Motley
District 3131
PublicDistrict 31 →Unscreened

CSI High School for International Studies

100 ESSEX DRIVE

At a Glance

A highly selective international studies high school on Staten Island where every teacher earns top marks on instruction and global learning is the daily currency.

Best suited for

Families who want a humanities-and-languages-focused, globally themed high school for a self-motivated kid, and who can manage a Staten Island commute or live nearby. Best fit for students excited by AP coursework, world languages, and a calm, college-prep culture where discipline isn't a daily concern.

Overall Rating

92
Exceeding
Not MeetingApproachingMeetingExceeding
4-year graduation100
English Regents 70+92
Regents completion85

Rating = average of 4-year graduation, English Regents college-ready and Regents completion · DOE 2025 report

Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.

How this is scored→

What stands out

  • International studies curriculum anchored by Mandarin and Spanish language instruction
  • Extraordinarily selective — just 5.9% of the 1,326 applicants received an offer last year
  • 100% program richness score with rare offerings like Dragon Dance, Taiko Drumming, and Digital Photography
  • Zero suspensions recorded — an unusual mark of a calm, well-managed environment
  • 100% of teachers rated high on instruction quality, well above the district average

Things to consider

  • Admissions are highly competitive — applicants need a strong application to have a realistic shot at one of 76 seats
  • No subway access within walking distance means families need a reliable car, bus route, or commute plan
  • PTA fundraising is unusually low at about $13 per student, far below the district average of $141 — the school likely runs lean on family-raised dollars
  • Teacher survey participation was limited (26 respondents), so the staff-trust numbers carry a bit less weight than they'd appear to
  • Class size matches the district average — families looking for unusually small classes won't find that advantage here

Based on 2025 data

School SummaryDistrict 31

District 31 covers Staten Island, and within this borough CSI High School stands out as one of the more academically focused, selective options for families. The peer schools listed are all elementary schools, so direct apples-to-apples comparisons aren't available, but CSI's 100% program-richness score and 100% teacher-instruction rating place it firmly at the top end of borough offerings. Where most Staten Island schools serve neighborhood enrollment, CSI draws from across the borough — sometimes the city — for its international studies focus.

Academics

Steady

Academic specifics worth highlighting: 100% of teachers are rated as high quality on instruction — a notable distinction among NYC schools and well above the district average of roughly 93%. The school offers AP courses, a humanities-heavy program, and dual world languages in Mandarin and Spanish, anchored by an international studies theme. Class size matches the district average of about 23 students, meaning kids aren't getting unusually small classes here. With no published ELA or math proficiency figures in this dataset, the strongest signal of academic quality is the curriculum depth (100/100 program richness score) and the unusually strong teacher instruction rating.

Culture

strong

The climate here reads as unusually calm and trusting. Zero suspensions were recorded — well below the district rate of roughly 0.4% — and trust runs high across nearly every survey dimension: 95% of parents trust the principal, 93% trust teachers, and 100% of teachers rate their colleagues' instruction as strong. Teacher-principal and collegial trust sit at 88%, which is healthy though slightly behind the parent-side numbers. Worth flagging: only 26 teachers responded to the survey, which is a small sample, so the staff-side numbers are worth weighing with a grain of salt. Day-to-day, this looks like a school where adults cooperate, families feel heard, and discipline isn't a routine concern.

Community

The student body is more White than the typical NYC public school — 46% White, 23% Asian, 22% Hispanic, 7% Black — and that mix roughly mirrors the surrounding neighborhood, which is higher-income and homeowner-heavy. The school's diversity index of 74% places it solidly in the 'diverse but not highly mixed' range, with a clear majority-minority composition layered across multiple ethnic groups. About 18% of students have IEPs, and ELL support is part of the program, which signals the school serves a real range of learners even within its selective admissions frame.

Neighborhood

New Springville-Willowbrook-Bulls Head-Travis

New Springville-Willowbrook-Bulls Head-Travis is a family-anchored, homeowner-heavy pocket of Staten Island. Median household income is about $98,000, the poverty rate sits at 10.5%, and 76% of homes are owner-occupied — well above NYC norms. About a quarter of households have kids, and 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which tracks with the college-prep feel of the school itself.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk, so families here rely on cars, school buses, or local Staten Island public transit to get to campus. Plan the commute accordingly.

Survey Results

Family Feedback
Satisfaction
94%
Teacher Trust
93%
Principal Trust
95%
Relationships
n/a
Teacher Perspective
Instruction
100%
Principal Trust
88%
Collegial Trust
88%
Safety
n/a

NYC School Survey (2025) · 233 families responded (46% rate)

Programs & Activities

Academic(4)
AP CoursesHumanitiesMathScience
Arts(4)
Activities: Digital PhotographyDragon DanceDramaMusic Percussion
Sports(13)
BaseballBasketballCheerleadingCross CountryFencingFlag FootballIndoor TrackOutdoor TrackSoccerSoftballTennisVolleyballWrestling
STEM(1)
Media Tech
Language(3)
ELL SupportMandarinSpanish
Clubs & Activities(13)
Clubs: BookDrum CircleGender & Sexuality Alliance- Gsa (Lgbtq)GleeGuitarInternationalJournalismNational Honor SocietyPeer Leaders And TutoringSat PrepSenior LeadershipTaiko Drumming & UkuleleYearbook And Key

Admissions Demand

CSI High School for International StudiesHighly Competitive

CSI s rated a Well Developed school (NYCDOE Quality Review) featured on the prestigious 2016 Newsweek America's Top High Schools listings, NY Post's 2017 TOP 25 Best High Schools, and 2017/18 Blue Ribbon Nominated School. Accountability to quality of work, class participation, and sharp communication skills is heavily emphasized across the curriculum. Students have access to honors, AP class offerings, and college classes as they progress. All student work is carefully graded and assessed.

Seats76
Applicants1,326
Apps/Seat17.4
Offer Rate5.9%
Fill Raten/a

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Diverse
22%Hispanic/Latino
7%Black
46%White
23%Asian
1%Multi-Racial
1%Native American

NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23

PTA Fundraising

2024-25
$6,696
total raised
$13
per student

Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure

Discipline

0suspensions

NYSED Student & Educator Database

Economic Need & Special Populations

Economic Need Index
47.5%
IEP Students
18.2%

How to get in, step by step

High school (9th grade)

High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. CSI High School for International Studies admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:

  • CSI High School for International StudiesUnscreened

High school application

Opened
Tue, Oct 6
Closes
Fri, Dec 4
Offers
Wed, Mar 3

The DOE’s published dates.

  1. 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
  2. 2Unscreened programs fill by random lottery among the families who rank them.
  3. 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.

Open houses and tours

We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.

From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is CSI High School for International Studies a good school?
On Motley, CSI High School for International Studies earns an overall rating of 92/100 — the average of the school's four-year graduation rate, the share of its students scoring college-ready (70+) on the English Regents, and its Regents completion rate, shown out of 100.
What grades does CSI High School for International Studies serve?
CSI High School for International Studies serves grades 9 to 12.
How do students get into CSI High School for International Studies?
CSI High School for International Studies admits by application through a random lottery, with no academic screen.
Is CSI High School for International Studies public, charter, or private?
CSI High School for International Studies is a public school in NYC Community School District 31.
What neighborhood is CSI High School for International Studies in?
CSI High School for International Studies is in New Springville-Willowbrook-Bulls Head-Travis, Staten Island.