Charter schools outpace city public schools on state math and reading exams

Success Academy and Zeta Charter Schools posted markedly higher proficiency rates on recent state math and English Language Arts tests than New York City public schools, whose reading scores fell.

Recent state assessments show that the largest charter networks in New York City dramatically outperformed traditional public schools. Success Academy reported that 96% of its grade 3-8 students passed the math exam and 91% met proficiency in English Language Arts, mirroring last year’s results, while Zeta Charter’s 14 campuses posted 92% proficiency in math and 86% in reading. By comparison, only about 50% of public-school students were proficient in reading, a six-point drop, and 57% reached proficiency in math, roughly unchanged from the previous year.

Twelve Success Academy schools achieved 100% proficiency in both subjects, and eight more reached full marks in either math or reading; one Bronx campus had every student score at the top level in math and 96% at the top level in reading. The charter schools serve a largely low-income population, with many students qualifying for free meals and a notable share of English language learners and special-needs students. The disparity has intensified criticism of the city’s phonics-based reading curriculum, defended by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and prompted charter leaders to highlight the role of rigorous curricula and dedicated teachers.