Youngstown Academy

Our school

Learn about Youngstown Academy, our mission, and the programs and values that shape our school community.

About our school

youngstownacademy.org school introduction

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.

Community School

Community School Youngstown Academy is a public, community school. We are our own school district sponsored by the Charter School Specialists, which provides oversight and enforces academic, fiscal, and legal accountability. We are managed by ACCEL Schools, a high performing network of over 50 charter schools located throughout the United States.

Community Schools (Charter Schools) offer families an alternative to the local public school. Community schools are tuition-free, open to all students in the county, and focused on meeting student needs for success. Community schools are among the top-performing schools in the nation. Read more about charter schools.

Mission

To provide a rigorous college preparatory course of study that equips students for today’s competitive and changing world. At YAE, students acquire academic skills and develop personal qualities that are necessary to succeed in further studies and well beyond in the 21st-century workplace.

Managed by ACCEL Schools

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.

Home of the Knights!

Serving Elementary & Middle School in Youngstown & Mahoning County

K-8 Community School Managed by ACCEL Schools

Tuition-Free, Public Charter School

Sponsored by St. Aloysius Orphanage (Charter School Specialists)

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