The Shuang Wen Academy Network (SWAN NYC) is a 501-C3 non-profit organization based in New York City. The proposed mission of SWAN during its inception was the "development of dual language and dual cultural identities for...its students."


According to Manta.com, "Shuang Wen Academy Network in New York, NY is a private company categorized under Outreach Program. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $1,100,000 and employs a staff of approximately 30."
From 1996 to 2011 the program has operated P.S.184M's large after-school dual-language English/Chinese program. It's student population measures at over 750 students in the program served each year aged Kindergarten through Eighth grade. In conjunction with the public school SWAN earned the a Federal Blue Ribbon Award, demonstrating program excellence as assessed by the No Child Left Behind Act. Furthermore, over 70% of the students served by SWAN's programming came from economically disadvantaged families.

As a case in education policy, SWAN and P.S.184M demonstrates that committed programming to dual-language learning highly influences basic reading and math scores. The following metrics demonstrate the impact of SWAN programming, until 2011, making PS184M one of the highest performing public schools in New York City:

Statistics:

Reading scores: 83.5%
Math scores: 97.7%

Enrollment: 683

Attendance: 99%

Free lunch: 78%

Overcrowding: 64%

Admissions: unzoned; priority to District 1

Ethnicity %: 8 W | 5 B | 5 H | 80 A


SWAN has operated since 1996 started by the New York City Department of Education (DOE), New Visions for Public Schools and the New York State Board of Regents to create and operate the dual-language Chinese program at Public School 184M, The Shuang Wen School. It was founded by Jacob Wong, a retired principal and Chairperson of the New York Chinese Educators Committee, and other members of New York's Chinatown community. The seed money for SWAN was provided by the Fund for New York City Public Education.

In 2010, SWAN experienced funding problems when the City's education budget was impacted by the economic downturn. Concerns at PS184M, its partner school, were exacerbated by a number of issues, such as DOE investigation into school practices, between summer 2010 and Fall of 2011 eventually leading to the dismissal of Principal Ling Ling Chou, the primary administrator of the both SWAN and PS184M since 1996.

The transitioning of Principal Chou was met with outrage, however, by the school's parent community inciting demonstrations and a parent-led lawsuit launched against the New York City Department of Education citing racist intent.