Original Research by School Decision on Achievement First Apollo Charter School
Achievement First Apollo is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Brooklyn, operating as a district-level entity authorized to continue through the 2029-30 school year following a recent charter renewal by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute. The school is physically divided into two locations within Community School District 19 in East New York: an elementary campus serving kindergarten through fourth grade and a middle school campus serving grades five through eight, each with its own building.
The enrollment is drawn substantially from the neighborhoods immediately surrounding these campuses. The student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic, with each group making up roughly half the population combined. The school also enrolls smaller numbers of Asian students and students of other backgrounds. The specific enrollment figures by grade show consistent numbers across elementary grades and growth in the middle grades, where the eighth-grade cohort is notably larger than the youngest grades.
Data on the proportion of students from low-income households and those receiving special education or English learner services was not available, so a parent seeking to understand the school's approach to these student populations would benefit from asking the school directly. Similarly, state testing proficiency data and information about specific academic programs, curriculum pathways, or co-curricular offerings were not included in the materials reviewed.
What is known about the academic direction comes from the network level. Achievement First, the charter organization that operates Apollo, underwent a strategic reset in spring 2024, revising its vision, mission, and key design elements across all its schools. As part of that process, the organization defined a set of skills and abilities that students should demonstrate upon graduation, which will guide instructional planning forward. The school uses the network's curriculum and assessment materials and receives academic, operational, and facilities support from Achievement First's central office.
On the metric of chronic absenteeism, Apollo sits above the median among the county's districts, meaning absenteeism is slightly less of a challenge here than at the typical Kings County district. Per-pupil current spending is in the lower range compared to other districts in the county, a characteristic common to charter schools operating with different funding structures than traditional public districts.
The school's stability as an institution is a practical consideration for families considering enrollment. Charter schools operate under renewable authorizations; Apollo's recent renewal secures its operation for families entering now and provides multi-year certainty. For families in East New York seeking an alternative to the assigned district school, this charter offers a K-8 pathway in their neighborhood. For those wanting more detail about curriculum, academic expectations, support services, or diversity of course offerings in the upper middle grades, direct conversation with the school would fill gaps the available data does not address.
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