At Foundation Academies, a public charter school in Trenton, students have made huge strides according to the 2023 New Jersey School Performance Reports, which rates schools on overall performance, including academic proficiency and growth, chronic absenteeism, English language learners’ growth, and graduation rate. In fact, the 1,040 students there, all Black or Hispanic, recouped more up more than half of their pandemic learning loss in just one academic year.

“At Foundation Academies we are intentional about excellence,” said CEO Sheria McRae. “This achievement is not just a number—it’s a reflection of our shared vision, determination, and unwavering belief that our scholars can and will achieve. We are celebrating. But we also are continuing to provide more resources, inspire greatness, and make a lasting impact in the lives of our scholars.”

Like nearly every school, Foundation Academies has been challenged by the pandemic. Prolonged remote learning, and a lack of resources in urban communities like Trenton resulted in learning loss that pushed FA school performance from the 92nd percentile in 2019 to 30th in 2021-22. Like other students from low-income households—86% of FA students (current data) are eligible for free and reduced lunch and 14% are English language learners–COVID took a harsh toll on student proficiency rates.

But in 2022-23, according to the State Department of Education, FA soared to the 69th percentile — making up more than half the pandemic loss in just one academic year. FA showed the most improvement among charter schools in Mercer County, and ranked sixth among the most improved charter schools statewide.

How does FA overcome student learning loss, especially since the impact of the pandemic is still showing up in FA classrooms? For example. a kindergarten teacher spoke of scholars who came in not knowing their colors due to interruptions in preschool.

The answer is administrators and teachers continuously assess whether scholars are meeting benchmarks for achievement and tailor their teaching to meet their needs. FA also focuses on small group learning and provides high-dosage tutoring—the most effective intervention for learning loss. says EdTrust. While they await results of recent NJSLA testing, they already have seen tutoring lift scholars a full year behind up to grade level in just 12 weeks. There are summer programs to accelerate learning: FA scholars spend more time learning than students in traditional public schools, with a longer school year and extended instructional day.  

And families are active partners with teachers to support scholar achievement. Thirty-seven percent of students enroll in at least one AP course and just about everyone graduates from high school and enrolls in college. (The DOE has not yet released college enrollment for the Class of 2023.) The cost per pupil is $17,515 a year.

Student outcomes at FA stand in sharp contrast to Trenton Public Schools district, where the percentage of third-graders proficient in reading—an important benchmark for future academic success—is so low that the DOE hides the numbers. The state also redacts the percentage of students who reach proficiency benchmarks in math for every grade except third. Only 3% of students in traditional district schools enroll in AP courses; 61% of students graduate from high school. The cost per pupil is $21,542 a year.

Currently FA is the second-highest charter school in Mercer County when ranked on student achievement. Number one is Princeton Charter School, where 1.6% of students are low-income and 1.4% are English language learners.

Chief Academic Officer Natasia Cooper credits the rise to a schoolwide focus on excellence.

“This remarkable progress is a testament to our ‘classroom superheroes’ and their determination to equip our scholars to excel,” Ms. Cooper said. “Even beyond the classroom, our entire staff — from the facilities team to the business office — has been focused on empowering our scholars to take flight, and that’s exactly what they are doing. It’s clear that our collective dedication and commitment to excellence are paying off in a big way.”