Original Research by School Decision on Success Academy Charter School - Springfield Gardens
Success Academy Charter School - Springfield Gardens is a single-school charter district serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Queens County. The school operates as part of the larger Success Academy network, which means its curriculum, budgets, and strategic direction are set at the network level rather than locally.
The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The school enrolls students across all grade bands from early childhood through middle school, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across grades, though the upper elementary grades lean slightly larger. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch was not available, nor was information on the enrollment of students with disabilities or English learners, making it difficult to assess the full scope of student needs the school serves.
Academic proficiency results by subject and grade were not available for this school, so direct performance comparisons within the county cannot be drawn from the provided data. The school does not yet have a graduation rate, as it does not serve high school grades. Among the metrics available, the school stands out for chronic absenteeism: its rate places it in the top quartile among Queens County's districts, meaning students attend more regularly than most peers across the county. Per-pupil spending sits in the lower range for the county, reflecting the school's budget allocation relative to other districts.
Two network-wide changes are reshaping what families should expect. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, Success Academy rolled out what it calls the "Education Moonshot," a complete reverse-engineered curriculum redesign spanning kindergarten through twelfth grade, built around college preparedness as an organizing principle. Since this curriculum is centrally designed and applies to all Success Academy schools, it directly determines what Springfield Gardens students learn and how. Simultaneously, the network announced a teacher salary increase, a step toward recruitment and retention that affects classroom stability.
For families considering this school, the regular attendance pattern is a concrete strength. The charter structure means curricular choices, pacing, and academic priorities flow from network decisions rather than local community input. The lack of available proficiency data makes it difficult to assess academic outcomes directly, so a parent may want to contact the school or the Success Academy network to understand recent test results and where students perform relative to district peers. Clarifying the school's approach to special education and English learner support, and enrollment rates for those populations, would also help families understand whether their child's specific needs align with what the school currently provides.
See more original research from School Decision →