The Academy Charter School

What The Academy Charter School does

The Academy Charter School is a K-12 tuition-free public charter school network founded in 2009 and headquartered in Hempstead, New York. The network operates across campuses in Hempstead (elementary, middle, and high school), Uniondale (elementary, middle, and high school), and Wyandanch (K-1 and 2-4/6-7 elementary/middle), educating more than 4,200 students. Founded by Barrington Goldson, the school operates under a charter contract with the State University of New York (SUNY) Charter Schools Institute and is funded through New York State per-pupil allocations; it charges no tuition and admits students via a lottery system with preference for siblings and residents of Hempstead, Uniondale, and Wyandanch school districts.

The Academy's academic product combines core K-12 instruction with eight Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways — Architecture & Pre-Engineering, Aviation & Drone Technology, Business Management & Entrepreneurship, Culinary Arts & Hospitality, Digital Media Arts & Game Development, Information Technology/Robotics, Medical Assisting & EMT, and JROTC — each aligned to industry certifications such as Autodesk AutoCAD, FAA Part 107, ServSafe, NOCTI, and Microsoft Office Specialist. It also operates the first charter school athletic program on Long Island to join the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHAA), alongside a performing arts program covering dance, music, marching band, and visual arts. Underlying technology includes a 1:1 student laptop program, FreshService-based IT support, Eureka Math curriculum, and adaptive learning/assessment tools (IXL, AdaptedMind, Freckle, STAR). Administrative systems include PowerSchool for enrollment, Paylocity for HR, and FinalForms for athletics registration.

Revenue mechanics rely entirely on public funding: New York State per-pupil allocations flow through the SUNY charter contract, supplemented by donations processed via GiveSmart. Marketing and enrollment operate through a multi-channel direct-to-consumer funnel — the academycharterschool.org website, six social media platforms, the Academy Voice newsletter and magazine, Academy TV on YouTube, community open houses, and family referrals. In 2025 the network received SUNY approval to open three additional schools in Suffolk County (Brentwood elementary and middle schools, Central Islip high school), projected to add 1,600 students and lift total enrollment to nearly 6,000 by 2031-32.

Name

The Academy Charter School

Legal name

The Academy Charter School

Website

https://academycharterschool.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Academy Charter School is a tuition-free K-12 public charter school network serving 4,200+ students across Hempstead, Uniondale, and Wyandanch campuses on Long Island, founded in 2009 and chartered by SUNY. It delivers core academics, eight CTE pathways, NYSPHAA athletics, and performing arts, funded by New York State per-pupil allocations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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 Career & Technical Education (CTE) Schools (EDAJACAK)

Keywords

• K-12 charter education
• Public charter schooling
• College preparatory programs
• Career technical education
• Tuition-free education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hempstead

