At a Glance
A long-running K-12 charter anchoring central Harlem with a decade of academic gains — but a chronic absenteeism rate families should understand
Best suited for
Families — particularly Black and Hispanic households in central Harlem and the Bronx — who want a single K-12 charter pathway with a results-oriented academic culture and are comfortable with lottery admissions; less ideal for families worried about chronic absenteeism data or looking for highly diverse student body
Overall Rating
Grades 3–8
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
High school
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
- K-12 continuity on a single campus, so families don't face a middle or high school transition lottery
- ELA proficiency has nearly doubled since 2016, one of the more sustained improvement trajectories in the district
- Open lottery admissions open to all five boroughs, not zoned to a small catchment area
- Harlem Children's Zone wraparound model with on-site supports and parent engagement programming
- 426 family survey responses — among the highest participation rates in the district, suggesting unusually engaged parents
Things to consider
- Teacher-reported safety at 69% is well below the district's 89% average — ask how the school describes daily climate on a visit
- Chronic absenteeism of 86.6% is among the highest figures you'll see on any school report
- 3rd-grade math at 34% is a real concern for early elementary families and creates a wide grade-by-grade spread
- Science proficiency at 39% trails ELA and math
- Charter governance means admissions are by lottery and families accept reapplication risk between grades if waiting lists form
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 5
Promise Academy is one of the higher-performing options in District 5, performing above the district's 2.09 average score and well ahead of traditional peer P.S. 125 (79/100). It sits in a competitive cluster of Harlem charters alongside Harlem Village Academy West (96) and the Success Academy Harlem branches, each of which has its own distinctive approach and culture.
Academics
With 62% ELA proficiency and 62% math proficiency, Promise Academy lands meaningfully above the District 5 averages of roughly 54% ELA and 51% math. Both metrics have trended upward over the past decade — ELA climbed from 38% in 2016 to 62% in 2025, and math rose from 55% to 62% (with a peak of 74% in 2024 before pulling back). Grade-by-grade results show real variation: math proficiency ranges from just 34% in 3rd grade to 81% in 7th grade, suggesting uneven execution in early elementary years. Science proficiency at 39% is a relative weak spot, though science testing is reported at fewer grade levels.
Culture
Parents are notably happy here — 90% satisfaction, 92% parent-teacher trust, and 90% parent-principal trust are all robust numbers, and 426 family survey responses suggest real engagement. But the teacher signals tell a more complicated story: teacher-reported safety sits at 69%, well below the district average of 89%, which is something families should weigh seriously. Teacher trust in leadership (85%) and instructional quality (86%) are solid but not standout. The contrast between enthusiastic parents and more cautious teachers is worth asking about on a visit.
Community
The student body is 77% Black and 20% Hispanic, closely reflecting the surrounding central Harlem neighborhood. About 87% of students qualify as high economic need, 18% have IEPs, and average class size is 18.7, essentially identical to the district. The diversity index of 37% reflects a demographically concentrated student body rather than a heterogeneous mix — though that concentration is also the school's connection to its community.
Neighborhood
Central Harlem is a renter-majority neighborhood where the typical household earns about $54,700 a year, only 12.6% of homes are owner-occupied, and roughly 25% of residents live below the poverty line. About 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree and 10% of households include children, reflecting a mix of long-time renters, working families, and young professionals. The area has been steadily reinvesting over the past two decades, and $713,860 median home values reflect that pressure on buyers.
Three subway options are within walking distance: the 125 St station on the 2/3 (about 7 minutes) and the 125 St station on the A/C/B/D (about 6 minutes), with the 135 St station on the C/B roughly 9 minutes away — convenient for families coming from across Manhattan, the Bronx, or upper Brooklyn
Enrollment & applying
Enrollment availability is tracked from the school's published listings and refreshed daily. Confirm cycle dates on the school's own site before applying.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Science Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Science exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 426 families responded (37% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School a good school?
- On Motley, Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School earns an overall rating of 62/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 5 average. Its high school grades have their own rating, 74/100, from graduation and Regents results.
- What grades does Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School serve?
- Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School serves grades K to 12.
- How do students get into Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School?
- Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School is a charter school — it admits through a free public lottery, with no test or attendance zone.
- Is Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School public, charter, or private?
- Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School is a public charter school in NYC Community School District 5.
- What neighborhood is Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School in?
- Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School is in Harlem (North), Manhattan.