The Urban Assembly Academy of Government and Law

At the Urban Assembly Academy for Government and Law, students may take part in mock trials and debate competitions, visit state and federal court rooms, and learn about the law from lawyers who serve as mentors. The school has just 300 students, and kids get lots of personal attention.

The school, housed in the Seward Park Educational Campus, has partnerships with Street Law Inc., major New York City law firms, The Justice Resource Center, and the New York County District Attorney's Office, according to the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan.  “These enriching and real life experiences help to further develop our students' skills so that they are prepared for the larger world,” according to the plan. Students get lots of personal attention 

Alison Breedy, an attorney who has been principal of the school since 2014, gets high marks from teachers on school surveys. The school accepts students with a range of abilities, including many with weak academic skills and a history of poor attendance; it has a good record of graduating them on time. Nonetheless, attendance remains a challenge.

Typical of small schools, course offerings are limited. Nearly half the students responding to school surveys said there weren’t enough classes and activities to keep them engaged. However, students may take part in sports teams with students from the other small schools in the building.

The school was founded in 2005 with the help of Urban Assembly, a not-for-profit group that assists in the creation of small college preparatory schools.

Admissions: Educational option formula designed to ensure a mix of low, average and high-achieving students. The school has not filled its seats in recent years. (Clara Hemphill, DOE statistics, November 2018)