East Harlem Scholars Academy Charter School

ELA proficiency at 41% runs about 9 points below the district average of roughly 50%, and math at 36.7% sits closer to 9 points below the district's 45.2%. The math trend is the more concerning story — what was a 62.7% proficiency rate in 2016 has eroded steadily to 36.7% in 2025, with a particularly sharp drop after 2021 that echoes pandemic-era disruptions but hasn't fully recovered. ELA has stayed in a tighter band, hovering between the high 30s and high 40s for nearly a decade. Grade-level breakdowns show 6th and 8th graders posting ELA proficiency in the low 50s while 3rd graders sit at 30% — so older students seem to find their footing, but the early elementary years are where the gap opens.

The climate numbers tell two very different stories depending on who you ask. Families rate satisfaction, trust in teachers, trust in the principal, and relationships with students all in the 90s, which is exceptional — parents feel genuinely connected here, even if only a small fraction actually fill out the survey (just 7% response rate). On the other side, teachers rate instruction quality at 62.8%, which is dramatically below the district average of 87.3%. That's a big gap and worth asking about. Attendance at 85.9% trails the district average of 87.7%, and chronic absenteeism at 44.8% means nearly half the students are missing enough school to be flagged — that's a real obstacle to academic growth regardless of what happens in the classroom.

The student body is 66% Hispanic and 26% Black, with small Asian, white, multiracial, and Native American populations rounding it out — a diversity index of 50%, which reflects two dominant groups rather than a wide mix. That makeup closely tracks the surrounding neighborhood, which is also predominantly Hispanic and Black. Twenty-nine percent of students have IEPs, notably higher than typical, and the economic need index of 86.3% places this firmly in the high-need category. With 874 students enrolled, it's a sizable charter — bigger than most — but still smaller than a zoned middle or high school.

East Harlem (South) is a working-class, family-rooted neighborhood where the median household income sits at about $44,000 and roughly three in ten residents live below the poverty line. Homeownership is rare at under 8%, with most families renting, and bachelor's-degree attainment hovers around 38%. It's a densely populated area where lots of households include kids, and the school sits embedded in that residential fabric rather than separated from it.

Families can reach the school via the 6 train at 103rd Street (about a 6-minute walk) or 110th Street (about 8 minutes), with the Q at 96th Street about 10 minutes away on foot.