named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Career Connected Learning
Program connecting students to internships, workplace tours, and residential college programs, with post-graduation alumni support
Experiential Learning
Intersession programs, educational trips, and over 25 extracurricular clubs and sports for skill development and leadership
Families As Partners
Family engagement initiative with regular communication, workshops, and access to student data to support academic success
Rigorous Academics
College preparatory curriculum with mastery-based grading, offering CLEP, AP, and College Now programs to earn college credit
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Charter School Operations 2 activities
- Expand campus operationsOpened a new campus, MESA: South Brooklyn, on August 18, 2025, with a founding class of 125 ninth-grade students.
- Operate a free public charter high schoolProvides a four-year secondary education program through multiple campuses in Brooklyn, New York, including Bushwick, South Brooklyn, and Cypress Hills/East New York, serving grades 9–12 with a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio and a standards-based grading system.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Deliver experiential learning opportunitiesOrganizes hands-on educational excursions and research projects, such as student participation in paleoclimatology research at Schoharie Caverns with Boston College and environmental science activities with the Billion Oyster Project on Governors Island.
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Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
- Provide post-secondary career supportOffers ongoing career readiness programming for students and alumni, including mock interviews with partners such as Morgan Stanley and Lunch & Learn sessions with professionals from creative industries.
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Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Provide professional development for staffOffers a comprehensive professional development calendar focused on instructional practices, school culture, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, and supports external PD opportunities for educators.
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Universal In-School Meal Service 1 activity
- Provide school mealsOffers free breakfast to students during the school day as part of its student support services.
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Individualized Academic Support 1 activity
- Provide student advisory and academic supportImplements a four-year advisory model that pairs each freshman with a teacher-advisor for continuous academic and personal guidance, alongside dedicated co-teaching and team planning time to reduce administrative burdens and enhance instruction.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Support staff retention and longevityOperates a Legacy Staff program that provides salary increases, retention bonuses, paid sabbaticals, and enhanced retirement contributions for employees with five or more years of service, contributing to an 80% overall staff retention rate.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$10K
Contributions & grants$10K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$823K
Program expenses54%
Admin / overhead46%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$2.09M
Cash$10K
Investments$0
Liabilities$3.00M
Net assets$-908K
Liquid reserves0.1 mo
1 years on record · 2024–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAGEE CHEUNG | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 4 | $279K |
| ARTHUR SAMUELS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 14 | $278K |
board members · 14
- ADELE DOYLE — TRUSTEE
- AGATHA PATTERSON — TREASURER
- ANGEL CORTES — TRUSTEE
- ARUN YANG — CHAIR
- CHET MANCINI — TRUSTEE (THRU 08/2024)
- CHRISTIAN MONTOYA — TRUSTEE
- CLAUDIA GRANADOS — TRUSTEE (THRU 08/2024)
- JACQUES PIERRE — VICE CHAIR
- JENNIFER STEWART — TRUSTEE (THRU 08/2024)
- KYM WARD GAFFNEY — TRUSTEE (THRU 08/2024)
- MALIK THOMPSON — TRUSTEE (THRU 08/2024)
- MAUREEN RYAN — TRUSTEE
- MELISSA SEXTON — SECRETARY
- STEVE SEVERIN — TRUSTEE
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- Arthur Samuels Partner — Co-Executive Director responsible for receiving job applications and leading hiring.
- Billion Oyster Project Partner — Collaborated on an educational excursion to Governors Island for student science programming.
- Boston College Partner — Partnered with researcher Jeremy Shakun to lead student hands-on paleoclimatology research at Schoharie Caverns.
- Chalkbeat Partner — Covered MESA Charter High School in a feature on CLEP exams.
- Crain's New York Business Partner — Published an op-ed on the value of college-level courses in high school.
- Fordham Institute Partner — Published commentary on funding high schools for post-secondary support.
- Morgan Stanley Partner — Hosted mock interviews with MESA alumni through its volunteer month programming.
- NY1 Partner — Featured MESA Charter High School's career connection programs.
- New York Post Partner — Reported on the post-graduation successes of MESA students.
- New York State Government — Aligns cell phone policy with New York State's "bell-to-bell" phone-free directive.
- ParentSquare Partner — Partner organization used to connect with families and support communication.
- The74 Partner — Published a principal's perspective on student support beyond high school.
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.
- Career-Connected Learning for Career Readinessmethodology: career_connected_learningBy linking students to internships, workplace tours, and college programs, we prepare them for sustainable careers, because early exposure to professional environments builds motivation, skills, and networks that increase post-secondary success.
- Delayed School Start Times for Improved Student Outcomesmethodology: delayed_start_schedulingBy starting the school day later, we improve student health and academic performance, because adolescent sleep patterns align better with later start times, leading to increased alertness, focus, and emotional regulation.
- Experiential Learning to Develop Real-World Skillsmethodology: experiential_learningBy integrating hands-on experiences through clubs, trips, and intersessions, we develop student leadership and practical skills, because experiential engagement fosters deeper learning and personal growth than classroom instruction alone.
- Long-Term Student-Teacher Advisories for Holistic Developmentmethodology: long_term_advisoryBy assigning students to the same advisor over multiple years, we build trusting relationships that support academic and personal growth, because sustained mentorship increases student accountability, belonging, and self-awareness.
- Mastery-Based Learning for Deep Understandingmethodology: mastery_based_learningBy requiring students to achieve mastery before progressing, we ensure deep conceptual understanding and long-term retention, because students build knowledge on a solid foundation rather than advancing by time-based increments.