DYKER HEIGHTS — South Brooklyn’s first charter high school opened Monday in Dyker Heights, welcoming 125 ninth graders after years of delays under the statewide cap on charter schools, reports the New York Post .

Math, Engineering and Science Academy (MESA), which first launched in Bushwick in 2013, secured its second location at 1222 63rd St., following the reissue by the state in 2023 of unused “zombie” licenses for unopened or closed charters. Demand was high: 445 students applied for the limited seats.

The school will eventually teach 500 students across four grades, offering a STEM-focused curriculum. “It should never be this hard to give parents options,” said co-founder Arthur Samuels.

The Bushwick campus posted a 92% graduation rate last year.

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