Success Academy

Success Academy
Name	Success Academy
Type	Charter school network
Established	2006
Founder	Eva Moskowitz
Headquarters	New York City, New York
Grades	K–12
Students	20,000+ (approx.)

Success Academy is an American charter school network founded in 2006 in New York City by educator Eva Moskowitz. The network operates multiple K–12 campuses across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island, and has become a prominent actor in debates involving Charter school movement, Bill de Blasio, Michelle Rhee, Randi Weingarten, and education reform efforts linked to figures like Arne Duncan and Betsy DeVos. Success Academy schools are noted for high standardized test scores on assessments linked to the New York State Regents Examination, the Common Core State Standards Initiative, and participation in discussions involving KIPP, Uncommon Schools, and the Harlem Children's Zone.

History

Success Academy was launched amid debates following the 2000s expansion of the Charter Schools Act (New York), with early growth during the Michael Bloomberg administration and support intersecting with philanthropy from organizations such as the Walton Family Foundation and backers associated with Eli Broad and Arthur Rock. The network expanded rapidly during the administrations of Bill de Blasio and through negotiations with the New York City Department of Education and authorizers including the State University of New York and the New York State Education Department. Its history includes high-profile clashes with the United Federation of Teachers, litigation involving the New York Civil Liberties Union, and public scrutiny during mayoral elections that featured candidates like Bill de Blasio and Betsy Gotbaum.

Organization and Governance

Success Academy operates as a nonprofit charter management organization with a centralized governance model overseen by a board of directors that has included figures drawn from Wall Street, philanthropy, and education policy, with administrative offices in Manhattan. Governance has intersected with regulatory oversight from the New York State Board of Regents and operational accountability to authorizers such as the State University of New York, as well as interactions with unions like the United Federation of Teachers and policy organizations including the Brookings Institution and the American Enterprise Institute. The network’s leadership has been compared with other charter management organizations such as KIPP Foundation and Uncommon Schools in debates before committees chaired by figures like Maxine Waters and hearings involving Congressional interest in charter policy.

Academic Programs and Curriculum

The network’s curriculum emphasizes literacy, mathematics, and a classical approach to humanities influenced by standards such as the Common Core State Standards Initiative and assessment practices tied to the New York State Regents Examination framework and federally influenced measures under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Programs include intensive phonics-driven reading instruction, mathematics sequences resembling approaches promoted by advocates like Jo Boaler and materials sometimes compared to publishers such as EngageNY and Saxon Math. Enrichment includes orchestral music, visual arts, and science curricula often aligned with exhibits at institutions like the American Museum of Natural History and partnerships with cultural organizations such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Lincoln Center.

Admissions and Enrollment

Admissions follow lotteries administered under policies echoing those used by other charter school networks and municipal lotteries overseen by the New York City Department of Education and subject to oversight from the New York State Education Department. The network serves a demographically diverse student body drawn from neighborhoods across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, and its enrollment practices have been examined in reports by the New York Civil Liberties Union, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, and advocacy groups such as Advocates for Children of New York.

Student Outcomes and Performance

Students at Success Academy campuses have posted high pass rates on the New York State Assessments and New York State Regents Examination compared with city averages, generating analyses by researchers at institutions including Columbia University Teachers College, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and think tanks such as the Manhattan Institute. Outcome data have been cited in policy debates alongside comparative results from networks like KIPP and Uncommon Schools and studies using methods from economists affiliated with Harvard University, Stanford University, and the National Bureau of Economic Research. Graduation rates and college matriculation statistics have been focal points for supporters including philanthropic organizations and critics including the United Federation of Teachers.

Criticisms and Controversies

The network has faced controversies over discipline policies that drew attention from the New York Civil Liberties Union and coverage in outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The New Yorker. Critics, including labor leaders like Randi Weingarten and education scholars at Teachers College, Columbia University, have raised concerns about special education identification, disciplinary practices, staff turnover, and interactions with families, leading to investigations and reports involving the New York State Education Department and debates in forums featuring figures like Michelle Rhee and Diane Ravitch. Legal challenges and public disputes have also engaged entities such as the New York City Council and advocacy organizations like Communities United for Police Reform when disciplinary incidents intersected with policing policies.

Notable Campuses and Expansion

Success Academy’s flagship campuses in Upper West Side, Harlem, and Fort Greene became focal points for expansion into neighborhoods including Battery Park City, Crown Heights, and East Harlem. Expansion efforts involved negotiations over space with the New York City Department of Education and private landlords, and sometimes triggered community meetings with local elected officials from bodies such as the New York City Council and interactions with charter authorizers including the State University of New York. The network’s growth model has been compared with national charter expansion strategies observed in organizations like Green Dot Public Schools and Uncommon Schools.

Category:Charter schools in New York City Category:Educational organizations established in 2006