The top reported proficiency rate is 45% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Team Academy Charter School
TEAM Academy Charter School is a KIPP network charter school serving Newark, New Jersey, with a grade span from kindergarten through twelfth grade. As a charter school, it operates independently of traditional district boundaries and is available to Newark families through a choice process. The school received a five-year charter renewal from the New Jersey Department of Education that runs through 2027, a development that provides stability for families who select this option.
The school serves a large student body. The majority of students are Black, with a much smaller share identifying as Hispanic. A modest number of students identify as two or more races, and the school serves a very small number of White, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native students. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch was not available, nor were figures for students receiving special education services or English learner support.
On state assessments, TEAM Academy’s results show a pattern that warrants a close look. In English language arts, proficiency rates across grades three through eight range from a little over a third in third grade to about half in seventh grade, with most grades hovering in the mid-forties. In math, the rates are lower, ranging from under a quarter in sixth grade to about forty-five percent in fourth grade, with most grades in the high twenties to low thirties. Science proficiency is substantially lower for the two tested grades, a point a parent may want to ask the school about directly. When compared against other districts in Essex County, TEAM Academy’s overall proficiency across subjects and grades falls below the midpoint of the county’s districts.
The school’s chronic absenteeism rate sits in the bottom quarter among Essex County districts, meaning a higher share of students miss substantial school time here than at many neighboring districts. Per-pupil spending is in the middle range, on the lower side of the middle half among county districts. A graduation rate for the school was not available in the data provided, though publicly reported sources cited in research indicate the rate has increased over a multiyear period, a positive trend for families considering the high school.
Because TEAM Academy is a single-school charter district, the locale context for the city of Newark is interwoven with the school itself. Newark is New Jersey’s largest city and has a dense, urban character. Families choosing TEAM Academy are choosing a KIPP network school that runs from early elementary grades through high school, with a student body that is predominantly Black and Hispanic, set in a large urban school ecosystem. The school’s academic results on state tests are mixed, with ELA outcomes closer to the middle range and math and science results that are clearly softer. A parent considering this school should ask about the school’s specific strategies for math and science instruction and for addressing chronic absence. The charter renewal through 2027 offers some assurance about operational continuity.
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