National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

University Prep Charter High School (UPCHS) operates on the fundamental belief that all students, no matter their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or creed can learn and achieve at high levels. This belief is paramount to achieving UPCHS's important mission: To prepare students for college, leadership, and life. UPCHS, a school of approximately 430 students, is located in the Mott Haven neighborhood of South Bronx, NY, and was founded in collaboration with the United Federation of Teachers. Living in the South Bronx, our students face a variety of obstacles on a daily basis. Despite the neighborhood's high crime rate, significant economic disadvantage, and history of very low academic performance, UPCHS boasts a 99% graduation rate, 100% college acceptance rate, and a 98% parent approval rating. All stakeholders play an integral part in the success of this mission. We do this by channeling resources into the classrooms. We know that exceptional teachers are critical to the success of students. University Prep teachers are meticulous planners, masters of their content area, challenging, motivating, and hold steadfast to the mission of educating every student. In addition to our extended school day for students, the school dedicates a weekly block of time for adult professional development to foster a school-wide culture of learning and growth. This approach, coupled with the personalization only possible in a small school environment, has led to considerable progress towards meeting our goals: ensuring that all students are prepared intellectually and emotionally for the rigors of the road ahead.