“What are the ‘secrets’ of successful minority schools? The biggest secret is there are no secrets unless you count the four-letter word WORK and add DISCIPLINE.” Early in the 20th century, M Street School (later known as Paul Laurence Dunbar High School) in Washington, D.C., created an elite, all-Black school with Black teachers who held advanced degrees and a self-selecting student body. The students were serious about getting an education at Dunbar. In the early years of M Street School, Mary Jane Patterson was the first woman to receive a college degree in the United States with the academic curriculum requirements for “the gentleman’s courses” of Latin, Greek, and mathematics. Patterson was a firm, forceful principal who shaped the standards and traditions, making M Street School very successful.
Today, many public charter schools are carrying on the legacy of what Dunbar achieved. Success Academy charter schools, headed by Eva Moskowitz, are one example. Eva leads a “no excuses” approach at the SA in the five boroughs of New York: The Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and Harlem, which contributes to the school’s success. Moskowitz’s leadership is unprecedented in contemporary education. No one fails at SA nor falls between the cracks; scholars learn to think critically and are supported in every way. Teachers believe that “learning is in the stretch.”
There are six applicants for every seat available in the schools. The student body enrolment is 20,000 and consists of 50% Black, 30% Hispanic, 8% Multiracial, 6.5% Asian, and 6.5% White. Success Academy Schools are primarily located in the same buildings as regular public classrooms, but they offer intense, highly structured, and free educational experiences. Teachers are profoundly invested in the children, and parents are required to be involved with the school and sign a contract to make the relationship between the parent and the school like a “marriage.”
Success Academy Charter Schools are among the highest-performing and most criticized educational institutions in New York. Last year, they received 16,000 applications for 3,800 lottery spots. SA is an intense, aggressive performance culture, and parents seem to overwhelmingly want this high-expectation environment with warmth and encouragement for their children.