Brooklyn Ascend Charter School
- 205 Rockaway Parkway, Brooklyn
- Grades K-12
- Matthew Padilla/Danielle Pena, Principal
- 347-464-7600
About
Brooklyn Ascend Charter School serves students in grades K-12 and has a large enrollment, well above the citywide median. The school describes itself as honoring, nurturing, and challenging the whole child, fostering critical thinking and a love of learning through the Science of Reading, inquiry-based learning, the Responsive Classroom model, and anti-racist education. It states a deep commitment to advancing educational equity. For grades 3-8, ELA proficiency is 71.0 percent, which is above the citywide median and near the 75th percentile, while math proficiency is 69.0 percent, also above the citywide median. However, the percentage of students taking accelerated coursework is 0.0 percent, which is well below the citywide median. The four-year graduation rate is 77.0 percent, below the citywide 25th percentile, and college enrollment is 61.6 percent, below the citywide median. Student survey results from 2025-2026 indicate concerns regarding school cleanliness, with 29.0 percent of students reporting the school looks clean often or very often. Only 50.0 percent of students reported feeling safe in the hallways and cafeteria, and 38.0 percent reported that students do not harass, bully, or intimidate other students. Parent survey results are not available for this school.
Sources (3)
- NYC DOE Location Code Generating and Management System (LCGMS) · 2026-27 (export of 2026-08-22)
- NYC DOE School Quality Reports and Snapshot, 2024-25 · 2024-25
- NYC School Survey (parent and student responses) · 2025-26
Academics
State test proficiency rates and acceleration.
ELA proficiency
71%
Math proficiency
69%
Proficiency rates are from the Grade 3–8 NYS state test (school-level).
Attendance rate
85%
Avg class size (general ed)
—
Avg class size (ICT)
—
Community & climate
Demographics, attendance, school survey results, and DOE quality ratings.
Quality signals
NYC School Survey, 2025-26
Student survey · overall positive
56%2% response rate
Survey topics, 2025-26
Safety56%city 82%
- Students · Do you feel safe in your classes at school?75%
- Students · Do you feel safe in the hallways and the cafeteria?50%
- Students · Do you feel safe in the locker rooms and bathrooms at school?50%
- Students · How often do School Safety Agents promote a safe and respectful environment?63%
- Students · How often do students get into physical fights at this school?38%
- Students · How often are students under the influence of alcohol and/or illegal drugs during the school day and/or school activities?50%
- Students · How often are students involved in gang activity during the school day?63%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (56%) is their average, vs 82% citywide.
Bullying prevention59%city 80%
- Students · How often do students at this school harass, bully, or intimidate other students?38%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others online or through social media?38%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their race?50%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their ethnicity?71%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their religion?63%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their country of origin?71%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their citizenship/immigration status?50%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their gender?75%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their gender expression?75%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their sexual orientation?75%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their body type (weight, height, hair, etc.)?38%
- Students · How often do students harass or bully others because of their disability?63%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (59%) is their average, vs 80% citywide.
Emotional support39%city 62%
- Students · How often do students at this school treat each other with respect?13%
- Students · How often do you feel like there is at least one trusted adult at this school you could talk to if you needed to?38%
- Students · Do you know where to go in your school if you need help with mental health?75%
- Students · How often do you use strategies you learned at school to stay focused when something frustrating happens?29%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (39%) is their average, vs 62% citywide.
Personal attention62%city 62%
- Students · How many of your teachers give you specific suggestions on how to improve your work?78%
- Students · How many of your teachers check if you have what you need to do well in class (extra help, access to internet, etc.)?67%
- Students · How often does your school offer classes, clubs, or activities that you're excited about?63%
- Students · How often do you get to work with teachers and other adults at your school to help make decisions about things that are important to you (e.g. safety, conflict resolution, etc.)?38%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (62%) is their average, vs 62% citywide.
