Success Academy Challenges New York Education Policy

Success Academy, the largest charter school network in New York City, is in a legal battle against the New York State Education Department (NYSED). The lawsuit argues that NYSED’s policy violates the First Amendment by restricting the release of Advanced Placement (AP) exam results to U.S. News & World Report for high school rankings.

Lawsuit Details

The lawsuit, filed against New York State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa, contends that the state’s decision blocks critical participation and performance data from being shared. Eric Grannis, the attorney representing the case, argues that this restriction prevents from reporting truthful, independently verified educational performance data.

Impact on Rankings

The absence of AP exam data compelled U.S. News to rely exclusively on International Baccalaureate (IB) data, which affected Success Academy’s rankings. Not adopting IB programs meant the Academy scored zero credit for a significant portion of the ranking criteria, dropping its position from 11th to 196th statewide.

Success Academy noted that while less than 25% of high school graduates nationwide typically pass an AP exam, 95% of its 2026 class passed three or more, highlighting the excellence of their academic programs.

Background and Choice in Education

Founded in 2006, Success Academy serves over 22,000 students, predominantly low-income, Black, and Hispanic. Their performance often outshines wealthier districts, such as Scarsdale Union Free School District. State test scores for 2025 ranked Success Academy first in math and second in English Language Arts (ELA) for grades 3-8.

NYSED cited privacy laws as the reason for withholding the AP data, but Grannis counters, noting that other for-profit news outlets are not restricted in similar ways. He suggested that traditional public school interests and teachers unions influence these decisions, impacting fair comparisons.

Challenges with Teachers Unions

Success Academy’s relationship with teachers unions has been contentious, often centering on shared school spaces. A 2023 lawsuit by the United Federation of Teachers sought to block two Success Academy sites, highlighting the ongoing conflict.

Grannis claimed that NYSED’s actions align with a policy stance of reduced standardized testing, which he argues hides the shortcomings of district schools.