State of the NYC Charter School Sector
A bold and controversial concept when they came to New York City in 1999, charter schools have had remarkable success in creating choices for families, raising students’ academic proficiency, and experimenting with innovative approaches to education. Today, the City’s charter school sector is higher-performing and more vibrant than any in the United States and has grown to include 285 schools across approximately 420 campuses, educating 150,500 students. The accomplishments reflect the hard work of dedicated school leaders and educators, the support of public officials, and, of course, the commitment and trust of the families who have chosen to enroll in these independent and autonomous public schools.
Growth & Enrollment
While New York City has reached the maximum number of charters allowed to open under its cap, charter school enrollment continues to grow annually. Five new charter schools opened for the 2025-26 school year, and existing schools are growing into new grade bands, opening Pre-K programs and building partnerships.
- For the 2025-26 school year, there are 285 charter schools, across 430 campuses, serving approximately 150,500 students.
- More than 15% of all NYC public school students attends a charter school.
- 90% of charter students are Black and Latino
- 38% of Black students in NYC elementary schools attend charter schools.
- 11.1% of all charter school students are English Language learners
- For several years now, NYC charter schools have enrolled students with disabilities in numbers comparable to the district.
Academic Proficiency
Public charter schools are accountable for the academic proficiency of their students. Charter school students must master the same New York state standards and take the same state assessments as their district counterparts.
- Overall, charter schools in NYC continued the trend of achieving higher proficiency rates than traditional district and state counterparts in math (66% proficient to 53% for district students) and in ELA (58% proficient to 49% for district students).
- Black and Hispanic students in NYC charter schools achieved higher rates of proficiency than their district counterparts in both ELA and math.
- Economically disadvantaged students in NYC charter schools greatly outperformed their district peers.
- *Latest Data Available
Students with Disabilities
NYC charter schools offer a diverse array of supports. There are charter schools designed specifically for students with disabilities, but the vast majority offer integrated co-teaching, which has students with disabilities learning alongside their general education peers.
76 charter schools enroll a higher proportion of students with disabilities than the city wide average.
Nearly 19% of students enrolled in charter schools have IEPs.
51 schools have programs for students with autism or have more than 25% of students with IEPs for Special Education.
English Language Learners
NYC charter schools are mandated under state law to provide research-based practices to support English Language Learners. There are some dual language charter schools, but the vast majority offer supports through a combination of targeted small group instruction and whole group language immersion.
Over the last 5 years, the number of ELLs in NYC charter schools has increased by 76%.
138 charter schools featured a preference for ELLs in their 2024-25 admission lotteries.
9 NYC charter schools have dual language programs.
ACCOUNTABILITY and OVERSIGHT
There are three authorizers in New York: the New York State Board of Regents, the State University of New York Board of Trustees, and the Chancellor of the NYC Department of Education. Authorizers approve new charter schools after a rigorous review process.
Authorizers hold charter schools accountable for academic results, operational goals, financial stability, and more. Charter schools that fail to meet standards may be subject to only a short-term renewal with close monitoring or closure.
Numerous government agencies hold charter schools accountable for complying with relevant laws and regulations, from facilities (NYC Department of Buildings) to family medical leave (US Department of Labor).
