Uncommon Schools
Uncommon Schools (Uncommon) is a non-profit charter public school managed and operated in the United States that starts and manages urban schools for low-income students. Uncommon Schools starts and manages 42 high-performing urban charter public schools that close the achievement gap and prepare low-income students to enter, succeed in, and graduate from college. Uncommon Schools are in six regions: Boston MA, Camden NJ, Newark NJ, New York City, Rochester NY, and Troy NY. Uncommon plans to manage 45 schools, serving nearly 16,000 K through 12th grade students by 2017.[1]
History
The organization first supported the creation of North Star Academy Charter School of Newark, which opened in 1997. North Star was co-founded by Norman Atkins and Jamie Verilli. In 2005, Uncommon formalized its mission as a charter management organization with the goal of starting and managing schools that create college prep opportunities for low-income children.[1] In 2009, the founders of Uncommon, along with those of Achievement First and KIPP created Teacher U at Hunter College. This program was expanded into the Relay Graduate School of Education, an independent graduate school for teachers in these charter management networks to earn degrees.[2]
Schools
Uncommon manages school networks in six regions:
Boston, MA[3]
- Roxbury Prep Mission Hill Campus
- Roxbury Prep Lucy Stone Campus
- Roxbury Prep Dorchester Campus
Camden, NJ
- Camden Prep Elementary School
New York City, NY[4]
- Bedford Stuyvesant Collegiate
- Brooklyn East Collegiate
- Brownsville Collegiate
- Excellence Boys Elementary / Middle Academy
- Excellence Girls Elementary / Middle Academy
- Kings Collegiate
- Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant Elementary Academy / Middle Academy
- Leadership Prep Brownsville Elementary Academy / Middle Academy
- Leadership Prep Canarsie Elementary Academy / Middle Academy
- Leadership Prep Ocean Hill Elementary Academy / Middle Academy
- Ocean Hill Collegiate Charter School
- Uncommon Charter High School
- Uncommon Collegiate Charter High School
- Uncommon Preparatory Charter High School
- Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School
Newark, NJ[5]
- North Star Academy Fairmount Elementary School
- North Star Academy Vailsburg Elementary School
- North Star Academy West Side Park Elementary School
- North Star Academy Liberty Elementary School
- North Star Academy Clinton Hill Middle School
- North Star Academy Downtown Middle School
- North Star Academy Vailsburg Middle School
- North Star Academy West Side Park Middle School
- North Star Academy College Preparatory High School
- North Star Academy Alexander Elementary School
Rochester, NY [6]
- Rochester Prep Elementary School
- Rochester Prep Middle School – Brooks Campus
- Rochester Prep Middle School – West Campus
- Rochester Prep High School
Troy, NY [7]
- Troy Prep Elementary School
- Troy Prep Middle School
Results
In New York City, Uncommon Schools have performed well on recent standardized tests. Kings Collegiate Middle School received a B rating on their 2011-2012 NYC DOE Progress Report, and Brownsville Collegiate Charter received an A overall rating.[8] At Williamsburg Collegiate, 100% of fifth graders passed the 2009 state Math exam.[9]
On September 9, 2010, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recognized Uncommon Schools’ North Star Academy as a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School. The highest award bestowed by the Department, it honors 304 public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that demonstrate the highest student achievement in their respective states and/or have closed the achievement gap.[10]
In Massachusetts, Roxbury Prep students achieved a 93% proficiency rate on the 2011 8th grade ELA MCAS exam.[11]
At Troy Prep, 100% of seventh graders passed the 2011-2012 state exam, and 38% of fifth graders passed the ELA exam, which was slightly better than the district average. Seventh grade ELA scores were significantly better at 56% passing (compared to 37% in the district).[12]
Awards
Uncommon Schools won the 2013 Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools and received $250,000 to support college-readiness efforts for their students.[13]
References
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