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Frank McCourt High School
Frank McCourt High School, nominated by [Closed] Competency Collaborative, is a high school in New York, New York, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban area.
Location New York, New York
Governance Public District School
Grades High
Students 392
Locale Urban
Principal Danielle Salzberg
Demographics
Percentage of students*
4%
English Learners
61%
Free/Reduced Lunch
23%
Students with Disabilities
African American or Black 17%
American Indian/Alaska Native —
Asian 5%
Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —
Hispanic or Latino 52%
White 23%
2+ Races —
Why Frank McCourt High School was nominated
Frank McCourt High School is committed to developing all students to be genuinely college-ready. Their course offerings are determined by the students and teachers together, and there is a strong focus on collaboration and interdisciplinary work. From a recent article on wnyc.org: "From the minute we opened we had a very diverse population and we needed to navigate that," says Danielle Salzberg, principal of Frank McCourt High School, on the Upper West Side, which opened in 2010. "Kids come with different educational backgrounds and different socioeconomic backgrounds. We opened our doors fully aware that we were going to be meeting different kids' needs in different kinds of ways." To meet those needs, Salzberg and her team turned to a mastery-based model. "It's the best way to provide feedback to students that allows them to understand themselves and be empowered as learners," Salzberg says. "We focus a lot on student engagement. What are we doing to challenge their thinking and not just have them be compliant?" The school is thriving. With 20 percent of its 400-plus students diagnosed with a learning disability and about half of its kids coming from families in economic need, McCourt nonetheless outperforms citywide averages on state-mandated Regents exams, graduation rates and post-secondary enrollment.... Support extends beyond teacher interventions. With a schoolwide emphasis on working in groups, students' most-used academic resources are often their peers.... "Mastery-based learning is a complete paradigm shift for most teachers," says Salzberg. "It means thinking about grading as a way to provide feedback, and not a random act that we do because the quarter is ending."
Student experience design
FMHS is a community that empowers students to be life-long learners, critical thinkers, allies and leaders in their own lives as well as in their communities. Our goal is to empower students to be the leaders of tomorrow by working to model what it means to be in collaboration with one another through thoughtful and meaningful conversations, restorative practices, and shared celebration. FMHS graduates are prepared to enact change in the real world when they move on to their next chapter. We celebrate each individual member's strengths and diversity, encourage collaboration, and inspire equity-driven, empathetic life-long learners.
Core Practices
| Core Practices | Length of Use |
|---|---|
|
Co-leadership |
5+ years
|
|
Competency/mastery-based Education |
5+ years
|
|
Culturally Responsive Practices |
5+ years
|
|
Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles |
5+ years
|
|
Project-based Learning |
5+ years
|
All Practices
Advancement On Mastery
Student Advisories
AI For Teacher Productivity
Anti-racist Practices
Apprenticeships
Assessments For Career Readiness
Assessments For Deeper Learning
Assessments For Social-emotional Skills
Blended Learning
Career Advising & Support
Career Exploration
College Advising & Support
Community And Workforce Partnerships
Early College High School
Grading Policies Focus On Mastery
Higher Education Partnerships
All Courses Designed For Inclusion
Internships
Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies
Individual Learner Profiles
Individual Learning Paths
Micro-credentials And Badging
Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics
Multi-age Classrooms
No Tracked Classes
Peer To Peer Support
Performance Based Assessment
Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need
Restorative Practices
SEL Curriculum
SEL Integration School-wide
Student-led Conferences
Students Access Their Own Data
Student-led Goal Setting
Self-paced Learning
Students Develop Projects
Trauma-informed Practices
Youth Employment Programs
Career Prep
key reasons for innovating
Better support a specific population of students
Better support economically disadvantaged students
Better support multilingual students
Better support students of color
Better support students with disabilities
Improve academic achievement
Improve school culture
Date Updated: 4/1/2026
*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.