It houses 550 students in grades kindergarten through high school.

In 1991 New Visions for Public Schools (originally named "The Fund for New York City Public Education"), in conjunction with then-Chancellor Joseph Fernandez,[5] issued an RFP asking community groups to submit proposals for innovative schools.

[7] The school opened with 130 students, grades 4–7, in September 1993, in one wing of JHS 204 in Long Island City.

In 1995, it expanded to grades K and 6–9, and moved to the site of the St. Patrick's parish school which had closed the prior year.

[8] In 1996, it expanded to grades K–10 and moved into a permanent leased space on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights, then became Renaissance Charter School, one of the first five charter schools in New York, in 2000.