A grassroots movement formed in the summer and early fall of 2003 with the goal of offering a true educational alternative to the traditional orthodoxy of education now dominant in most public and private schools in this city, the Brooklyn Free School has now sprouted wings and has been up and running since September 2004. The community is composed entirely of parents, students, educators and others who believe that freedom and democracy are not just textbook concepts, but a way of living and learning - for our children as well as ourselves. The Brooklyn Free School is dedicated to the belief that all students must be free to develop naturally as human beings in a non-coercive educational environment and empowered to make decisions affecting their everyday lives and that of their community.
The Brooklyn Free School is a democratic, free school founded on the principles begun with Summerhill School in 1921, and adopted in one form or another by many schools in the late 1960's in the United States such as The Sudbury Valley School in Framingham, MA, and the Albany Free School in Albany, NY. Both of these schools are successful proponents of the democratic/free school model and the BFS incorporates major aspects of each these schools in developing a unique culture for the NYC area.
The school has accepted students aged 5 through 15, and is serving students up to 18 years of age. Students are not segregated by age. There is no set curriculum except the establishment of an all-inclusive democratic system that runs the school, and the communication of that system to all members of the school. The communication of the twin philosophical underpinnings of the school, including the democratic system stated above, and the understanding that students are free to pursue their individual interests for however long they want and in whatever manner they choose, thereby placing the responsibility for learning on the students, also constitutes the curriculum of the school. There are no compulsory grades, assessments or homework. The students are in charge of their own learning and progress and are able to adequately assess themselves and perform any additional work or learning outside of the school that they want to in line with their interests.
The school strives to provide a multi-disciplinary, reality-based/project-based and applied learning approach to further the student's understanding and appreciation of interests that they are pursuing. This includes the use of a varied and differentiated assortment of learning materials, supplies and resources, as well as frequent trips to visit individuals, organizations, businesses, and/or communities in the New York Metropolitan area that can enlighten and enrich students' understanding, knowledge and experience in a given area of interest.
The school is independent, funded by tuition, grants, and individual contributions and donations and operates from September through June, as a day school, essentially mirroring the NYC public school calendar in most respects. The annual tuition is $17,000 per year for 2011-2012, with reduced tuition and payment options granted on the basis of need in conjunction with a tuition assessment and management service. The goal of the school in this area is to be open to all.
Brooklyn Free School is a charter member of the National Association of Independent Democratic Schools, an accrediting body that formed to advance the cause of true student directed and empowered educational programs in the United States.
Brooklyn Free School is now a New York State registered high school.