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Posted on Posted on: · by Michael Lesczinski
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2026 Uncommon New York City Charter Schools Renewal Recommendation Report

Districts: Brooklyn CSD 13, Brooklyn CSD 14, Brooklyn CSD 16, Brooklyn CSD 17, Brooklyn CSD 18, Brooklyn CSD 23

Key Information

Executive Summary

Rochester Prep Schools is an academic success and continues to function as an academically strong, organizationally capable, and well-governed education corporation. The organization has both sustained important elements of a high quality college preparatory model and identified clear next steps to deepen instructional rigor and ensure all students have access to effective grade level instruction in the next charter term. The three schools within the education corporation consistently demonstrate strong results in English language arts (“ELA”) and mathematics each year. During the charter term, the schools posted strong comparative academic results relative to the Rochester City School District. Classroom observations, staff interviews, and document review confirm the academic program is implemented across campuses with fidelity and the schools’ curriculum, instruction, and assessment systems are tightly aligned.

The education corporation, in partnership with Uncommon Schools, has strengthened systems for curriculum, professional development, and leader support over the term, contributing to stable school operations and positive student outcomes. The Institute finds that the education corporation has the capacity to sustain program quality and organizational effectiveness into the next charter term.

Over the current term, school leaders have strategically worked to sustain the education corporation’s high enrollment through increased efforts at year-round recruitment and further developing community partnerships. Leaders closely monitor chronic absenteeism and suspension rates across the schools. In response to data trends in absenteeism and suspension, Rochester Prep Schools has begun to establish more codified behavior guidance, multi-tiered system of supports (“MTSS”) structures, and in-class supports such as reset spaces. Leaders recognize the need to continue shifting toward more preventative responses to student behavior concerns.

Education Corporation Background

During their charter terms, Uncommon NYC schools have demonstrated increases in student performance across program levels. Students in Kindergarten – 8th grade programs demonstrated increases in performance on the English language arts (“ELA”) and mathematics exams, while Uncommon NYC high school programs continue to produce strong results for high school graduation, college preparation, and matriculation metrics. In addition to a strong recovery from the COVID-19 closure period, Uncommon NYC, with support from Uncommon Schools, has established a new strategic plan that lays the groundwork for improvements in the next charter term responding to specific and current needs of Uncommon NYC.

One area of priority for Uncommon NYC is continuing development of its high school model. The network launched its high school student talent and voice programming this year to help develop students’ interests and encourage consistent extracurricular involvement to build resumes for college admission. The program offers opportunities in a variety of interest areas including debate, barbering, and cosmetology. The network continues to solicit rich student alumni data around measures of success in college. The network uses this information to determine changes to the high school program. The network is expanding its support of alumni through alumni success coaches, and continues to monitor data such as college persistence, degree completion, remediation courses, and debt. With these practices, Uncommon NYC hopes to increase rates of college persistence and degree completion within six years or less.

Uncommon NYC has focused on lowering its suspension rates over the current charter term. Schools demonstrate lower suspension rates overall since their previous charter terms. Leaders updated discipline systems to include a stage where network superintendents must approve each out-of-school suspension, adding a layer of review and consideration for each suspension case. The added layer of approval often provided principals with more support to consider how to address disciplinary issues through other means than out-of-school suspensions. Principals have developed teachers’ skills to focus more on management strategies that help quickly redirect disruptive behaviors and keep students in the classroom. Across the schools, the Institute observed teachers consistently using calm down corners in elementary classrooms and reflection sheets in middle and high school programs. In addition to improved procedures for suspensions, Uncommon Schools also implemented Yale University’s RULER program for building social emotional awareness.

Findings and Information

Is the school an academic success?

The Uncommon NYC schools due for renewal are each an academic success having met or come close to meeting their key academic Accountability Plan goals. Uncommon NYC implements clear instructional leadership systems to support teachers with detailed lesson planning. Leaders meet with teachers regularly to review formative student performance data and facilitate intellectual preparation and practice for upcoming lessons. The schools demonstrate success in the following ways:

  • In ELA, Uncommon NYC tested students enrolled in at least their second year posted high proficiency rates over the term. From 2021-22 through 2024-25, the proportion of those students scoring at or above proficiency increased by 13 percentage points. The education corporation’s average ELA effect sizes and
    growth scores exceeded the targets in every year of the term with data suitable for analysis.
  • In mathematics, all Uncommon NYC schools under renewal review outperformed their local district rates in 2024-25. Notably, the proportion of the education corporation’s students enrolled in at least their second year scoring at or above proficiency increased by 31 percentage points from 2021-22 to 2024-25.
  • Uncommon NYC high school programs posted aggregate four year graduation rates and college matriculation rates that exceeded the targets of 75% from 2020-21 through 2024-25.
Is the school an effective, viable organization?

