Bridge Prep Charter School Opened To First & Second Grade Students With Language-Based Learning Disabilities

Bridge Preparatory Charter School (Bridge Prep) in Staten Island, New York opened its doors to 90 first- and second-graders in early September 2019 as the only public school in the state that caters to students with language-based learning disabilities such as dyslexia. The school’s debut marks the climax of a multi-yearlong battle for parents, advocates, and elected officials eager to create an environment with small classes, intensive phonics-based instruction, and other supports. 

According to Tim Castanza, co-founder and executive director of Bridge Prep, and former city Department of Education official, Bridge Prep meets a . . .