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a public charter school, The Academy Charter School is funded through per-pupil allocations from New York State education funding, similar to traditional public schools. There is no tuition charged to families. The school operates under a charter contract with SUNY trustees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Academy Charter School operates a tuition-free K-12 public charter school network serving more than 4,200 students across campuses in Hempstead, Uniondale, and Wyandanch, NY. Its core offering includes college-preparatory academic instruction combined with eight Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, athletics, and performing arts. Admissions are conducted through a lottery system with preference given to siblings and residents of Hempstead, Uniondale, and Wyandanch school districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Education Services
• Digital Media Arts & Game Development Program
• Information Technology: Robotics Program
• Medical Assisting and EMT Program
• JROTC Leadership Academy Leadership development CTE program for grades 9-12 focusing on discipline, civics, and life skills with drill team and color guard activities.
• Architecture & Pre-Engineering Program Four-year CTE program teaching engineering principles, CAD, and architectural design with Autodesk AutoCAD certification preparation, for high school students.
• Aviation & Drone Technology Program Three-year CTE program covering drone flight safety, flight simulations, and mechatronic engineering with FAA Part 107 certification preparation, for high school students.
• Business Management & Entrepreneurship Program Four-year CTE program teaching business fundamentals, marketing, and entrepreneurship with Virtual Enterprise and Microsoft Office Specialist certifications, for high school students.
• Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management Program Four-year CTE culinary arts program covering kitchen operations, food science, and restaurant management with ServSafe and NOCTI certifications, for high school students.
• Athletics Program NYSPHAA-affiliated athletic program offering volleyball, soccer, basketball, cheerleading, track and field for middle and high school students; first charter school on Long Island admitted to NYSPHAA.
• Performing Arts Program Extracurricular program including dance, music, marching band, and visual arts across Hempstead and Uniondale campuses, for students.
• The Academy Voice Magazine Digital and print magazine featuring stories, updates, and achievements from the Academy Charter Schools community, including athletics, arts, and alumni spotlights, for alumni, parents, staff, and friends.
• Academy TV YouTube-based video platform for Academy Charter School content including podcasts, winter concerts, and educational programming, for the broader community.
• Tech Support Services IT help desk providing device support, troubleshooting, and instructional videos for school-issued laptops and iPads, for students and staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% Graduation Rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration19 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Adelphi UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner providing pathways for students. One of the university partners listed on the school's Vision & Mission page showing collaborative relationships with institutions of higher learning.
• Columbia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIvy League university partner featured in college acceptances section. Represents strong academic pathways for Academy graduates.
• Hofstra UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional university partner featured in college acceptances and mission page. Provides higher education pathways for Academy scholars.
• Cornell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIvy League university with 7 Academy alumni attending. Featured in college acceptances and highlighted in Cornell University tour article.
• NYIT (New York Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical university partner supporting STEM pathways for students. Listed among higher education partners on mission page.
• SUNY (State University of New York)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorizing body for the charter school. SUNY trustees approved the school's charter and expansion requests, including new schools in Suffolk County.
• NYSPHAA (New York State Public High School Athletic Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAthletic association membership. Academy was the first charter school on Long Island to become a member, enabling participation in Section VIII athletics.
• Winthrop UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education partner providing pathways for students. Listed among university partners on mission page.
• Long Island UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional university partner. Hosted the Virtual Enterprise International Business Competition where Academy students won gold medals.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Achievement First: Nonprofit charter school network operating multiple K-12 campuses in Connecticut and New York with a college-prep mission. Comparable multi-site structure, public funding model, and focus on underserved urban families.
• Uncommon Schools: Multi-state charter management organization running K-12 college-prep campuses in underserved communities with lottery enrollment and public funding. Comparable in operating model, scale, and student demographics.
• KIPP NYC Public Charter Schools: Multi-site K-12 charter school network serving predominantly underserved urban communities with a college-prep focus. Directly comparable as a multi-campus charter network with lottery admissions, public funding, and emphasis on academic outcomes for students in similar demographic markets.
• BASIS Charter Schools: National charter school network known for rigorous STEM-focused academics and high college matriculation rates. Comparable as a multi-site public charter network emphasizing academic excellence and standardized outcomes.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large New York-based charter school network operating multiple K-12 campuses with rigorous academics, lottery admissions, and SUNY-authorized charters. Directly comparable in geography (NY), governance structure, and emphasis on academic outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Harmony Public Schools: Texas-based charter school network with strong STEM focus and CTE pathways. Comparable in CTE program emphasis and college-prep mission, though operates in a different state with a different authorizer.
• IDEA Public Schools: Large multi-state charter network with extensive CTE and college-prep programming. Comparable in CTE pathway breadth and college-prep mission, though operates primarily in Texas and the Southwest.
• National Heritage Academies: For-profit charter management organization operating K-8 charter schools across multiple states. Comparable in multi-site charter operating model and public-per-pupil funding structure, though serves elementary/middle grades and operates geographically elsewhere.
• Green Dot Public Schools: One of the largest charter management organizations in the U.S., operating public charter schools across multiple states. Comparable in scale and multi-site operating model but operates in different geographies (primarily California and Tennessee).

Emerging players

• Hebrew Public Charter Schools: Multi-site charter network emphasizing global studies and language immersion across several states. Comparable as a multi-site charter operator, but with a distinct language-immersion focus that differs from The Academy's CTE/academics mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/theacademycharterschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/theacademycharterschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-academy-charter-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/theacademycharterschool
• TikToktiktok.com/@theacademycharterschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Academy Charter School