OUR IMPACT
MESA is founded on a simple-yet-radical premise: that all high school students, regardless of their academic background or their income, deserve a high-quality education. A stand-alone, non-selective high school, MESA takes pride in being an excellent option for the families of Bushwick and beyond. We show up and work hard every day, because we know there are no shortcuts for our students to achieve a financially sustainable, personally satisfying career after graduation.
Academic Outcomes

We graduated our first class of seniors in June 2017 and we are proud of the accomplishments of each graduating class since. Our students come from more than forty different middle schools, including traditional public, parochial, and charter schools. What they all have in common is a desire to succeed.

94%

Seniors graduate on time, compared to 78% in NYC

19%

Increase in number of students who are reading proficient from 9th to 12th grade

College and Career Readiness

We know that students who enter college having already accumulated credits are more likely to persist. MESA offers students numerous opportunities to earn college credit, including through AP Courses, College Now, and through the College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP). We have also partnered with St. Francis College to allow seniors to take college-credit-bearing classes in math and writing. Students can potentially earn up to a full year's worth of college credits through these programs! From professional lunch panels to workplace tours to travel abroad, we work hard to connect our students with meaningful career connected experiences during high school.

70%

MESA seniors from the Class of 2024 graduated with at least 3 college credits

61%

Seniors applied to at least one internship or enrichment program

Just in this year alone, 127 students actively participated in corporate internships, travel abroad, and residential pre-college programs.
Postsecondary Persistence

At many high schools, college counselors have caseloads of hundreds, making true counseling impossible. MESA has three dedicated college and career counselors focused solely on our senior class. This allows the counselor and family to work closely and consistently, creating the best possible post-secondary plan for our graduates. And after graduation, our college persistence team ensures a smooth transition to and through college.

90%

MESA’s postsecondary matriculation rate
(Class of 2023)

MESA Alumni College Matriculations (2017–2023)
Babson College
Bard College
Boricua College
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brown University
CUNY Baruch College
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
CUNY Bronx Community College
CUNY Brooklyn College
CUNY City College
CUNY Hunter College
CUNY John Jay College
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
CUNY Lehman College
CUNY Medgar Evers College
CUNY New York City College of Technology
Community in HS and Beyond

MESA believes that a warm and caring environment is critical to student success. All MESA students are part of an advisory, a small family unit of 10-12 students and 1-2 adults who stay together for 4 years. MESA teachers also work in partnership with caregivers and are in constant contact to share all of the great things that their kids are doing in the classroom.

Francis Gonzales

Parent of 2022 Graduate

"I really appreciate the individual relationship that the school forms with each child and family. The staff collaborates with me to support my daughter’s areas of celebration and need. The staff meets with me in a family atmosphere to discuss my child’s goals and ways to help my child."

“MESA just might be the best charter high school in the state.”

New York Post, 2019

Family is Forever

The connection to MESA doesn’t end after graduation. The promise we make to MESA caregivers from day one is that we will work with you until your child achieves a financially sustainable and personally meaningful career. This is why we also have dedicated staff and programming such as Alumni Lab and the Digital Marketing Career Lab that support alumni with their postsecondary goals after graduation.