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DREAM Charter School
DREAM Charter School, nominated by Transcend, is a elementary/middle/high school in New York, New York that describes itself as a public charter school serving learners from a primarily urban area.
Location New York, New York
Governance Public charter school
Grades Prekindergarten, Elementary, Middle, High
Students 2200
Locale Urban
Director of Compliance Tiffani Alexander
Demographics
Percentage of students*
7%
English Learners
91%
Free/Reduced Lunch
25%
Students with Disabilities
African American or Black 40%
American Indian/Alaska Native 1%
Asian 1%
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1%
Hispanic or Latino 55%
White 1%
2+ Races 1%
Why DREAM Charter School was nominated
DREAM Charter High School's mission is to create powerfully literate young people who are self-determined to leverage their achievements to empower others in their communities. Located in East Harlem, this charter school serves and was created to serve its immediate community. DREAM HS also offers flexible learning environments with dedicated rigorous curriculum aimed to empower its young people through social consciousness and action in community.
Student experience design
DREAM Charter Schools implements a “Grow the Whole Child” model that promotes rigorous academics; athletics, health, and wellness; social emotional learning; and, family and community engagement. The four pillars of the model reinforce one another and the DREAM Schools curriculum supports students in fostering positive identities and developing the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in social action. DREAM’s key design elements are: - An innovative curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and questioning - A co-teaching model that reduces the teacher-to-student ratio and integrates special needs students into the general school population - A robust data cycle that uses data to inform all aspects of teaching and learning - A whole child approach to teaching and learning that deeply integrates social emotional learning, health, wellness, music and the arts into the overall school program - An extended day and an extended year model that maximizes learning hours - An active family engagement program that fosters parent/guardian participation, leadership and advocacy - A focus on teacher motivation, development, and retention - A universal Pre-kindergarten program that ignites learning in children
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Family And Community Support Services |
5+ years
|
|
High Quality Instructional Materials |
3-4 years
|
|
SEL Integration School-wide |
3-4 years
|
|
Universal Design For Learning |
5+ years
|
All Practices
Student Advisories
AI For Learning Materials
AI For Teacher Productivity
Anti-racist Practices
Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning
Assessments For Deeper Learning
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Career Prep And Work-based Learning
Community And Business Partnerships
Culturally Responsive Practices
Disaggregated Data On Student Participation
Extended Learning Opportunities
Extended Learning Time
Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles
Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
Hiring For Equity And Inclusion Values
All Courses Designed For Inclusion
Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies
Mental Health Services
1:1 Mentoring
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics
No Tracked Classes
Multiple Opportunities To Demonstrate Mastery
Project-based Learning
Performance Based Assessment
Physical Well Being Services
Place-based Learning
Reallocation Of Resources For Those Most In Need
Restorative Practices
SEL Curriculum
Social Justice Focus
Students Access Their Own Data
Trauma-informed Practices
Tutoring
key reasons for innovating
Address systemic inequities
Date Updated: 4/1/2025
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.