Education and
Workforce Impact
Is your child on the waitlist for a charter school?
More than 163,000 students across New York City are on waitlists for charter schools (StudentsFirstNY)
If you:
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are the parent of an 8th-grade graduate in June 2026 or thereafter;
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applied to a charter school and your child was not drawn for a seat by the April 1 or May 1, 2026 NYC Charter School Lotteries deadline and were placed on a NYC Charter School Waitlist;
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want to enroll your child in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, aligned to NYSED Career Development Occupational Standards (CDOS), industry credentials, and workforce competencies; and
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are looking to boost your child's Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology (IT), Digital Literacy or Digital Marketing Intelligence career, have them stand out in a crowded job market, or secure that next big job promotion;
Then your child should:
Attend the Minority Enterprise Career Schools (MECS), a Certiport Authorized Test Center (CATC) and NY State–accredited private secondary school, grades nine through twelve, Chartered by the Board of Regents of The University of the State of New York on behalf of the New York State Education Department.
MECS Academy is empowering school choice, parental rights, and affordable education for your 9th grade charter schools waitlisted students.
Your student’s next step starts now.
Start the 9th Grade
with Career Skills
That Open Doors
270 seats are available this September for incoming 9th grade students.
MECS Academy gives students a strong high-school experience with practical career training, industry-recognized certifications, and a clear path toward future opportunity.
Eligible students will receive an Education Freedom and Opportunity Scholarship valued at $20,663.
Priority will be given to economically disadvantaged minority students who were placed on a NYC charter school waitlist.
APPLY NOW
Families are invited to attend an open house on Saturdays in July.
APPLY NOW AND LEARN MORE.
To parents of
students entering the
9th grade in September
MECS Academy is hosting an Open House on Saturday, July 18, 2026,
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
at our East New York Brooklyn campus
(address near the bottom of this page).
Teachers and staff will be present to explain why MECS is the right school for your child.
Free food will be available.
The event will be recorded.
The event is dependent on expected attendance so please RSVP below by
July 11, 2026.
Presenters:
Joseph Jeffries-EL
Chief Executive Officer
Mel Davis
Chief Marketing Officer
Linda Pearson
Education Administrator
Dr. Karina Rieke, LMHC-D
School Psychologist
How Can
MECS—Certiport Authorized Test Center (CATC)
Help My Career?
We give students real-life career certifications, in their hands that they can use to get a job when they graduate from MECS Academy.
Entry-level employees with MECS-CATC Certiport certifications typically earn an average starting salary range of
$45,000 to $75,000 (roughly $22 to $36 per hour).
THE VALUE OF CERTIFICATION
SKILLS HAVE BECOME THE GLOBAL
CURRENCY OF 21ST CENTURY ECONOMIES!
In a world where competition for jobs, pay increases, and academic success continues to increase, certifications offer hope because they are a credible, third-party assessment of one’s skill and knowledge for a given subject.
KEY BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION INCLUDE:
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Validation of knowledge
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Increased marketability
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Increased earning power
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Enhanced academic performance
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Improved reputation
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Enhanced credibility
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Increased confidence
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Respect from peers
CERTIFICATION RESULTS IN IMPROVED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE¹
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Higher grade point average for certified high school students: 3.12 vs 2.78 (4.0 scale).
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Higher graduation rates for certified high school students: 97.5% vs 78.4%.
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Increased postsecondary enrollment: 84% vs 82%.
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Reduced dropout rates: 0.2% vs 1.0%.
“They’re looking for reasons to hire candidates …” “… if
they see anything that’s relevant to their industry, to
their company, to the specific position, it’s definitely
going to help make that candidate more attractive.”
Adecco Staffing,
Senior Regional Vice President Tom Gates
CERTIFICATION PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES TO PROFESSIONALS AND JOB CANDIDATES
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In the U.S. and Canada, professionals with certifications have an average salary of $111,334, which is 7% more than non-certified professionals.²
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IT professionals who gained new skills and/or certifications last year received an average raise of $12,000-$13,000.³
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91% of hiring managers report certification is a criteria for hiring.⁴
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Certification makes job candidates stand out in a crowded job market.⁵
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Certification makes a better case for that big raise or promotion.⁵
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Third-party validation of skills is far more powerful than self-promotion of knowledge.⁶
CERTIFICATION AND THE GLOBAL SKILLS GAP
Many employers in countries and regions around the globe report a shortage of qualified workers. Although employers have many job openings, they struggle to find skilled, qualified applicants to fill those positions.⁷ Certification helps close that gap.
Source: Certiport’s Value of Certifications Datasheet, last accessed June 17, 2026
Footnotes:
(1) 2018-2019 Florida CAPE Academy Performance Report, Grades 9-12
(2) August 27, 2019, Global Knowledge, IT Certifications: 5 New Realities
(3) Global Knowledge 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report
(4) Microsoft Certification Program Satisfaction Study
(5) How Much Will Certifications and Skills Boost Your Pay? Insight.dice.com, July 16, 2020
(6) Prometric, Understanding The Benefits Of Industry Certification
(7) The original Certiport datasheet lists two sources for this citation; it’s unclear which one is correct: EITHER Global Knowledge 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report OR The Manpower Talent Shortage Survey 2018
What about Tuition?
MECS Academy is empowering
270 parents of African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino economically disadvantaged students enrolled in New York City’s 9-12 Public Schools, School Choice, by offering a $20,663 Education Freedom and Opportunity Scholarship for career success in MECS Academy’s certifications programs that help students secure highly coveted entry-level technology jobs after graduation.
Your child may qualify for a $1,000 Saver’s Match Account.
How Do I Apply to MECS Academy?
Fill out our application form. Course names are listed below.
Take a Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP) Test. A one-time non-refundable $25 fee applies.
Provide proof of completing the 8th grade to info@mecsacademy.org.
Don’t Delay! Only 270 Seats/Scholarships are available each year!
Where Is MECS Located?
MECS ACADEMY—
EAST NEW YORK
BROOKLYN
237 Jerome Street
Brooklyn, NY 11207-3209
J & Z Trains to Van Siclen Avenue or Cleveland Street
A & C Trains to Liberty, Van Siclen, or Shepherd Avenues
Long Island Railroad to East New York
Buses: B14, B83, Q24, Q56
What Courses Are Offered?
CAREER DEVELOPMENT OCCUPATIONAL
STUDIES (CDOS) (details)
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Commencement Core Curriculum
Standard 1 Career Development -
Commencement Core Curriculum
Standard 3a Universal Foundation Skills -
Commencement
Standard 2 Integrated Learning -
Commencement Core Curriculum
Standard 3b Part1 Career Clusters—Business/Information Systems
MECS CATC CERTIFICATIONS (details)
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Adobe Certified Professional (ACP)
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Apple App Development with Swift Certification (APP)
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Autodesk Certified User Certification (ACU)
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Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST)
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Critical Career Skills Certification (CCS)
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Entrepreneurship and Small Business Certification (ESB)
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IC3 Digital Literacy Certification (IC3)
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Information Technology Specialist Certification (ITS)
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Intuit Master Certification in Entrepreneurship (MCE)
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Meta Certified Digital Marketing Associate (MDMA)
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Microsoft Certified Fundamentals (MCF)
