New York charter school Success Academy outperformed public schools in math rankings statewide, according to the New York State Education Department’s newly released test score data for grades 3–8.
Success Academy announced it ranked number one in the state in math, with 96% of students passing. The K-12 charter network also ranked number two in English Language Arts with a 92% pass rate — trailing only a point behind Scarsdale Union Free School District.
Eva Moskowitz, founder and CEO of Success Academy, told Fox News Digital that although it is part of a network of charter schools, they consider themselves a “school district” because they serve more than 22,000 students and provide district-level services.
“We looked at the results of all of our schools, and we said, ‘Okay, there are a bunch of other districts. How are we doing in comparison to those districts?’” Moskowitz said.
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The New York State Education Department released test scores of students in grades 3–8 at K-12 school districts and charter schools statewide.
Success Academy’s achievement comes amid a nationwide decline in math and reading proficiency. According to the National Assessment of Education Progress exam, 39% of fourth-grade students performed at or above in 2024. The report also showed 28% of 8th graders were proficient or above in math.
Founded in 2006, Success Academy is the fourth-largest school district in the Empire State. The charter school network serves over 22,000 predominantly low-income Black and Hispanic students. It celebrated its academic success over the state’s wealthiest school districts, including Scarsdale Union Free School District — which reports no economically disadvantaged students, where about 10% of students are Black and Hispanic.
Moskowitz said in a press release, “It’s time we stop accepting excuses, exacerbating inequity, and denying parents access to quality education.”
“Success Academy set out to reverse the achievement gap, and we are doing it — consistently, holistically, and at scale. But excellence shouldn’t be the exception; it should be the expectation,” Moskowitz said.
The New York State Education Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Moskowitz’s comments follow her previous interview with Fox News Digital two years ago, when she said her charter schools were in an ongoing battle with teachers unions.
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Success Academy faced challenges in expanding its institution as they applied for co-locations due to opposition from the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). The union filed a lawsuit against the charter network citing the state’s class-size cap, in an effort to block co-locations of two Success Academy charter schools inside public school buildings in Queens and Brooklyn.
Success Academy teachers are not represented by the UFT.
Charter schools often face criticism from teachers unions because they compete with public schools for per-pupil funding, as parents are allowed to opt out of their neighborhood public schools.
