Success Academy a Big Success: New at Reason

The education establishment hates the Success Academy’s successes.

John Stossel writes:

Kids who attend New York City’s Success Academy charter schools do remarkably well.

“We are No. 1 in student achievement in the state,” says founder Eva Moskowitz, “outperforming all the wealthy suburbs.”

They do. Although they teach mostly poor kids, 95 percent pass the state math test, and 84 percent pass the English test. Pass rates at government run schools are 38 and 41 percent. How does Success Academy do it?

For one thing, she keeps kids in class longer. Middle schoolers stay until 4:30 p.m.

Is that too much stress for kids, I ask?

“China and India are not worrying about the length of the school day,” she replied. “We have to toughen up.”

From what I saw, “toughening up” doesn’t make kids hate school. Many told me they “look forward” to going to Success Academy in the morning. One called school “rockin’ awesome!”

“Kids like succeeding,” explains Moskowitz.

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