Charter schools are taxpayer-funded, but privately run. Free of interference from the city’s Department of Education, charters can set their own schedules and try novel classroom practices. Many have extra-long school days, required summer sessions, Saturday classes and added instruction in subjects like science or art.
About 40 charter highs operate in all five city boroughs. Competition for seats at top charter schools can be fierce. At University Prep Charter High School in The Bronx, for example, 659 students applied for just 125 seats in the 2016-17 freshman class.
Students must apply to each charter separately, either on paper on online, before April 1. Because they are independent, charters are excluded from the city DOE high-school application process.
Charter highs do not screen prospective students on the basis of grades, test scores, interviews or attendance.
“Admission is all lottery-based,” said Kayla Turner of the New York City Charter School Center, a support group. Each charter runs its own public lottery in early April to allocate its seats.
A few charter schools will accept transfer high school students — meant for older teens at risk of dropping out — or open applications only to kids in special situations. Some limit admission only to students who attended an affiliated middle-school. Generally, those schools grant automatic admission to their eighth graders. The lottery kicks in for any remaining seats, with siblings of current students and kids who live in the local community school district given priority.
“We do recommend that families make a school visit before applying, but policies vary based on the school,” Turner said. That means parents should do some advance legwork, contacting potential schools and keeping track of open houses and observation days.
New York charter schools are authorized by one of three agencies: the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, the state Education Department or the city DOE. The “charter,” or contract for each school, is a public document that spells out its operations and goals. Charters that don’t live up to their promises can be shut down. Below, we highlight one of the best. The list shows all the other charters taking applications for the next school year (2017-18).
University Prep Charter High School
600 St. Ann’s Ave., Bronx
Admission: Lottery; priority to District 7
Enrollment: 376
Graduation rate: 96.5%
College ready: 30.2%
College enrollment: 90.5%
% taking SAT: 97.7
Average total SAT score: 1296
# taking AP tests: 16
AP pass rate: 93.8%
With just 100 pupils per grade, South Bronx students get plenty of personal attention, which pays off in a 97 percent graduation rate — even though most ninth-graders arrive with reading and math skills well below grade level, says Principal Andrea D’Amato.
A strategy of intense academic focus starts before the school year begins by enrolling new freshmen in a one-month summer program in remedial math and English. Once school kicks off, kids double up on daily STEM and ELA instruction, taking classes in problem-solving and composition in addition to state-mandated math and literacy work. Students who need extra help take Saturday Academy classes.
A guidance program pairs one counselor with each incoming class to assist students through all four years of high school.
A dedicated college counselor helped the Class of 2016 achieve a 100 percent college acceptance rate and win $4.4 million in scholarships. The school keeps extended hours to host clubs like photography and drama as well as six team sports.
The following charter high schools will accept applications for ninth grade in the 2017-18 school year:
Bronx:
Bronx Lighthouse College Prep Academy
1001 Intervale Ave.
Hyde Leadership Charter High School Bronx
830 Hunts Point Ave.
International Leadership Charter School
3030 Riverdale Ave.
KIPP NYC College Preparatory High School
201 East 144th St.
New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math & Science
99 Terrace View Ave.
New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math & Science II
900 Tinton Ave.
New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities
99 Terrace View Ave.
New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities II
455 Southern Blvd.
New York City Charter High School for Architecture, Engineering and Construction Industries
838 Brook Ave.
The Charter High School for Law and Social Justice
1960 University Ave.
The Equality Charter High School
2141 Seward Ave.
University Prep Charter High School
600 St. Ann’s Ave.
Brooklyn:
Coney Island Preparatory Public Charter High School
294 Avenue T
Math, Engineering, and Science Academy Charter High School (MESA)
231 Palmetto St.
New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities III
3000 Avenue X
Northside Charter High School
424 Leonard St.
UFT Charter School Secondary Academy
800 Van Siclen Ave.
Williamsburg Charter High School
198 Varet St.
Achievement First Brooklyn High School
301 Vermont Street
Achievement First University Prep High School
35 Starr St., Brooklyn
Brooklyn Ascend High
1501 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn
Manhattan:
Broome Street Academy Charter High School
121 Avenue of the Americas
Democracy Prep Charter High School
222 West 134th St.
Democracy Prep Harlem High School
212 West 120th St.
Harlem Village Academy Charter High School
35 West 124th St.
Inwood Academy for Leadership Charter School
108 Cooper St.
Renaissance Charter High School for Innovation
410 E. 100th St.
Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts
111 East 33rd St.
Queens:
New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math and Science IV
156-10 Baisley Blvd.
Renaissance Charter School
35-59 81st St.
Staten Island:
John W. Lavelle Preparatory Charter School
1 Teleport Dr.