Youngstown Academy of Excellence is a tuition-free public charter school serving students in Kindergarten through 8th grade in Youngstown, Ohio. Principal Heather Knapp runs a school where academics, character, bilingual instruction, career exploration, and family support aren’t separate programs. They’re all running at the same time, under the same roof. The school achieved 100% compliance with Ohio’s 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee.
Teachers stay. Ten teachers have been at YAE for five or more years. Six have been there for ten or more. Six hold master’s degrees, and two more are pursuing theirs. That kind of stability means students walk into a building where adults already know the culture, the expectations, and often the families.
The school offers a range of programs beyond core academics: STEM instruction, Duolingo for language learning, Sports 101, Culture Class, and a Financial Literacy course. Students don’t just learn traditional subjects; they learn how to manage money, how to understand different cultures, and how to carry themselves physically.
Student life at YAE runs on tradition. Knights of the Round Table recognition. Student of the Month. Art shows. Middle school dances. Elementary glow parties. Academic assemblies. Spirit days. Holiday performances. A Motown performance. An 8th grade clap out that sends graduating students off with the community behind them. These aren’t just events. They’re the connective tissue that makes students feel like they belong somewhere.
Family nights, bingo nights, Read Your Heart Out events, costume parades, and Fall Fest bring parents into the building regularly. This school treats the family as part of the team.
Support services include tutoring, counseling, free breakfast and lunch, and transportation. Kindergarten enrollment is open to students who turn 5 by December 31, with early entrance available through a readiness assessment.
School hours are 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. First day of school for 2026-27 is August 19, 2026.
There is no tuition, no application fee, and no cost to families.
Youngstown Academy of Excellence is located at 1408 Rigby St, Youngstown, OH 44506. You can reach the school by phone at (330) 746-3970. Visit the school online at youngstownacademy.org.
Miss Heather Knapp, Head of School
Miss Heather Knapp joined Youngstown Academy of Excellence in 2011. She started teaching first grade and was moved to third grade the following year. She taught in third grade for two years and was the Director of Academics before accepting the Head of School position. Miss Knapp holds a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in Educational Administration, and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction.
Megan Wilson, Regional Vice President
Ms. Wilson has been with ACCEL Schools since 2013 and holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in K-8 Education from Western Governors’ University. She also holds a K-12 Reading Endorsement from Ashland University.
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Megan Wilson
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Founded in 2014, ACCEL Schools is a K-12 public charter school management organization (CMO) serving students across the United States in brick-and-mortar, virtual, and hybrid school settings. We focus on improving academic outcomes of students regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic factors. The leadership team at ACCEL Schools has a combined 1000+ years of experience as global school management operators with expertise in curriculum research and design, assessment, student support services, and education consulting. Our entire team fundamentally believes that all children deserve a great education and students should be supported as they pursue a wide variety of post-secondary options. Our robust technology increases engagement, access to resources, efficiencies, and academic results helping our students become productive global citizens.
