damnation.
We believe that heaven and hell are definite places.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
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 | | 470 of 1435 | 50 of 191 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1095 of 1435 | 153 of 191 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 190 of 1435 | 19 of 191 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 477 of 1436 | 57 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% | 58% | 98% | 9% | 6% | 4% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 2% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 13% | 3% | 3% | 16% | 18% | 17% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 87% | 97% | 97% | 84% | 82% | 83% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 91% | 90% | 91% | 90% | 91% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 93% | 101% | 104% | 84% | 83% | 97% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 76% | 91% | 94% | 76% | 75% | 88% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 7% | -1% | -4% | 16% | 17% | 3% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | -2% | -6% | 29% | 38% | 9% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 8% | 9% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.54 | 0.66 | 0.60 | 0.52 | 0.49 | 0.44 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.99 | 5.74 | 5.45 | 4.40 | 6.93 | 7.33 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.80 | 3.77 | 3.28 | 2.28 | 3.42 | 3.19 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 2.80 | 2.78 | 3.74 | 6.30 | 4.04 | 4.73 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.35 | 0.36 | 0.27 | 0.16 | 0.25 | 0.21 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.98 | 2.04 | 2.68 | 4.42 | 2.64 | 2.97 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 29% | 68% | 68% | 67% | 74% | 83% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 58% | 59% | 59% | 69% | 79% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 117% | 49% | 54% | 64% | 53% | 38% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $4,227,307 | $4,682,596 | $6,054,257 | $3,364,053 | $3,098,282 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $319,363 | $204,803 | $207,454 | $184,772 | $183,131 |
| Short-term investments | $40,853 | $39,809 | $38,756 | $37,732 | $36,779 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $4,587,523 | $4,927,208 | $6,300,467 | $3,586,557 | $3,318,192 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $14,875,715 | $14,948,492 | $14,322,944 | $14,066,357 | $14,447,903 |
| Other long-term assets | $6,867,175 | $6,997,132 | $7,128,669 | $7,211,331 | $6,549,897 |
| Total long-term assets | $21,742,890 | $21,945,624 | $21,451,613 | $21,277,688 | $20,997,800 |
| Total assets | $26,330,413 | $26,872,832 | $27,752,080 | $24,864,245 | $24,315,992 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $235,862 | $136,078 | $52,659 | $75,802 | $65,298 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,411,674 | $1,183,017 | $947,047 | $811,648 | $636,789 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,647,536 | $1,319,095 | $999,706 | $887,450 | $702,087 |
| Debt | $15,359,817 | $15,945,263 | $16,506,949 | $17,045,832 | $19,151,320 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $859,643 | $972,841 | $1,048,557 | $399,423 | $395,932 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $16,219,460 | $16,918,104 | $17,555,506 | $17,445,255 | $19,547,252 |
| Total liabilities | $17,866,996 | $18,237,199 | $18,555,212 | $18,332,705 | $20,249,339 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $8,458,914 | $8,629,180 | $9,188,434 | $6,520,062 | $4,031,339 |
| With donor restrictions | $4,503 | $6,453 | $8,434 | $11,478 | $35,314 |
| Net assets | $8,463,417 | $8,635,633 | $9,196,868 | $6,531,540 | $4,066,653 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $582,986 | $406,020 | $2,663,768 | $2,634,074 | $1,891,642 |
| Program service revenue | $16,131,575 | $14,810,639 | $13,840,118 | $11,792,126 | $8,811,002 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $18,803 | $14,326 | $191,222 | $29,594 | $3,331 |
| Other revenue | $382,903 | $346,641 | $364,802 | $262,457 | $238,129 |
| Total other revenue | $16,533,281 | $15,171,606 | $14,396,142 | $12,084,177 | $9,052,462 |
| Total revenue | $17,116,267 | $15,577,626 | $17,059,910 | $14,718,251 | $10,944,104 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $15,658,739 | $14,567,446 | $13,050,232 | $11,072,794 | $9,580,848 |
| Management and general | $1,292,474 | $1,173,389 | $1,113,123 | $1,010,914 | $921,448 |
| Fundraising | $337,270 | $398,026 | $231,227 | $169,656 | $77,931 |
| Total expenses | $17,288,483 | $16,138,861 | $14,394,582 | $12,253,364 | $10,580,227 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($172,216) | ($561,235) | $2,665,328 | $2,464,887 | $363,877 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($172,216) | ($561,235) | $2,665,328 | $2,464,887 | $363,877 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Esther Y Choi | CEO | $116,865 |
| Paul Tait | Head Coach | $105,312 |
| Jeremy Hoff | CFO/Head of School | $74,532 |
| David Kendrick | President & Trustee | $41,667 |
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 6/9/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Hillcrest Christian School, now known as Heritage Christian School, was established in 1976 through the dedication and vision of the members of Hillcrest Christian Church. They recognized the need to serve both the church and the community by providing a high-quality academic program for grades K-3.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Hillcrest Christian School continued to grow with great enthusiasm. It extended its educational ministry to include programs for preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school grades.
Los Angeles Baptist
Los Angeles Baptist Middle/High School (LAB) was founded in 1962 by the Los Angeles Baptist City Mission Society. This society, consisting of American Baptist Churches in the Los Angeles area, aimed to offer young people a challenging college preparatory education rooted in Christian religious and spiritual values. LAB held its first commencement exercise on June 9, 1967.
Heritage Christian School
Due to the remarkable growth of Hillcrest Christian School, the search for a property suitable for a dedicated high school began. After 14 years, the South Campus property, previously known as Los Angeles Baptist High School, was acquired. The two schools merged starting from the 2012-2013 school year.
In 2012, the West Campus preschool was opened on the former Granada Hills Baptist School site. Since its establishment, the preschool has experienced continuous growth.