NYS Charter School

“What sets charter schools apart from their traditional counterparts is an unprecedented level of accountability.” - Dr. Jennifer Sneed, SUNY Charter Schools Institute Vice President

Tapestry Charter School is an arts-integrated, K-12 Expeditionary Learning (www.elschools.org), tuition-free, public school located in the city of Buffalo, NY. Tapestry received approval from the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees to open in September 2001.

Key design elements for Tapestry Charter School’s educational program, as stated in the school’s Application for Initial Charter Renewal, include:

• multi-aged classrooms;
• a school culture of caring;
• progressive teaching techniques, based on Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences;
• weaving together humanities, science, arts, and social responsibility;
• family and community engagement; and
• ongoing professional development.

At Tapestry, we believe that schools and families are partners in learning and that the relationship with the school is collaborative. Tapestry is governed by a nine member Board of Trustees with oversight from the New York State Education Department and the State University of New York. Tapestry consistently outperforms the Buffalo school district on NY State standardized tests and exceeds NY State standards for learning. Tapestry provides an inclusive academic program to meet the educational needs of all students.

Choice, accountability and excellence are the cornerstones of the New York State Charter Schools. To learn more about NYS Charter Schools, we encourage you to view the informational video prepared by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute.