I do not recommend working here or sending children here as there is lots of evidence that they will not learn to any greater degree than the DOE can provide. The only difference you may feel is how they discipline kids on some campuses however, accountability for student behavior is nearly nonexistent. Academic accountability does not exist here.
Achievement First (AF) is a shell of what it used to be and is certainly a failing organization. There are several inexperienced individuals (never taught and were never school leaders) in senior leadership ‘positions making decisions that hurt children and educators. Their culture of low expectations (all kids pass no matter the grades achieved, minimal discipline for kids, lac expectations for adults) is racist and an anathema to their supposed mission. There are no incentives for great teaching beyond signing on for another year. This leads to people who stay just for the money with
Inadequate teaching skills and routinely losing their best annd most committed educators regularly. Year after year of lower academic results has not resulted in any change to their approach.
This organization is all about appearances. It looks good to have zero suspensions on paper but that does not help the schools where kids are walking out of classrooms, cursing out teachers and bringing in contraband regularly. It may look good to fulfill their arbitrary vision of diversity on their website but the result is inexperienced and unprepared individuals running schools. They routinely deceive, incoming educators, as well as prospective parents with outdated, pre-pandemic academic data that was achieved by no one that is currently in the organization. The current results are abysmal and on par with the DOE.
There are so many other charter, independent and even public schools in New York doing right by kids and educators. Pick any other one.
