At a Glance
A small, faith-rooted elementary school weaving Islamic values into project-driven learning in East Harlem
Best suited for
Muslim families or values-aligned households seeking a small, faith-rooted elementary education for young children who want personal attention, a diverse community, and don't need the breadth of a larger school.
What stands out
- A student-teacher ratio of 8.6:1 that allows for unusually individualized attention at the elementary level.
- Tuition set at a flat $12,900 — modest by Manhattan private school standards and refreshingly straightforward.
- Arabic and Quranic studies are integrated alongside project-based learning, outdoor education, and community service rather than treated as separate tracks.
- A highly diverse student body with families from multiple ethnic and cultural backgrounds, reflected in a 0.87 diversity index.
- Cognia accreditation provides external academic accountability for a small faith-based program.
Things to consider
- With 138 students spread across seven grades, each cohort averages around 20 children — a limited peer pool compared with larger schools.
- The school's mission is explicitly rooted in Islamic values, which is a clear strength for some families and a mismatch for others.
- Small schools typically offer fewer extracurriculars, athletic teams, and specialty electives than larger competitors.
- The data does not indicate financial aid availability, which matters given the surrounding neighborhood's income profile.
- East Harlem offers an easy subway commute but lacks the immediate commercial amenities of some Upper East or Upper West Side school zones.
Identity
The school grounds its program in Islamic values, fostering ethical thinking, a love of learning, and what it describes as children's innate humanity. It is coed and serves elementary-age students from pre-K through fifth grade. The school's stated religious affiliation in the data is listed as Church of God, though its mission, name, and programming are explicitly rooted in Islamic teachings.
Community
The student body reflects significant ethnic diversity, with Asian students making up the largest share at about 45%, followed by Black students (31%) and White students (17%). Roughly 7% identify as multiracial or other backgrounds, and a diversity index of 0.87 places this among the more diverse private elementary options in the city. The community likely draws Muslim families of varied cultural heritage alongside other families who connect with the school's values and approach.
Neighborhood
The school sits in East Harlem, a working-class Manhattan neighborhood shaped by longtime residents, immigrant communities, and ongoing change. The area's median household income and poverty rate reflect a community with real economic diversity rather than the affluence of many other private school neighborhoods. It's a neighborhood with deep cultural roots and a strong sense of local identity.
Transit is genuinely convenient — the 96 St Q stop is roughly a 2-minute walk, the 96 St 6 train about 4 minutes away, and the 103 St 6 stop about 8 minutes on foot.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Parent review on school website describes daughter thriving academically and spiritually in a supportive community
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in East Harlem (South).
- What grades does ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL serve?
- ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL?
- ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL in?
- ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER SCHOOL is in East Harlem (South), Manhattan.