Success Academy Charter School - Washington Heights, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Success Academy Charter School - Washington Heights

Success Academy Charter School - Washington Heights is a kindergarten through sixth grade charter school located on Fort Washington Avenue in Upper Manhattan, serving a student population that is substantially composed of Hispanic and Black students, with a large majority qualifying for free or reduced price lunch. The school's enrollment spans all elementary and early middle grades, with higher concentrations in the upper elementary years.

In mathematics, the school's proficiency results across tested grades are notably strong. Third grade shows solid performance, and results climb through fourth and fifth grades, with fifth graders reaching very high proficiency levels. The same upward trajectory appears in English language arts, though results are somewhat lower overall than in math. Third and fourth grade English proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range, while by fifth grade proficiency rises substantially. The school also reports strong results in fifth grade science.

The school's math proficiency across all tested grades and subjects is well above the midpoint when positioned relative to districts in New York County. This is a genuine strength in a crowded urban market where charter and district schools alike are operating in the same neighborhoods and competing for the same families.

English language arts results present a more mixed picture. The lower results in third and fourth grade suggest students may still be building reading comprehension and writing skills in the earlier years, with a marked improvement by fifth grade. A parent considering this school may want to ask directly about the English instruction approach and whether the school has strategies for supporting students in grades three and four specifically.

The school has undergone recent expansion in its grade band, now serving through sixth grade rather than stopping at fifth. This change means families can remain at the same Success Academy location through the beginning of middle school years without transitioning to a different school. The network's SUNY charter has been renewed through July 2027, affirming continued state-level authorization and fiscal soundness.

The Washington Heights location sits within New York City's dense, walkable urban fabric. Fort Washington Avenue is on the western edge of Manhattan, and the neighborhood offers the transit connectivity and street life typical of the city. The housing market in the 10040 zip code reflects Manhattan pricing, with median home values well above national and state benchmarks. Rent is also higher than state and national norms, and has edged upward year over year. For families seeking a charter school that keeps them rooted in one school building through sixth grade and delivers strong mathematics results, this school delivers that pathway. The English language arts picture warrants a closer conversation with the school about instruction and support in the primary grades.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 391%

School 91% · district not reported

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

Grade 494%

School 94% · district not reported

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 598%

School 98% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 379%

School 79% · district not reported

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Grade 481%

School 81% · district not reported

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

Grade 598%

School 98% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 589%

School 89% · district not reported

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 43 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-income76%Higher-income93%18 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income78%Higher-income94%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income96%Higher-income100%4 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income76%Higher-income76%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income90%Higher-income93%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income93%Higher-income100%7 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income96%Higher-income100%4 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income92%Higher-income100%9 pp gap