Health & Fitness
How a Brooklyn Charter School Doubled Its Enrollment
Like many new schools, Citizens of the World Charter Schools had an uphill climb to ensure that parents learned about them when they opened their first schools in Brooklyn – in Crown Heights and Williamsburg – this fall.
However, Citizens of the World Williamsburg has nearly doubled its enrollment, achieving an increase of 89 percent since opening in the fall of 2013. Charter authorizer SUNY has since confirmed that the school is financially sound and will remain open.
It seems parents needed to see the benefits of its unique model for themselves. Citizens is one of the first national public school networks to focus on educating students from all races and income levels. Through project-based and social-emotional learning, along with rigorous academics, Citizens develops diverse students into strong critical and creative thinkers.
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"Just in two days I saw a total change,” said parent Grace Moreno. “My son's self-esteem went up. He's learning a lot. He comes home, he reads to his little brother. He loves doing his homework. It's really strange for a little boy to love doing his homework! He likes his teachers...and I like how his teachers integrate every kid into the classroom and make them feel like family."
Once parents were able to see the school model in action, nearly 90 percent of them chose to enroll their child in CWC Williamsburg. Few schools are able to achieve such an increase in enrollment in the middle of the school year, but this demand is typical of what Citizens of the World schools have seen nationally. All of its other schools have waitlists.