Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy Charter School

Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy (BELA) is a small all-girls charter high school in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, dedicated to empowering young women from underserved communities for college success. The school emphasizes a strong sense of sisterhood, leadership development, and a nurturing environment. It boasts a high four-year graduation rate of 92%, which is well above the citywide median, and a college enrollment rate of 76.3%, placing it at the 75th percentile citywide. BELA offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, including an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, and focuses on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) pathways. Students receive laptops in their freshman year, which they keep upon graduation. While many students and parents praise the supportive community and academic growth, some describe the workload, particularly with IB courses, as challenging and at times overwhelming. Concerns include a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 51% and a high suspension rate of 13%. Regents exam pass rates are generally low across subjects. Staff sentiment, while acknowledging good intentions, points to significant issues with leadership and management.