Academic expectations53%city 58%
- Students · In how many of your classes do you feel like you're being challenged academically (you learn new and hard things)?44%
- Students · During this school year, how often have you felt bored?33%
- Students · In how many of your classes do you work in small groups?44%
- Students · In how many classes are you expected to explain the thinking or the WHY behind your responses?89%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (53%) is their average, vs 58% citywide.
Clear instruction57%city 67%
- Students · In how many of your classes is it clear what you need to learn?67%
- Students · In how many of your classes does the work you do in class help you with class assignments like homework, projects, and/or tests?78%
- Students · How many of your teachers explain things differently if you don't understand?56%
- Students · How many of your teachers connect what you are learning to life outside the classroom?25%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (57%) is their average, vs 67% citywide.
College & career guidance56%city 71%
- Students · How often does this school encourages you to develop interests, talents, or opportunities outside of academics?63%
- Students · Does your school help you feel ready to move up to the next grade level or to graduate?38%
- Students · How helpful are the adults in your school in helping you plan for life after high school? [Grades 9-12].40%
- Students · How helpful are the adults at your school in teaching you about career options? [Grades 9-12].80%
- Students · How encouraged do you feel by adults at your school to take advanced courses (IB, AP, college credit)? [Grades 8-12].60%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (56%) is their average, vs 71% citywide.
Student–teacher trust57%city 74%
- Students · How many of your teachers are open to students' ideas and suggestions?67%
- Students · How many of your teachers treat you with respect?56%
- Students · How many of your teachers do you feel support you when you are upset?22%
- Students · How many of your teachers treat students of different races, cultures, or backgrounds equally?75%
- Students · How many of your teachers treat students of different genders and/or sexual orientations equally?63%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (57%) is their average, vs 74% citywide.
Show all survey topicsShow fewer
Instruction and Performance
Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Classroom Instruction68%city 68%
- Students · How often does your school teach you to respect and appreciate others' differences (differences in language, culture, religion, etc.)?63%
- Students · How often do you see examples of different backgrounds and families in your classes (i.e materials, curriculum)?63%
- Students · How often do you see positive representations of different races/ethnicities and cultures in your classes (i.e materials, curriculum)?63%
- Students · How often do you see positive representation of different genders and/or sexual orientations in your classes (i.e materials, curriculum)?63%
- Students · How often does your school encourage respectful conversations about race where you feel your voice is heard?86%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (68%) is their average, vs 68% citywide.
Safety and School Climate
Inclusive Learning Environment56%city 71%
- Students · Do you feel like you belong at this school?22%
- Students · How often do students treat students from different cultures or backgrounds equally?63%
- Students · How often are school rules applied equally to all students at school?50%
- Students · How often can you use a bathroom that matches your gender identity in your school?88%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (56%) is their average, vs 71% citywide.
School Description
School Facilities and Services43%city 68%
- Students · How often does your school look clean?29%
- Students · Is your school building in good working condition (e.g. water fountains, bathrooms, etc.)?57%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (43%) is their average, vs 68% citywide.
Overall positive % is averaged across every Pos/Neg survey question per respondent group (school year 2025-2026). Survey topics are the DOE’s framework measures (each the average favorable response across its questions; expand a topic to see them and the citywide average); the dimension scores themselves are no longer in the public data file.[3]
Operational health
Attendance
85%
Chronic absenteeism
17%
Suspension rate
1%
Teachers[7]
Teachers with 4+ years' experience
43%
Students per teacher
11:1
Teaching out of certification
89%
Teacher experience and certification from the NYSED School Report Card (2024–25); students per teacher = enrollment ÷ reported teachers. Fewer than 4 years counts as inexperienced.
Student body
Race / ethnicity[4]
- Asian 2%
- Black 89%
- Hispanic 6%
- White 1%
School-level totals; may not sum to 100% due to rounding and small subgroup suppression.
Gender[4]
- Female 50%
- Male 50%
Female / male shares as published by the DOE; other gender identities aren’t reported in the source data.
Enrollment
946
Economic Need Index
82%
Free / reduced lunch
—
English learners
1%
Students with IEPs
16%
Location & commute
Where the school is and how to get there.