2005
Founding School Year
We opened the doors of our first school, Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary in 2005 with 90 students and 16 staff members.
In 2005, Public Prep's first school opened with just 90 scholars, marking a historic milestone as the first all-girls public charter school in NYC. Over the years, as demand increased, we expanded our reach to include an all-boys school and co-ed Pre-K. Today, we proudly serve more than 1,500 scholars from Pre-K through 8th grade.
OUR STORY
Public Prep was founded on the premise that every family, regardless of zip code, deserves the right to an excellent, tuition-free, single-gender public school education. While single-gender schools have long been a staple of the New York education system, they have been historically inaccessible, associated with high-priced tuition and acceptance processes that are oftentimes exclusive and inequitable. Public Prep was created to give families an option that is free, public, and open to all.
We empower girls and boys to discover their full potential in a joyful learning environment.
Our Pre-K through 8th-grade scholars build strong character, depth of knowledge, and empathy for the world around them through a rigorous academic program that sparks curiosity and cultivates a love of learning. With a focus on the humanities, math, science, and the arts Public Prep prepares every scholar to achieve their highest level of success.
Filter By Years
2005
We opened the doors of our first school, Girls Prep Lower East Side Elementary in 2005 with 90 students and 16 staff members.
2009
We opened Girls Prep Bronx Elementary School and united all of our charters as members of Public Prep Charter Schools Academies.
2013
We graduated our first group of 8th graders who matriculated into the top-performing high schools in NYC and independent schools throughout the country.
2014
We answered the call of many of our families who were seeking an all-boys environment for their sons and opened Boys Prep Bronx. At the same time, Girls Prep Bronx Elementary grew and formally opened its middle school with 6th-grade scholars. We also began our journey into the world of Pre-K with the opening of our first Pre-Prep: The Joan Ganz Cooney Early Learning Program which has grown and is now housed in two of our elementary schools.
2017
We graduated our first group of 8th graders from Girls Prep Bronx who followed their trailblazing sisters and matriculated into the top-performing high schools in NYC and independent schools throughout the country.
2019
After taking a break from expansion, 2019 was the year Boys Prep formally hit the middle school years with 5th/6th grade. Because Boys Prep is in private space, we didn’t need a new school, so we began to expand the leadership team to have middle school-specific support here in the same building.
2020
In 2020 we opened our newest school, Girls Prep Bronx II, which was incubating in the Boys Prep building for the first three years then moving to a temporary space in District 10.
Now, we’re excited to announce our Girl Prep Bronx II academy has moved to its own, amazing new facility and is ready for students starting in August 2024.
2022
We graduated our first group of 8th graders from Girls Prep Bronx who followed their trailblazing sisters and matriculated into the top-performing high schools in NYC and independent schools throughout the country.
2024
Girls Prep Bronx II Elementary and Girls Prep Bronx Middle schools were combined to cover Kindergarten - 8th and moved to a new private facility in the north Bronx!
NURTURING
POTENTIAL
SHAPING
TOMORROW
NURTURING
POTENTIAL
SHAPING
TOMORROW
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At Public Prep, we believe every scholar has greatness from the start. From a very young age, our holistic approach to education helps students see all the possibilities for themselves in an uplifting, supportive, and inclusive environment.
A Public Prep education instills how important and fun it is to learn new things every day.
We prepare every scholar to realize their inherent greatness. Our scholars learn how to achieve great things every day and define excellence for themselves no matter their age.
Our educators lead by example and work together to support our scholars. In turn, a community wraps around our scholars as they encourage, support, and look out for one another.
We believe our scholars must be true to their word and stand up for what's right. We push them to always be honest with themselves and others.
We're in this work for the long game.
We build a community for a lifetime.
We believe in all kids.
OUR LEADERS
Our dynamic leaders drive our commitment to provide all of our boy and girl scholars with transformative educational experiences at Public Prep Network's public charter school academies.
INSPIRING ALUMNI
We're so proud of everything our alumni continue to achieve! Hear in our scholars' own words how single-gender education at Public Prep has impacted their lives and their futures.
I attended Girls Prep from 1st through 8th grade. They helped me get to my goals, surpass grade-level expectations, and continue on to high school at another single-gender charter school, Brooklyn Emergent Leaders Academy.
Last year I was the Athlete President. I am now Treasurer for the Student Government Association. It was easy for me to make friends in my new school because I am social, thanks to Girls Prep. I'm not afraid to express myself to people and help others around me. I understand that the decisions I make in life are a reflection of what I want out of life.
In deciding on a career, Girls Prep has taught me to shoot for the moon and land on it… meaning dream as big as possible and do whatever you can in your power to get there.
"I always give it my all because I know what it's like to be left behind. Thanks to Girls Prep, I was able to grow. I am ambitious and love being there for and supporting others. I will never lose my connection to the community and I will cherish it for the rest of my adulthood."
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Community is foundational to Public Prep. It's one of our core values. Our scholars are proud of where they come from and are dedicated to making a difference for themselves, their families, and communities in the neighborhood and beyond.
Ways We Reach the Bronx Community:
Through our community discussions and projects we help our Community Council talk openly and effectively, so that families can have a voice in their child's education, turning our classrooms into welcoming spaces for everyone.
Beyond our progress with family engagement, after years of great challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are back to school and seeing the effects of being back to in person learning, which has allowed us to get a deeper understanding of where our students are and how we can even better support them. Our outstanding state test results show that we continue to outperform local districts and even the state, underscoring the work we have put into our scholars and the importance of our mission to provide a high quality education.