Uncommon NYC, with support from Uncommon Schools, is an effective, viable organization. The network has developed both a director of operations and a principal fellowship program to create additional leadership pathways for staff members and build a comprehensive training program for future school leaders. Given the success of Uncommon Schools’ fellowship programs, it extended and established a fellowship to develop deans of students. The board continues to provide precise governance and oversight to the schools and network and is highly satisfied with Uncommon Schools’ work with the education corporation.

Is the school fiscally sound?

Uncommon NYC is fiscally sound based on the Institute’s review of the renewal documentation. The education corporation establishes strong methods of budget creation that considers all departments of the network and schools to develop accurate revenue and expense projections. The network finance team meets with the board monthly to present an enrollment report and discuss financial results. The education corporation maintained strong enrollment throughout the current charter term. The 2024-25 annual financial audit did not present any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. Uncommon NYC maintains a separate bank account with the established amounts for dissolution as required by the charter agreement.

Uncommon NYC demonstrated a positive financial performance during the current charter term with net assets of $140.9 million and 0.4 months of cash on hand as of the 2025-26 financial audit. While the Institute recognizes Uncommon NYC only maintains 0.4 months of cash on hand, the 2024-25 audit showed the education corporation has $111 million in short term investments that is not included in the months of cash calculation.

If the SUNY Trustees renew the school, are the education corporation’s plans for the school reasonable, feasible, and achievable?

Uncommon NYC’s future plans are reasonable, feasible, and achievable. The SUNY Trustees previously approved the revision to add the elementary programs for Uncommon Bed-Stuy East and Uncommon Williamsburg, and, after careful consideration Uncommon NYC has decided to open those programs for the 2027-28 school year. The board carefully planned and requested information to assist in green lighting the expansions. The network analyzed demand for charter school seats in the areas in which the schools will open. The expansions will create a Kindergarten – 8th grade pathway for both schools. Uncommon NYC’s plans include replicating the current elementary program models that set and achieve high standards for students.

Recommendation: Full-Term Renewal with Conditions

Renewal through 2030-31. The SUNY Charter Schools Institute (the “Institute”) recommends the SUNY Trustees’ Charter Schools Committee approve the nine Applications for Charter Renewal:
• Brownsville Collegiate Charter School;

• Uncommon Bed-Stuy East Charter School NYC;
• Uncommon Bed-Stuy West Charter School NYC;
• Uncommon Brownsville North Charter School NYC;
• Uncommon Canarsie Charter School NYC;
• Uncommon Crown Heights Charter School NYC;
• Uncommon Excellence Boys Charter School NYC;
• Uncommon Excellence Girls Charter School NYC; and,
• Uncommon Williamsburg Charter School NYC.

If each school is renewed, Uncommon NYC will be granted the authority to continue to operate each charter through 2030-31 with the authority to provide instruction to students in such configuration as set forth in each charter’s Application for Renewal and subject to a set of conditions listed below. The Institute makes this recommendation based on each charter meeting the criteria for renewal set forth in the Policies for the Renewal of Not-for-Profit Charter School Education Corporations and Charter Schools Authorized by the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York (“SUNY Renewal Policies”).

The Institute further recommends the SUNY Trustees renew for a full term of five years the provisional charter of Uncommon NYC, the New York not-for-profit charter school education corporation.

Conditions

By July 1, 2026, the education corporation must provide a Corrective Action Plan, to be approved by the Institute, to come into compliance with teacher certification requirements under the Act inclusive of methods to assist uncertified teachers in obtaining certification, an identified system of monitoring certification status, and administrative or monetary supports offered to teachers. The education corporation must demonstrate significant improvement regarding compliance with teacher certification requirements in accordance with the Act by the conclusion of the schools’ next proposed charter terms. For Uncommon NYC, this applies to all schools under renewal review for the 2025-26 school year except Brownsville Collegiate and Uncommon Williamsburg, both of which are in compliance with the number of certified teachers.