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Posted on Posted on: | Updated: · by Michael Lesczinski
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2026 Amber Charter Schools Renewal Recommendation Report

Districts: Bronx CSD 10, Bronx CSD 6, Manhattan CSD 4

Key Information

Education Corporation Background

Over its 25 year history, Amber Charter Schools (“Amber Schools” or the “education corporation”) has grown from the flagship Amber Charter School East Harlem (“Amber East Harlem”) to serve students and families at two other schools: Amber Charter School Inwood (“Amber Inwood”) and Amber Charter School Kingsbridge (“Amber Kingsbridge”). A shared services team (“SST”) supports the three schools with financial management and oversight; talent management and recruiting; operations, leadership, and administration; education and instruction related services; communications; community relations; student recruitment; admissions; and, policies and procedures.

Executive Summary

During the current charter term, Amber Schools marked the 25th anniversary of its founding by the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans (“ACDP”), a nonprofit organization serving Dominican immigrant communities in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. The education corporation expanded grade spans and responsively navigated pandemic-related interrupted instruction, taking into account both student and teacher instructional needs as it strengthened coherence across curriculum, assessment, and instructional systems.

Amber Schools is deeply rooted in its communities and implements an academic program grounded in strong instructional leadership and shared cultural expectations. The “Amber Way” emphasizes achievement, community, responsibility, honesty, and respect while shaping school culture and supporting a consistent educational experience across campuses. Amber Schools’ classrooms evidence strong culture characterized by consistently orderly routines and positive interactions between students and staff members that create classroom environments that support student learning.

Findings and Information

Is the education corporation an academic success?
Amber Schools is an academic success. Amber East Harlem, Amber Kingsbridge, and Amber Inwood met or came close to meeting their key academic Accountability Plan goals in the majority of years, demonstrating strong comparative performance relative to their local districts. Amber Kingsbridge also achieved a 100% pass rate on the Algebra Regents exam in 2024-25, a significant milestone for a middle school program serving a large economically disadvantaged population.

Over the charter term, the schools strengthened coherence and consistency across academic systems. The education corporation aligned curricula and pacing across campuses to establish common instructional expectations and continuity for students. The schools increased instructional minutes and strengthened early literacy instruction through the implementation of Magnetic Reading Foundations, providing targeted foundational phonics and fluency support. The education corporation also secured grant funding to provide additional academic supports for students in need of intervention. To reinforce instructional effectiveness, Amber Schools standardized computer-based assessment practices across campuses, further supporting instructional continuity, data driven decision making, and readiness for state assessments. External literacy and mathematics consultants provided program review, feedback, and capacity building support for instructional staff. Together, these strategies reflect a system level approach to improving academic outcomes. The schools demonstrate success in the following ways:

• In 2024-25, Amber Schools posted an aggregate ELA proficiency rate for its tested students enrolled in at least their second year of 61%. This represents an 11 percentage point increase from 2021-22. The education corporation also posted an aggregate effect size above the target of 0.3 each year which indicates higher than
expected performance compared to demographically similar schools.
• In 2024-25, Amber Schools posted an aggregate mathematics proficiency rate for its tested students enrolled in at least their second year of 58%. This represents a 26 percentage point increase from 2021-22. Notably, in 2024-25, Amber Kingsbridge posted a proficiency rate of 82% for its tested 3rd graders enrolled in at least their second year, exceeding the absolute target of 75% by seven percentage points.
• Amber Schools produced strong comparative achievement for its student with disabilities over the term. All three schools outperformed the local district results for students with disabilities in both ELA and mathematics in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

Is the education corporation an effective, viable organization?
Amber Schools is an effective, viable organization. The education corporation operates under the oversight of its board of trustees and co-chief executive officers, with clear roles and accountability structures that support the delivery of the educational program. The board provides effective fiscal oversight and implements procedures that support long term sustainability, enabling the organization to manage enrollment fluctuations while maintaining programmatic stability

The education corporation has taken deliberate steps to strengthen alignment across the schools’ academic and operational systems. Strategic partnerships strengthen organizational capacity. Over the term, the schools leveraged grant funding to support tutoring initiatives and engaged external consultants to build instructional capacity. The Amber Education Fund, a nonprofit “friends of” organization, supports fundraising, facilities planning, and long range organizational sustainability. The education corporation possesses the leadership, systems, and resources necessary to operate effectively and support its schools in the next charter term.

Is the education corporation fiscally sound³?
Amber Schools is fiscally adequate based on the Institute’s review of the renewal documentation. The education corporation established strong methods of budget creation that consider all departments of the education corporation. The finance team meets with the board monthly to present an enrollment report and discuss financial results. Amber Schools has not maintained 80% of its chartered enrollment throughout the current charter term. However, the 2024-25 annual financial audit did not present any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. Amber Schools maintains a separate bank account with the established amounts for dissolution as required by the charter agreement.

Over the charter term, Amber Schools produced operating deficits across four years, an overall decrease in net assets, and a downward trend in its fiscal responsibility score. However, with net assets of $8.3 million and 4.7 months of cash on hand, the education corporation is currently fiscally adequate. Despite the education corporation sustaining operating deficits, Amber Schools has maintained consistent outside fundraising and continually assessed its staffing to maintain programming while being responsive to its fiscal health. However, the Institute recognizes that Amber Schools must manage its financial performance to ensure the schools can continue to effectively deliver on their mission, and will continue to closely monitor the education corporation’s financial outlook.

If the SUNY Trustees renew each charter, are the education corporation’s plans for each charter reasonable, feasible, and achievable?
Amber Schools’ plans for the next charter term are reasonable, feasible, and achievable. The education corporation intends to build on the academic and organizational systems established during the current term to continue improving outcomes and sustainability. Amber Schools’ plans include maintaining aligned curricula, standardized assessment practices, and targeted academic interventions, particularly in early literacy and tutoring.

The board and the co-chief executive officers demonstrate a forward thinking approach to financial planning. Existing fiscal oversight practices, combined with long range planning and continued partnership with the Amber Education Fund, position the education corporation to manage future enrollment variability and facilities needs. The future budget provided in the renewal documentation contains reasonable revenue and expense projections for the proposed charter term. The education corporation owns one facility and leases the other two sites and plans to continue operating in the same locations during the proposed charter term.

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 three Applications for Charter Renewal:
• Amber Charter School East Harlem;
• Amber Charter School Inwood; and,
• Amber Charter School Kingsbridge.

If each school is renewed, Amber Schools 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 Amber Schools, the New York not-for-profit charter school education corporation.

Conditions

By July 1, 2026, the education corporation must provide a Corrective Action Plan for Amber Kingsbridge, 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 at Amber Kingsbridge in accordance with the Act by the conclusion of the education corporation’s next proposed renewal term.