Who We Are

In 1996, Ann and Andrew Tisch partnered with the New York City Board of Education to open The Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem – the first public all-girls school to open in the United States in 30 years.  Their vision was to provide economically disadvantaged girls with a high-quality college preparatory education modeled upon the finest private schools. 

We now have a network of five high-performing TYWLS public schools in New York City, serving more than 1,900 students. The success of our girls’ schools has inspired the opening of dozens of single-sex schools nationwide, including affiliates in Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Texas. Our schools continue to be a model for single-gender public schools across the country. In 1998, Young Women's Leadership Network, a not-for-profit organization, was created to make our programming available to more students.  YWLN supports two programs that provide college readiness and college access to low-income public school students:

  1. The Young Women's Leadership Schools

  2. CollegeBound Initiative 

Milestones

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"When I heard your stories, I saw my life in your lives… Girls, you have proven that this is what public education can be."

- Oprah Winfrey, keynote speaker at 2001 TYWLS of East Harlem Graduation Ceremony

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"The Young Women’s Leadership School is one of the premiere public schools in the nation. We could use more schools such as this... There should not be any obstacle to providing single-sex choice within the public school system."

- U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton

In 2001

TYWLS of East Harlem graduates its first class of seniors. Oprah Winfrey is the Commencement speaker. 100% of these graduating seniors are accepted to college – an achievement which has been replicated for all eleven of the school’s graduating classes.

In 2001

TYWLS of East Harlem’s successful college guidance program, CollegeBound Initiative, expands into two high-need coed public high schools in New York City, more than quadrupling the number of students served.

In 2005

YWLN receives a $2.5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to expand TYWLS in New York City.

From 2005-2008

YWLN opens TYWLS of Jamaica, in Queens; TYWLS of Astoria, in Queens; and TYWLS of Brooklyn.

From 1999-present

Dozens of single-gender public schools open across the United States, inspired by the TYWLS model.

In 2012

CBI expands to serve more than 10,000 low-income students in 19 high-need public schools; TYWLS of the Bronx opens in September.