Achievement First
Achievement First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charter school network operating tuition-free K-12 schools across Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, funded primarily through state per-pupil allocations, federal grants, and private donations, serving urban students via lottery-based enrollment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Achievement First does
Achievement First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charter school network that operates tuition-free K-12 schools across Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, serving students in urban communities with historically limited access to high-quality public education. The organization was founded in 2001 and is currently in its 25th year of operation, running an enrollment model based on open, lottery-based admissions rather than academic selection. Its service portfolio includes elementary, middle, and high school programs, with an extended school day and longer school year designed to add approximately one full academic year of learning time across the K-12 arc. The network distinguishes its high school offering through universal AP coursework, college counseling, and post-secondary support, and operates specialty programs including the Empower Program.
The underlying operating model is a multi-site education delivery platform with shared curriculum frameworks, instructional best practices, and a centralized Network Support function headquartered in New Haven, Connecticut (470 James Street, Suite 007), with regional offices in Providence, Rhode Island (206 Elmwood Avenue) and New York (25 Broadway, 12th Floor). The technology stack is standard K-12 educational technology — curriculum management systems, student information systems, and assessment tools used to support data-driven and differentiated instruction — with no proprietary AI/ML capability disclosed. Documented academic outcomes include 92% math proficiency at AF Bushwick Middle School (ranking 3rd among 1,960 NY middle schools) and ELA proficiency growth from 2% to 58% at AF Bridgeport Middle School over a single school year.
The revenue model is fundamentally a public-funding reimbursement structure: Achievement First receives state per-pupil allocations under performance charters granted by state education departments in CT, NY, and RI, supplemented by federal grants and private donations raised through annual campaigns such as Impact Week. As a nonprofit, the organization has no disclosed equity funding, parent company, or M&A activity; the entity operates as Achievement First Public Charter Schools under governance of a board of trustees. Headcount is reported in the 501-1,000 range, consistent with a multi-state operator of this scale.
Achievement First firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Achievement First
- Legal name
- Achievement First Public Charter Schools
- Website
- https://achievementfirst.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Achievement First is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charter school network operating tuition-free K-12 schools across Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, funded primarily through state per-pupil allocations, federal grants, and private donations, serving urban students via lottery-based enrollment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Achievement First industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Charter School Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools (EDAJACAJ)
Keywords
Where Achievement First is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Achievement First business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Per-Pupil Public Funding: As a public charter school network, Achievement First operates as a nonprofit organization primarily funded through state per-pupil funding allocations. Schools receive public dollars based on student enrollment, similar to traditional public schools. Additional revenue comes from federal grants, private donations, and fundraising campaigns such as the annual Impact Week campaign.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Achievement First product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Achievement First operates a network of tuition-free public charter schools providing K-12 college-preparatory education to students across Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. The network delivers extended school day and year programs, AP courses, college counseling, and a range of extracurricular activities, with families enrolling through a lottery-based admissions system. Schools are funded through state per-pupil public allocations, federal grants, and private donations.
Product overview
Achievement First operates as a unified network of tuition-free public charter schools rather than a modular software product. The organization provides K-12 education services across three states (Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island), with schools ranging from elementary to high school programs. Key offerings include the core school network providing college-preparatory education, specialized programs like the Empower Program and Anchor Program, annual Impact Week fundraising initiatives, and high school programs with AP courses and college counseling. The organization does not offer discrete software products or technology platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Achievement First Public Charter Schools A tuition-free public charter school network providing K-12 education across Connecticut (Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven), New York, and Rhode Island. Focused on college and career readiness with extended school day/year, rigorous academic curriculum, and a lottery-based enrollment system open to all students.
- AF Envision Middle School A new middle school opening in fall 2026 in New York, part of the Achievement First charter school network, focused on college-preparatory middle school education.
- AF University Prep High School
- Achievement First Empower Program A program within the Achievement First network supporting student development and academic enrichment.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% math proficiency rate achieved by AF Bushwick Middle School 8th graders, ranking 3rd among all 1,960 NY middle schools
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Achievement First
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Achievement First technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Achievement First partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Achievement First competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Uncommon Schools: Northeast-based nonprofit charter management organization operating a network of K-12 public charter schools with college-prep focus, overlapping directly with Achievement First's geography and student demographic.
- Rocketship Public Schools: Nonprofit charter elementary school network using blended learning and data-driven instruction to serve predominantly low-income students, comparable to AF's elementary programming and demographic focus.
- Success Academy Charter Schools: Large New York City-based charter school network with a data-driven instruction, extended-day, and college-prep model that mirrors Achievement First's pedagogical approach and overlaps in New York markets.
- KIPP Public Schools: One of the largest U.S. charter school networks operating tuition-free public charter schools with a college-prep mission and extended learning time model, directly comparable to Achievement First's operating approach.
- IDEA Public Schools: National nonprofit charter network operating tuition-free K-12 public charter schools with a college-prep mission, extended learning time, and outcomes-driven culture comparable to Achievement First's.
- BASIS Charter Schools: Network of public charter schools emphasizing rigorous college-prep academics and advanced coursework, comparable to Achievement First's AP-for-all and college readiness emphasis.
Broad incumbents
- Green Dot Public Schools: Nonprofit charter management organization operating public charter schools across multiple states with a college-prep focus and turnaround school expertise, broadly comparable to Achievement First's network model.
- National Heritage Academies: Large charter management organization operating K-8 public charter schools nationwide with a moral-focus curriculum, serving as a broad incumbent in the charter school management space.
- New York City Department of Education: Largest U.S. traditional public school district; competes with Achievement First for students in Brooklyn and other New York markets where AF operates and sets the baseline for outcomes comparisons.
Others
- Teach For America: Talent pipeline organization supplying teachers to high-need schools including many charter networks; comparable as an ecosystem participant supporting AF's talent acquisition strategy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Achievement First social profiles
Digital presenceAchievement First financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Achievement First leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Achievement First funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Achievement First M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Achievement First
What does Achievement First do?
Achievement First operates a network of tuition-free public charter schools providing K-12 college-preparatory education to students across Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. The network delivers extended school day and year programs, AP courses, college counseling, and a range of extracurricular activities, with families enrolling through a lottery-based admissions system. Schools are funded through state per-pupil public allocations, federal grants, and private donations.
Is Achievement First a public or private company?
Achievement First is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Achievement First founded?
Achievement First was founded in 2001. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Achievement First based?
Achievement First is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Achievement First make money?
One revenue line is on record: per-Pupil Public Funding.
Who are Achievement First's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Uncommon Schools, Rocketship Public Schools, Success Academy Charter Schools, KIPP Public Schools, IDEA Public Schools and BASIS Charter Schools. Broad incumbents are Green Dot Public Schools, National Heritage Academies and New York City Department of Education. Teach For America is listed as an others.
Does Achievement First have an API?
No public API is recorded for Achievement First.
What industry is Achievement First in?
Achievement First's product category is K-12 Charter School Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJACAC, Charter School Networks (Multi-Site), with a secondary code of EDAJACAJ, Charter College-Prep & Advanced Academics Schools. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.