Harbor Science and Arts Charter School

The school's 2025 scores show a split picture: ELA at 51.8% edges above the district average of 49.8%, while math at 40.5% falls below the district's 45.2%. Looking at the longer trend, there's been real improvement from the 2022-2024 period when math dipped as low as 17.6% and ELA hovered around 35-44%. The standout data is in middle school — 8th graders are performing at 61.9% in both subjects, and 6th grade ELA hits 61.9%, suggesting the upper grades have figured something out. However, the younger grades haven't yet shown the same trajectory, and the school is still working toward consistency across all grade levels.

Parent trust here is exceptional — 97% of families trust teachers, and a full 100% trust the principal, which is remarkable. That said, only 4% of families responded to the survey, so take those numbers with a grain of salt. Teacher-reported instruction quality (68.6%) falls below the district average of 87%, which may reflect the challenges of teaching in a school still building its academic program. Attendance is a real concern at 82.2% versus the district's 87.7%, with 32.8% of students chronically absent — notably higher for male students (37.7%) than female (26.2%). Parents should know that chronic absenteeism is a schoolwide issue that likely affects classroom momentum.

This is a high-need community: 87% of students qualify for free lunch, and 29% have IEPs. The student body is predominantly Black (48%) and Hispanic (47%), reflecting the neighborhood demographics. With only 210 students total and an average class size of 20, the school is small and intimate — families looking for a tighter community may find that appealing, though the small size also means limited extracurricular options.

East Harlem is a densely populated, family-focused neighborhood with strong public transit (80th percentile) but real safety concerns — the safety score of 12.26 places it in a lower percentile. The area has a high poverty rate (29.5%) and very low homeownership (7.8%), meaning most families rent. The education orientation score of 66% suggests this is a neighborhood where families are choosing to live for school access. Environmental health indicators show some concerns (elevated asthma rates, elevated lead risk), which is worth knowing for families with health sensitivities.

Well-served by transit with high walkability due to Manhattan density — families can typically reach the school via subway or bus without difficulty