When BES Fellows and their schools succeed, we become a step closer to delivering on the promise of an excellent education for every child.
Today, we continue to celebrate academic excellence by recognizing the highest-performing Fellow-founded schools among the 74 in our network-spanning geographies, grades, and tenure-whose students took the MAP math assessment in the 2023-24 school year. We are also doubly celebrating those who have topped the lists for both math and reading, and were featured in a previous spotlight.
Top 5 Achievement in Math
% of students who scored in the 50th percentile or higher on the Spring 2024 assessment.
- Springfield Preparatory Charter School – 84%
- Resurgence Hall Charter School – 73%
- (3) Alpha: Cornerstone Academy Preparatory – 68%
- (3) Houston Classical Charter School – 68%
- Equitas Academy Flagship – 62%
Top 5 Growth in Math
% of students who met or exceeded their MAP Growth goals from Fall 2023 to Spring 2024.
- Springfield Preparatory Charter School – 80%
- (2) Laureate Academy Charter School – 77%
- (2) Libertas College Preparatory Charter School 77%
- (4) Equitas Academy Flagship – 75%
- (4) Persistence Preparatory Academy – 75%
View more information about these schools below. Learn more about their mission, models, and key factors that contributed to their MAP success, and what’s next for them in the 2024-25 school year and beyond.
Equitas Academy Flagship (Los Angeles, CA) – Opened 2009
Network founded by 2007 BES Fellow Malka Borrego and currently led by CEO Sofia Roditti. Alaina Pariano serves as Equitas Academy Flagship’s principal.
MAP assessment grades: K-4
Equitas Academy is a K-8 school that prepares students for college, careers, and life pursuits, and inspires them to be champions of equity. Equitas Academy Flagship was the first of six campuses opened by the network in Los Angeles. Equitas Academy’s key practices include rigorous and culturally-relevant instruction focused on mastery of grade-level standards, strong assessment practices that provide individual student growth goals, and closely monitoring student progress and learning throughout the school year. “Our team is incredible. Their dedication, collaboration, and eagerness really supported our students in making immense growth – especially in math,” said Alaina Pariano. “We had some really great group conversations around vertical alignment and supporting students across many years.”
To increase their performance in reading, Equitas Academy is rolling out the assessment and instruction system mCLASS this year to leverage Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) data. The school is heavily investing in literacy through a literacy coach and building out a robust lending library, and they plan on aligning with their authorizer by implementing iReady assessment.
Leaders at Equitas Academy have previously participated in the BES LENS program.
Laureate Academy Charter School (Jefferson Parish, LA) – Opened 2015
Founded and currently led by 2013 BES Fellow Claire Heckerman-Whitehead
MAP assessment grades: K-8
Laureate Academy Charter School (Laureate Academy) is a K-8 college preparatory charter school serving Jefferson Parish, LA. Laureate Academy believes ALL children can learn at high levels and seeks to “prove what’s possible” by providing scholars with high quality teachers, high quality curriculum, and exposure to the many opportunities that exist for them in the world. Over the last decade, Laureate Academy has consistently performed at the top among schools in its area.
In the last school year, Laureate Academy developed math teachers’ content knowledge through a partnership with Jessica Martin Consulting. In this effort, they worked primarily on unpacking how to ensure the most appropriate strategies (procedural, conceptual, application) were being used for each lesson.
“Laureate is continuing the work of developing teachers’ content knowledge and deepening their knowledge of the coherence of standards, as well as setting clear math routines per grade level band,” said Claire Heckerman-Whitehead.
Leaders at Laureate Academy have previously participated in the BES LENS program.
The following schools were also spotlighted in our previous feature on MAP Achievement and Growth in Reading:
- Alpha: Cornerstone Academy Preparatory (San Jose, CA)
- Houston Classical Charter School (Houston, TX)
- Libertas College Preparatory Charter School (Los Angeles, CA)
- Persistence Preparatory Academy (Buffalo, NY)
- Resurgence Hall Charter School (Atlanta, GA)
- Springfield Preparatory Charter School (Springfield, MA)
Are you an aspiring school founder who is interested in bringing a high-quality education option to your community, just like these leaders? Applications for the 2025 BES Fellowship open on Nov. 1. Learn more at bes.org/fellowship.