Proposed NYC charter hopes to become second LGBTQ+ affirming middle school in nation

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A proposed New York City charter school hopes to become the second LGBTQ+ affirming middle school in the nation, as a vote on nine potential new charter schools could come as soon as next week.

Joji Florence and Jill Glassbrook, founders of the proposed Miss Major Middle School , are seeking to establish a school that supports students as they navigate questions of identity.

“As you’re understanding your identity, and as you’re going to explore it, we want to be the place that gives you a lot of time, and a lot of space, and a lot of support for you to stumble through it,” said Florence, a long-time educator who would serve as Head of School at Miss Major Middle. “To connect as many moments of joy with your identity as possible. That’s what we’re trying to do… There’s no space like that here for middle schoolers.”

The school draws its name from Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a Black transgender activist. Glassbrook, who would serve as executive director of the proposed school, is also the executive director of Future Leaders Incubator, an organization that has worked with schools to create more diverse communities, placing more than 350 teachers in New York City schools over the past five years.

If approved, the downtown Brooklyn school would become the second charter middle school in the U.S. designed for LGBTQ+ students and their families, according to Florence and Glassbrook. They’ve taken inspiration in part from a visit to Magic City Acceptance Academy, a 6-12 school in Alabama that was also founded as an LGBTQ+ affirming school.

Miss Major Middle School is one of 21 applicants for nine spots for new charter schools in New York City, according to public records. A SUNY board that authorizes the charters could vote as soon as July 17, Florence and Glassbrook said.

The SUNY Charter Schools Institute did not respond to a request for further information about the upcoming vote.

The new charter schools are part of a deal struck between state lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul during last year’s budget negotiations, ending a four-year pause on new charters. Under the deal, legislators agreed to allow charter school operators to open 14 “zombie” charters — schools that closed or were never opened.

Of those, nine remain available. Others vying for the nine spots include charter networks seeking to expand, as well as smaller independent groups. Success Academy, the city’s largest charter network, is seeking to add six additional schools to its more than 50 sites. Meanwhile, Zeta Charter Schools has applied to open four new schools, in addition to its five current locations.

Classical Charter Schools and Urban Dove Team Charter Schools each are hoping to open an additional school for their networks.

On Thursday, Florence and Glassbrook took a small group on a tour of the site that has been secured for the potential school. They envision 18 classrooms, as well as common areas and outdoor terraces, spread across three floors of a retail building located at the base of a luxury high-rise apartment complex. An additional space will be devoted to the arts, with hopes of potential partnerships with local organizations supporting LGBTQ+ arts.

Miss Major Middle School would serve roughly 160 students in fifth and sixth grades in the 2025-26 school year, growing to serve around 400 fifth- to ninth-grade students over the next few years. Admissions to the school would be open to all students across the city through a lottery, though applicants within downtown Brooklyn’s District 13 would have an advantage and be entered twice in the lottery.

To Florence, Glassbrook, and other supporters of Miss Major Middle School, the proposed school represents a chance to provide LGBTQ+ students with additional support — though they emphasized it would be a welcoming space for all students.

Across the country, many LGBTQ+ students have reported facing hostility at school , and struggling with mental health challenges. Reports have found depression, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts occur far more frequently among LGBTQ+ students than their peers.

And in New York City, a Manhattan parent council’s resolution calling on the city’s Education Department to revisit guidelines on trans girls’ sports participation sparked anger and fear among students and families. Education Department officials said the council’s resolution would be rejected.

Supporters of Miss Major Middle School hope that its approval will offer middle school students in New York City a safe place to explore and embrace their identities.

It’s a mission that some other schools locally and nationwide have adopted. Glassbrook said Miss Major Middle School has partnered with a handful of other schools, including Magic City Acceptance Academy, as well as Harvey Milk High School in Manhattan. The latter school, named after the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, was founded in the 1980s to support LGBTQ+ and other students and currently serves about 100 students.

Ashirea Burroughs, a local educator and former Future Leaders Incubator fellow who supports the proposed school, emphasized its importance for New York City students.

“A school like this is critical — it has to exist,” Burroughs said. “The truth is, most schools are not safe for LGBTQ students now. But Miss Major Middle is an opportunity to create one that is safer, and that supports a future where all schools are.”

Julian Shen-Berro is a reporter covering New York City. Contact him at jshen-berro@chalkbeat.org .