Sao Paulo, Brazil: Graded-The American School of Sao Paulo: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet

Graded – The American School of São Paulo was founded in 1920 and is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational school serving an international community of learners. As the oldest and largest American school in Brazil, Graded educates +/-1,300 students from pre-primary through grade 12. Graded’s diverse student body represents 42 nationalities. The school’s rigorous curriculum effectively prepares students to enter the world’s most competitive colleges and universities.

Organization: The school is divided into four divisions: pre-primary (ages 3-5), elementary (grades 1-5), middle school (grades 6-8), and high school (grades 9-12). Graded is governed by a self-perpetuating board of governors.

Curriculum: Graded School follows an American curriculum with instruction in English. The lower school encompasses a Montessori pre-primary program and an elementary school. All Graded high school graduates earn American high school diplomas. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, Graded offers the IB curriculum. High school students can pursue a full IB (IBDP) diploma or take IB certificate courses. Additionally, students have the opportunity to earn a Brazilian high school diploma. Graded is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the Brazilian Ministry of Education. The school is also a member of the American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and the American Montessori Society. Graded serves as a registered examination center for the IB, all College Board exams (SAT, SSAT, PSAT), and ACT. Moreover, the school’s Optimal Learning Service (OLS) supports students with special needs, and the English Language Learners (ELL) Program caters to non-native English speakers.

Faculty: In the 2023-2024 school year, Graded has 337 total staff including 171 teachers, 65 of whom are U.S. citizens, 63 host-country nationals, and 43 third-country nationals. Regarding the qualifications of the teaching faculty, excluding teaching assistants, the breakdown of teacher degrees was as follows: 6.4% held doctorate degrees, 56.3% held master’s degrees, and 37.3% held bachelor’s degrees.

Enrollment: At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, enrollment was 1,312. The student population includes 223 U.S. citizens, 643 host-country nationals, and 446 third-country nationals.  Students are distributed across the school’s divisions as follows: 572 students in the lower school, 297 in the middle school, and 443 in the high school. The top five nationalities represented are Brazil, United States, Republic of Korea, Mexico, and Spain.

Facilities: Situated in the Morumbi neighborhood, a high-density residential area of São Paulo, Graded’s campus boasts over 80 air-conditioned classrooms, recently refurbished science laboratories, a newly renovated auditorium, a student center, multiple gyms, a swimming pool, tennis courts, a running track, a beach volleyball court, soccer fields, numerous covered play areas, an innovation hub, innovation studio, science learning lab, and an impressive arts center. Additionally, there’s a newly renovated cafeteria where dedicated kitchen staff prepare fresh lunches daily. The Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ensures a seamless, device-agnostic network, allowing students, faculty, and staff to fully access Graded’s digital resources. Every classroom is equipped with audio and visual presentation systems and wireless network access. Other resources available include graphical and digital design software, 3D printers, video and audio recording systems, and publishing technologies. The Graded campus also features an infirmary staffed by four full-time nurses and a parking garage with space for over 500 cars.

Finances: For the 2023-2024 academic year, the school’s operational income primarily comes from tuition, accounting for approximately 97% of the total income. The annual tuition rates are as follows: Pre-primary to grade 5: BRL 10,963.00 and grades 6-12: BRL 13,606.00. These fees are paid monthly between July 2023 and June 2024. Additionally, there is a USD 300 registration fee and an entrance fee of USD 17,272 (equivalent to BRL 98,800) for the first child, with each subsequent sibling incurring a fee of USD 12,955 (equivalent to BRL 74,100). All annual tuition and fees are fixed and paid in the local currency (BRL), with fees quoted in US dollars at an exchange rate of 1 USD = 5.70 BRL.

Special Needs: Review the Special Needs Profile for this school to learn more about their capability to support students with exceptionalities.

This Fact Sheet is intended to provide general information. Prospective users of the schools may wish to inquire further of A/OPR/OS or contact the school directly for more specific and up-to-the-minute information. Information and statistics are current as of September 2023 and provided by the school.