Ascend schools are public schools: they are tuition-free and open to any student. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, mental or physical disability, athletic performance, special needs, proficiency in the English language or a foreign language, or prior academic achievement.

Yes; our waitlists do not “roll over” from year to year. If you submitted an application for the 2022-23 school year—even if you are currently on the waitlist for this school year—you must apply again to be included in the lottery for the 2023-24 school year. If you are currently on the waitlist for the 2022-23 school year, placing an application for the 2023-24 school year will not remove you from the current waitlist.

Ascend conducts an annual lottery to fill open seats across all of our schools. Those who apply will be placed on a school’s wait list and will be offered a seat based on seats available and position on the list.

In accordance with the law, we give preference to residents of the Community School District (CSD) in which an Ascend school is located and to the siblings of students currently enrolled in a school operating under the same charter. We also give preference to students whose parents work for Ascend Learning or one of our schools.

Once enrolled at any level, a student can remain with an Ascend school through high school graduation. Complete the online application now.

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No; there is no entrance exam for our schools. Ascend schools are open to all students, and no student is denied a seat based on mental or physical ability, athletic performance, special needs, or language proficiency.

Once students are enrolled, we administer diagnostic tests in English language arts and mathematics to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses. These tests help teachers and instructional leaders understand the specific learning needs of each student. The results of the tests have no bearing on a student’s enrollment at the school.

Yes; Ascend schools are open to all students, and no student is denied a seat based on special needs.

Our student services, teachers, and school leadership teams are committed to creating an inclusive and integrated space for all students, and we have developed systems and procedures that target and support students with academic, emotional, and behavioral challenges. We work with the Department of Education’s Committee on Special Education to create, modify, and fully implement a student's individualized education plan (IEP).

We provide our students with a rich, well-rounded course of study from kindergarten through high school that develops children’s full academic, social, artistic, and ethical aptitudes. A liberal arts education develops students’ curiosities and capabilities and prepares them for a life of meaning, purpose, fulfillment, and success.

At all levels, the Ascend curriculum includes instruction in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Each day, Ascend’s lower school students engage deeply in English language arts, project-based learning, cognitively-guided instruction (CGI), scientific explorations, and robust discussions.

In middle school, ELA units consist of reading, writing, and project-based cross-curricular tasks, where students interpret, analyze, and evaluate ideas. In math and science, students engage in inquiry-based tasks that promote a deep conceptual understanding of grade-level standards. Our social studies program equips students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in Regents and AP-level coursework during high school, and to cultivate critical consciousness by centering the histories of those left out of dominant narratives and by analyzing and critiquing power structures.

The high school program includes numerous course offerings—a combination of a full Regents course of study as well as electives—in the Humanities (English and social studies); science, math, and technology; foreign language; and the arts.

The typical Ascend school day runs from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. On Friday, the school day runs from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. Schools dismiss early on Friday to allow teachers to participate in professional development sessions. Students may arrive as early as 7:30 am to eat breakfast at school; all students receive free breakfast and lunch.

No; in general, our schools are open the same number of days as the New York City Department of Education’s schools. Students typically begin the school year in mid-to-late August and end the year during early-to-mid June.

In kindergarten, all Ascend classrooms have two teachers. Grades 1-12 classrooms have one or two teachers, depending on the school. Classrooms that use an integrated co-teaching (ICT) model to serve special education students alongside their peers in a general education setting have two teachers.

Each classroom typically has between 25 and 30 students.

Upon enrolling in an Ascend school, students take a diagnostic exam. These tests help teachers and instructional leaders understand the specific learning needs of each student. During the course of the year, we administer assessments aligned with the Ascend curriculum to determine what concepts and skills students have learned in a particular subject area. We also administer the New York State exams in English language arts and mathematics to students in grades 3-8; in grades 4 and 8, the New York State science exam is administered.

Yes; Ascend schools participate in the federal free and reduced-priced lunch program, and all Ascend schools provide breakfast and lunch to the entire school community free of charge.

Yes; all Ascend students are required wear school uniforms. Student uniforms are an important part of each Ascend school’s culture, allowing students to focus on their academic pursuits and avoid distractions. Each Ascend school maintains a uniform fund to assist families with uniform purchase.

No; Ascend schools are not co-located with Department of Education schools or with other charter schools.

Ascend schools are housed in inviting, custom-built or newly-renovated buildings where every design detail is chosen to communicate our high aspirations for teaching and learning at Ascend. In these spaces, school leadership teams can focus entirely on instruction and on forging the school’s distinctive culture rather than negotiating a space shared with other another school. For more information about our schools and their locations, click here.

The Department of Education (DOE) Office of Pupil Transportation determines students’ eligibility for bus transportation to and from school, and provides pick-up and drop-off service as appropriate. Students in grade 3 and above may qualify for a discounted MetroCard. More information about service and eligibility can be found here.

As part of the application to attend Ascend, all applicants are asked to rank their preference for the Ascend school they would most like to attend. If accepted at more than one school, we will reserve a seat only at the highest ranked school to which a child was accepted. The child’s name will be removed from the lists of any school ranked lower. If you are not offered a seat at your highest-ranked school(s), you will remain on the wait list for any schools ranked higher.

If you choose not to rank schools on your application, preference will be determined based on the proximity of each school to the child’s address.

Ranking a school higher or lower does not affect the child's chances of being offered a seat at a particular Ascend school.

1. the student’s birth certificate, passport, or record of baptism which includes the date of birth

2. up-to-date health exam form* (note that any student who does not have up-to date immunizations will be barred from school within 14 days of the start of school)

3. proof of address, which may be verified by any two of the following documents that include the address of residence:

• a lease agreement, deed, or mortgage statement for the residence**
• a residential utility bill (gas or electric) in the resident’s name issued by a utility company (e.g., National Grid or Con Edison) dated within the past 60 days
• a bill for cable television services provided to the residence, including the name of the parent or guardian and the address of the residence and dated within the past 60 days
• documentation or letter on letterhead from a federal, state, or local government agency, including the IRS, the City Housing Authority, Human Resources Administration, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), an ACS subcontractor, or the federal Office of Refugee Settlement, indicating the resident’s name and address, dated within the past 60 days
• a current property tax bill for the residence
• a water bill for the residence, dated within the past 90 days
• a rent receipt, dated within the past 60 days
• an income tax form for the last calendar year
• an unexpired official NYS Driver’s License or learner’s permit
• an unexpired state, city, or other government issued ID (including an IDNYC card)
• official payroll documentation from an employer, such as a pay stub with home address, a form submitted for tax withholding purposes, or a payroll receipt (a letter on the employer’s letterhead is not adequate), issued within the past 60 days; voter registration documents, including the name of the parent or guardian
• unexpired, residency-based membership documents (e.g., neighborhood residents’ association), including the name of the parent or guardian
• evidence of custody of the student, including, but not limited to, judicial custody orders or guardianship papers documents, issued within the past 60 days with name of student

*For students having a physical exam at the beginning of the school year, you must provide the most recent health exam form; following the physical exam, you can provide an updated form. Click here to download health form.

** If you are not the leaseholder of your residence, you must submit a Residency Affidavit.