St. HOPE Leadership Academy Charter School

Opened in 2008, St. HOPE Leadership Academy Charter School has an orderly, structured and disciplined environment. Class size is capped at 25, smaller than a typical public school, according to the school’s website.

Test scores are below the citywide average, but better than the average for District 5 in Harlem and District 7 in the South Bronx, where most of St. HOPE’s students live, according to state data. The school’s suspension rate has declined in recent years but is still well above the citywide average, according to state data.

St. HOPE, modeled after a school of the same name in Sacramento, California, shares a building with PS 92 and Democracy Prep Charter High School. HOPE is an acronym for Helping Others Pursue Excellence.

“At St. HOPE Leadership Academy, we believe character (the ability to work hard, focus, and do the right thing) is a precursor to academic achievement,” the school’s website says. [photo from school website]

Special education: The school offers team-taught classes, with two teachers, one of whom is certified in special education.

Admissions: Students are accepted by lottery. Apply on the school's website. (Clara Hemphill, web reports, February 2019)