Ascend Students Outperform New York City and State in ELA and Math

Ascend’s 2026 New York State assessment results give our community a great deal to celebrate.

Ascend students markedly outperformed both New York City and New York State in English Language Arts (ELA) and math, while achieving the strongest math results in our network’s history.

Key Takeaways

• Math proficiency reached a record 80%, increasing eight percentage points year over year and outperforming both New York City and New York State by 23 percentage points.

• 68% of Ascend students demonstrated proficiency in ELA, 18 percentage points above New York City and 20 points above New York State.

“These are outstanding results and proof of the hard work of our students, educators, and families,” said Maryann Li, Chief Executive Officer of Ascend Public Charter Schools. “Our students continue to outperform city and state averages significantly, and our record math results show what high expectations, excellent teaching, and a shared belief in every student’s potential can make possible.”

Strong Academics, Boundless Possibility

At Ascend, strong academic outcomes are part of a bigger promise to every student: an education that challenges them to think deeply, discover their strengths, build confidence, and prepare for lives of boundless choice.

Behind the numbers are students solving challenging problems, asking questions, explaining their ideas, and discovering what they can accomplish — supported by educators and families who believe in their potential.

“Behind these results are classrooms in which students are being challenged to think, question, and explain their ideas every day,” said Kathariena Gittens, Senior Principal of Bushwick Ascend Lower School. “As an educator, I’m incredibly proud of what our students have accomplished and of the teachers who challenge and support them to reach higher.”

State assessments are just one measure of student learning, but these results reflect the strong academic foundation Ascend students are building. Across our schools, we continue to strengthen a K–12 experience that pairs academic excellence with curiosity, confidence, independence, and belonging.