2026 Lamad Academy Charter School / Lamad Arverne Academy Charter School Merger Request Summary of Findings
Key Information
- 2026 Merger of Lamad Arverne Charter School into Lamad Academy Charter School Summary of Findings
- 2026 Merger Resolution
- Report Date: March 31, 2026
- SUNY Charter Schools Committee Vote & Approval: April 7, 2026
- Schools Requesting Merger Revision:
- Recommendation: Approve
Key Findings
Background Information
The State University of New York Board of Trustees (the “SUNY Trustees”) approved the charter for Lamad Academy Charter School (“Lamad”) on October 18, 2018. The school opened in the Fall of 2020 in New York City Community School District (“CSD”) 18 serving 300 students in 6th – 8th grade during its initial charter term. The SUNY Trustees granted Lamad a five-year, full-term renewal on February 13, 2025. The SUNY Trustees approved the charter for Lamad Arverne Academy Charter School (“Lamad Arverne”) on July 17, 2024. Lamad Arverne is scheduled to open in the Fall of 2026 serving 150 students in Kindergarten – 1st grade in CSD 27.
Please see below for summaries of Lamad’s current academic and fiscal standing.
Summary of Merger
If the SUNY Trustees approve the proposed revision, Lamad Arverne’s education corporation will merge into Lamad’s education corporation. The surviving education corporation will be renamed Lamad Academy Charter Schools with both schools remaining under SUNY authorization. The mission, key design elements, and program elements of both schools will remain the same.
Academic Analysis
From 2021-22 through 2024-25, Lamad demonstrated strong growth in both English language arts (“ELA”) and mathematics. Over that period, the school increased the proportion of tested students enrolled in at least their second year scoring at or above proficiency by 31 percentage points in ELA and 47 percentage points in mathematics. In alignment with the increase in proficiency rates, the school posted high mean growth percentiles in both subjects from 2022-23 through 2024-25. Although Lamad performed below the average district proficiency in both subjects, the school increased its comparative achievement from 2021-22 to 2024-25 according to the Institute’s effect size analysis. Notably in 2024-25, the school performed higher than expected in both ELA and mathematics in comparison to schools across the state enrolling similar proportions of economically disadvantaged students.
Fiscal and Legal Analysis
The Institute analyzed Lamad Academy and found that the 2024-25 audited financial statements reflect a poor financial position. Lower than anticipated enrollment, lower federal grant revenue, and decreased contributions were the most significant factors in the education corporation’s current financial position. The Institute notes that the previous two years of audited financial data (2022-23 and 2023-24) reflected a stronger financial position. Further, the Institute notes that the proposed budget and fiscal narrative the education corporation submitted in requesting the revision anticipate increased operational efficiency by creating economies of scale and pooling of resources to offset duplicative administrative costs. If the merger is approved, the Institute strongly recommends continued efforts to maintain expenses in line with proposed budgets to ensure ongoing fiscal stability.
The Institute also reviewed the proposed revision from the legal perspective, and finds it suitable under the Act and applicable law. Therefore, the Institute recommends the Charter Schools Committee approve the requested revision.