Students attend school Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, and until 2:00 on Fridays and two Saturdays each month. The school year is a minimum of 200 days and students in need of additional individual support or required remediation attend school on additional Saturdays and during some vacations. Students who have not yet mastered the grade's content expectations will attend a mandatory Summer Opportunity Academy for a total of up to 33 additional "Opportunity Days" throughout the year. Taken in total, this additional time accounts for 75% more instruction each year and more than five years of additional learning compared to traditional public schools.

Our "work hard" philosophy drives the design of core academic curriculum at Democracy Prep, which is aligned to the 28 New York State Learning Standards and is based on our mission of having all students achieve college-preparatory academic success. We also have a “play hard” philosophy, in order to promote informed civic involvement and the joy of learning through field trips, elective courses, a rigorous art program, service learning, competitive math, debate, and sports teams, and much more.