Brooklyn Ascend Charter School, Brooklyn NY

Original Research by School Decision on Brooklyn Ascend Charter School

Brooklyn Ascend Charter School is a K-12 charter school of moderate enrollment in central Brooklyn, serving a student body that is approximately nine-tenths Black, with a substantial share qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school sits in Rockaway Parkway in Canarsie, an area with emerging housing demand. This is a school operating under a charter network committed to a coherent instructional model.

The school's academic profile shows strength in some areas and softer performance in others. In mathematics, the picture is uneven by grade. Fourth graders show solid proficiency; third and eighth graders are in the solid range; seventh graders hold steady. Sixth and fifth graders show weaker results, with sixth-grade math proficiency notably below half. English language arts tends to run stronger. Fourth and eighth graders reach a higher proficiency band, while grades three through seven cluster in the mid-range. Science proficiency data are available only for grades five and eight; eighth grade science performs well, while fifth grade science is below half. No state testing data were available for high school grades, which is standard in New York because Regents exams and other assessments operate differently at that level.

Against the set of district-comparison schools in Kings County, Brooklyn Ascend's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile, meaning its mean proficiency across tested subjects and grades is above most peers. This is a meaningful strength. Graduation rate and chronic absenteeism data were not available for the school. A parent may want to look into attendance and senior-year completion outcomes directly with the school.

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, Ascend implemented a network-wide K-12 mathematics and literacy curriculum overhaul, including a Science of Reading approach to literacy that emphasizes phonics, comprehension, and vocabulary building. This was funded by a major philanthropic grant and supported by teacher training. For families considering the school, this signals a deliberate pedagogical direction and recent investment in instructional quality. The network's teaching philosophy also incorporates restorative practices and anti-racist education alongside structured academics.

The broader Brooklyn setting offers dense walkability, extensive transit, major cultural anchors such as Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Public Library, and a large and growing healthcare and higher-education sector. Housing values and rents in the area reflect Brooklyn's position as one of the city's fastest-growing neighborhoods for residential development. The school operates within a charter network and does not draw from a traditional district boundary; enrollment is open to families throughout Brooklyn who choose to apply.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

80-89%Cohort of 52 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

1,253 schools plotted. 14 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

New York Regents Exams

4 courses reported · 2024-25

End-of-course exams required for a New York Regents diploma. Each row shows the cohort size and the share of students scoring at the proficient level or higher.

Course	Students tested	% proficient
Science	99	34.0%
Social Studies	94	63.0%
Math	60	17.0%
Ela	55	40.0%

Math

Grade 374%

School 74% · district not reported

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 488%

School 88% · district not reported

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · district not reported

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · district not reported

▲ 5 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 769%

School 69% · district not reported

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 870%

School 70% · district not reported

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 361%

School 61% · district not reported

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 482%

School 82% · district not reported

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 574%

School 74% · district not reported

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 667%

School 67% · district not reported

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 765%

School 65% · district not reported

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 882%

School 82% · district not reported

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Science

Grade 553%

School 53% · district not reported

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 875%

School 75% · district not reported

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 50 pts above county median

This schoolDistrict average, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income60%Higher-income73%13 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income80%Higher-income92%11 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income76%Higher-income56%21 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income64%Higher-income91%27 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income66%Higher-income65%0 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income83%Higher-income70%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income71%Higher-income91%20 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income89%Higher-income83%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income64%Higher-income67%3 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income45%Higher-income82%37 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income69%Higher-income70%1 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income69%Higher-income80%11 pp gap