Ascend Learning is a leading nonprofit charter management organization based in Brooklyn that creates scalable K-12 solutions to the underachievement of economically underserved children. Founded in 2008, Ascend Learning currently operates three high performing charter elementary schools and one middle school serving a total of 1,700 students. At maturity, each school will include a lower, middle and upper school. By 2014, Ascend expects to have launched ten K-12 schools and enrolled 3,000 students.
The mission of Ascend schools is to equip every student with the knowledge, confidence and character to succeed in college and beyond. Its students will, from the earliest grades, steadily build a strong foundation of learning habits, critical thinking skills and knowledge; excel academically in the middle and high schools; and graduate as confident young adults, prepared to succeed as college students, citizens and leaders in their chosen fields.
GothamSchools, the leading independent news source on the New York public schools, has cited Brooklyn Ascend Charter School one of the "Top 10 Scoring Charter Schools" in the city, based on 2012 test scores. Ascend's students posted significantly higher proficiency levels on the New York State tests in English Language Arts and math in 2012 than the community school districts in which the schools are located, than New York City, and the state as whole. The results are remarkable for their consistency: In every Ascend school, grade and subject, proficiency levels were higher than any of the three comparison groups.
Unlike other CMO-run schools, Ascend's schools do not rely on philanthropic support at either the school or the network levels, occupy privately leased space at market rates, and are fully self-sustaining. The Ascend school design, powered by the SABIS education system, the "no excuses" school culture of high academic expectations, and Ascend's ambitious humanities program, is designed to scale without limit.
