named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
After-School Programs
Provides enrichment opportunities including sports, arts, and academic support for middle school students across Ascend campuses.
Ascend Middle Schools
Provides a rigorous academic program for middle school students with a focus on math, science, literacy, and character development, including credit-bearing high school courses by eighth grade.
Brooklyn Ascend High School
Offers a college-preparatory curriculum with extracurricular activities in theater, visual arts, and athletics, designed to prepare students for postsecondary success.
Family Partnership Program
Engages families through regular communication, events, and advisory structures to support student progress and build community involvement.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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College Preparatory Secondary Education 1 activity
- Deliver college preparatory academic curriculumProvides a rigorous academic program including high school credit-bearing courses such as Living Environment for eighth-grade students, phonics-based literacy instruction, problem-solving in mathematics, and hands-on science investigations, resulting in higher-than-average proficiency on state assessments and significant year-over-year gains in ELA, math, and science.
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Transparent Governance Meetings 1 activity
- Ensure governance transparency and complianceHolds public meetings for the Board of Trustees and its committees in compliance with New York State Open Meetings Law to ensure transparent and accountable governance.
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Family-School Engagement Programs 1 activity
- Facilitate family and community engagementProvides regular opportunities for family engagement through events, celebrations, shared milestones, structured meetings with teachers and school leaders, and public events such as student performances and field trips.
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Structured Student Enrollment Process 1 activity
- Manage student enrollment processOperates an ongoing enrollment process for students with a stated deadline of August 3 to ensure equitable access to its schools.
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Charter School Operations 1 activity
- Operate public charter schools for K-12 studentsOperates 17 public charter schools serving over 5,000 students in Brooklyn, providing comprehensive education programs from kindergarten through high school with a focus on college preparation and long-term success.
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Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Provide extracurricular and enrichment programsOffers a dynamic range of extracurricular activities including sports (basketball, soccer, track, flag football), performing arts (theater, dance, music & step), academic clubs (chess), and special programs such as capoeira, art, and theater productions, including after-school programs across middle schools.
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Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs 1 activity
- Support student academic and personal development through structured routines and community-buildingImplements structured daily schedules, consistent classroom expectations, and predictable routines across all schools, including daily Morning Meetings in elementary schools and Advisory periods in middle and high schools to foster community, academic support, and personal growth.
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College Access and Success Support 1 activity
- Support student college access and successSecures college acceptances for 100% of high school graduates, with 98% accepted to four-year colleges and students earning over $1.4 million in grants and scholarships; 81% of graduates attend colleges that meet their full financial need.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$137.64M
Contributions & grants$9.22M7%
Program service revenue$127.00M92%
Investment income$1.27M1%
Other revenue$150K
expenses
Total expenses$138.88M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$57.66M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$542.63M
Cash$44.93M
Investments$0
Liabilities$520.58M
Net assets$22.05M
Liquid reserves3.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -1.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEYDE ST LEGER | PRINCIPAL | 40 | $222K |
| LATASHA WILLIAMS | PRINCIPAL | 40 | $206K |
| CHRISTOPHER ZILINSKI | PRINCIPAL | 40 | $202K |
| HANNAH CHAPMAN | PRINCIPAL | 40 | $195K |
| INAN BARRETT | PRINCIPAL | 40 | $167K |
board members · 11
- ANTHONY ROSE — TREASURER
- COURTENAYE JACKSON-CHASE — TRUSTEE
- EMMANUEL FORDJOUR — CO-CHAIR
- GABY RAMOS-SOLOMON — CO-CHAIR
- GAMAL WALKER — TRUSTEE
- JACKIE WILSON — TRUSTEE
- JANAI JETER — SECRETARY
- JAY BHINDE — TRUSTEE
- SANDY KAPELL — TRUSTEE
- TAIESHA SEALES — TRUSTEE
- VIN MARCHESE — TRUSTEE
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Ascend Charter Schools Network — Ascend Middle Schools are part of the Ascend Charter Schools network in Brooklyn, New York.
- Ascend Charter Schools Network — Network of 17 public charter schools in Brooklyn operating under the Ascend Charter Schools umbrella.
- Ascend Learning Network — Shares leadership and branding with Ascend Learning, indicating a network or system relationship.
- Brooklyn Network — Operates 17 public charter schools within Brooklyn
- Brownsville Partner — Ascend operates a school in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn.
- Bushwick Partner — Ascend operates a school in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn.
- Canarsie Partner — Ascend operates a school in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn.
- College Board Partner — Partner organization that recognized Brooklyn Ascend High School with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award.
- Cypress Hills Partner — Ascend operates a school in the Cypress Hills neighborhood of Brooklyn.
- East Brooklyn Partner — Ascend operates a school in the East Brooklyn neighborhood.
- East Flatbush Partner — Ascend operates a school in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.
- Flatbush Partner — Ascend operates a school in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn.
- NBC Partner — Covered Ascend's East Flatbush Elementary School in a media feature.
- NBC New York Partner — Featured Ascend Charter Schools on its program New York Live.
- Success for All Partner — Implements the Success for All literacy program in kindergarten classrooms.
- Tenement Museum Partner — Collaborates with Ascend to provide Spanish-language tours focused on immigration stories for middle school students.
strategies · 5
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.
- Anti-Racist Framework for Educational Equitymethodology: anti-racist_educationBy centering justice through an anti-racist educational framework, we produce equitable outcomes because systemic inequities are actively disrupted through curriculum, culture, and accountability.
- Continuous K–12 Support with Deep Relationshipsmethodology: student-teacher_relationship_continuityBy maintaining strong teacher-student relationships across K–12, we ensure continuous academic and personal support because longitudinal connections increase accountability, trust, and student resilience.
- Experiential and Inquiry-Based Learning Modelmethodology: inquiry_based_learningBy engaging students in active inquiry and real-world experiences, we deepen academic motivation and understanding because learning is most effective when it is connected, participatory, and driven by curiosity.
- Integrated Character and Academic Developmentmethodology: holistic-educationBy combining rigorous academics with confidence and character development, we produce well-rounded graduates prepared for long-term success because intellectual growth is most sustainable when paired with personal and ethical development.
- Student Agency Through Structured Independence and High Expectationsmethodology: structured_independenceBy combining clear routines, high expectations, and strong relationships, we foster student agency and confidence because structured independence enables risk-taking, ownership, and long-term growth.