Success Academy’s 9,280 scholars in grades 3-7 continue to defy expectations on New York State exams, achieving pass rates of 92.5% in ELA.
This is up 10.5 points from last year, and 96.2% in Math, a 1.2-point increase. In stark contrast, only 56.3% of students in New York City district schools passed ELA, and 56.9% passed Math. The majority of Success Academy scholars are Black and Hispanic, and 74% come from economically disadvantaged households.
More than half of all scholars earned the highest designation, Level 4, in both subjects. Two schools, SA Lafayette MS and SA Bronx 5 MS, reached 100% passing rates in both ELA and Math. Seven additional schools recorded perfect Math pass rates, including SA Prospect Heights ES, SA Crown Heights ES, SA Bushwick ES, SA Bed-Stuy ES, SA Bronx 4 ES, SA Bronx 5 ES, and SA Ditmas Park MS.
While achievement gaps remain in the city’s district schools, Success Academy’s Black and Hispanic students have dramatically narrowed the disparity. In Math, the gap between White (98.3%) and Black (95.5%) SA students is just 2.8 points, compared to a 37.8-point gap in district schools. In ELA, SA’s gap is 6.6 points versus 31.4 points citywide.
Eva Moskowitz, founder and CEO of Success Academy, said, “We believe, and have proven, that when children have access to excellent schools, they achieve excellence. It is an absolute tragedy that so many are prevented from accessing the kind of school that would allow them to fulfill their potential.”
Since its founding in 2006, Success Academy has built the highest-performing public school district in New York State, enrolling 22,000 students in 59 elementary, middle, and high schools. The majority of scholars are from low-income households, admitted through a random public lottery. The school’s 13-year K-12 approach has produced results that surpass even affluent suburban districts.
To date, 100% of Success Academy graduates have been accepted to college, many as the first in their families to pursue higher education. The network shares its curriculum and teaching methods nationwide, aiming to scale excellence and reignite public education’s civic mission. Success Academy continues to demonstrate that all children, regardless of background, can thrive academically and beyond…