named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Friday Field Learning
Experiential learning program connecting classroom content to real-world contexts through weekly off-site activities
High School Placement Program
Guidance and support initiative helping students gain admission to top-choice public, private, parochial, and specialized high schools
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Independent and Charter K-12 Schools 2 activities
- Operating a private middle school with rigorous, experiential learning for grades 6–8Operates as a private middle school serving grades 6 through 8 with a focus on rigorous and experiential learning, providing a comprehensive education that prepares students for high school and beyond.
- Tracking educational outcomes and predictors of college successConducts internal research identifying 8th grade GPA as the primary predictor of college admission and finds that 80% of 8th grade students lack foundational skills needed to succeed in high school and beyond.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Conducting monthly off-campus field learning experiences in NYCConducts monthly off-campus field learning experiences at cultural and historical sites across New York City to enhance classroom learning through direct engagement with the city’s resources.
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Safe and Inclusive School Environment 1 activity
- Ensuring non-discriminatory admissions and school policiesAdmits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, religion, disability, source of income, homelessness, sex, gender identity, or gender expression to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities, and does not discriminate in the administration of educational, admissions, scholarship, loan, athletic, or other school-administered programs.
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Sliding-Scale Tuition Programs 1 activity
- Implementing a sliding-scale tuition model to promote equitable accessImplements a sliding-scale tuition model based on a comprehensive assessment of family ability to pay—not just income—to increase access to private middle school education, eliminate distinctions between financial aid recipients and non-recipients, and address school segregation in New York City. Tuition ranges from $0 to $49,000 for the 2026–2027 school year.
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Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Offering a broad range of elective and enrichment coursesOffers over 20 elective courses including Rock Band, Theater, Photography, Coding, Art, Creative Writing, Musical Performance, and Chorus, as well as afterschool programs in Voxel, Sewing, Animation, and Ceramics to support student engagement and creative development.
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Comprehensive K–8 Academic Curriculum 1 activity
- Providing core academic instruction in humanities, math, science, and world languagesProvides humanities instruction using Socratic Seminar and end-of-unit collaborative projects; offers an exploratory math curriculum designed to prepare students for Algebra by 8th grade; operates a science lab program centered on independent research and inquiry-based learning; and provides language instruction in Spanish, American Sign Language, and French.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.97M
Contributions & grants$1.66M42%
Program service revenue$2.16M54%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$145K
expenses
Total expenses$3.38M
Program expenses76%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$2.04M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.66M
Cash$414K
Investments$0
Liabilities$4.60M
Net assets$59K
Liquid reserves1.5 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +44.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GABRIELA TEJEDOR | CO-FOUNDER & CO-HEAD OF SC | 1 | $172K |
| KELSEY JONES | CO-FOUNDER & CO-HEAD OF SC | 1 | $160K |
| MEGHANN FALLON | PRINCIPAL | 1 | $154K |
| KEVIN GRIJALVA | TEACHER | 1 | $135K |
| JOEL TRACY | TEACHER | 1 | $113K |
board members · 14
- ANDREA CABLAYAN — TRUSTEE (BEGAN 6/13/25)
- CHLOE TAYLOR — TRUSTEE
- HANNAH PETERS-SIEGFRIED — TRUSTEE (BEGAN 6/13/25)
- JEVON ROUSH — VICE CHAIR
- LIFAN SHEN — TREASURER
- MICHAEL HAN — TRUSTEE
- NICHOLAS MERCHANT-BLEIBERG — TRUSTEE
- NIKKI CALLISTE — TRUSTEE
- PEACHY MYERS — TRUSTEE (BEGAN 6/13/25)
- ROODIA JOSEPH — TRUSTEE
- SAMRA HAIDER — TRUSTEE (TERM ENDED)
- TANYA FRIEDMAN — BOARD CHAIR
- TERRI DAVIS-MERCHANT — TRUSTEE (BEGAN 6/13/25)
- YASMINE ANTHONY — TRUSTEE
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Berkeley Carroll Partner — One of the private schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Bishop Loughlin Partner — One of the parochial schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Brooklyn Tech Partner — One of the specialized high schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Christ the King Partner — One of the parochial schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Civil Rights Project Partner — References the Civil Rights Project's report on New York State's school segregation.
- Feeding America Network — Member of national food bank network
- Friends Seminary Partner — One of the private schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Grace Church Partner — One of the private schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- LaGuardia Partner — One of the specialized high schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility Partner — Partnership to support teaching social responsibility and restorative justice practices.
- NYC iSchool Partner — One of the high schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- Packer Partner — One of the private schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- St. John's Prep Partner — One of the parochial schools to which BKI students have been accepted
- The Century Foundation Partner — Cites research from The Century Foundation on the benefits of socioeconomically and racially integrated schools.
- Uncommon Charter Middle School Partner — Former professional affiliation of co-founders Kelsey Jones and Gabriela Tejedor, where they served as teachers and leaders.
- Vimeo Partner — Hosts recorded information sessions for public access.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Equity-Centered Access and Inclusion Modelmethodology: equity-centered_admissions_and_tuitionBy using sliding-scale tuition and non-discriminatory admissions, we disrupt patterns of educational segregation and create socioeconomically diverse, inclusive classrooms—because equitable access during middle school fosters integration, reduces stigma, and enables all students to thrive in a representative learning environment.
- Progressive, Student-Centered Learning Modelmethodology: progressive_educationBy combining academic rigor with experiential, project-based, and collaborative learning, we foster student engagement, curiosity, and holistic development—because integrating cognitive, emotional, and real-world dimensions during adolescence produces deeper learning and long-term success.
- Restorative and Family-Engaged Community Practicemethodology: restorative_justice_in_educationBy embedding restorative justice circles and engaging families as active partners, we strengthen student identity, agency, and civic understanding—because consistent, reflective community practices build trust, deepen belonging, and sustain inclusive school culture.