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BELL

mission
To deliver on the often-denied promise of equal educational opportunity for America’s urban children by inspiring in them the belief that they can achieve, and by developing in them the academic and character skills necessary to compete on a level playing field.

growth
  • Grew from one middle school serving 200 students in New Haven, CT in 2003-04, to a network of 10 schools in New Haven and Brooklyn, NY reaching 1,680 students in 2006-07.
  • Increased annual revenue from $0.4 million in FY2004 to $5.3 million in FY2006.

impact
  • Achievement First’s founding school, Amistad Academy*, consistently takes students from two or more years below grade level upon entry in the fifth grade, to grade level and beyond by the eighth grade. (Newer schools have shown equally promising results.) Ninety-fi ve percent of Achievement First students are expected to gain acceptance to four-year colleges and universities.
  • Achievement First has taken a leadership role in advancing legislation to improve the charter climate in Connecticut, including increasing funding and lifting charter restrictions. New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has used Achievement First as an exemplar school model in his initiatives to achieve greater innovation and accountability in New York City’s public schools.

looking ahead
By 2013, Achievement First plans to grow to 30 schools through expansion in Connecticut and New York. Achievement First is also launching a Teachers University in partnership with KIPP Schools and other leading charter organizations, providing an alternative credentialing pathway into teaching that is grounded in best practices from urban schools.


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