JUDITH S. KAYE SCHOOL - D79

No state test proficiency scores are reported here — common for alternative programs serving students with significant learning needs. With 58% of students classified as IEP, compared to roughly 20% citywide, the school is built around students who require substantial support rather than competing on traditional academic metrics. The student body is so small (24 total across seven grades) that any single test result would carry little statistical meaning.

Zero suspensions during the reporting window is a notable data point, especially compared to the district average of roughly 0.7%. In a setting this small, with such a high proportion of students with IEPs, the absence of formal discipline suggests the school leans on relationships and individualized approaches rather than punitive measures. Survey-based metrics on trust, safety, and instruction quality are not reported, so day-to-day culture must be assessed through a visit rather than a dashboard.

This is a community in miniature — 24 students total, where every family likely knows every staff member by name. Half the students identify as Black and a third as Hispanic, with smaller numbers identifying as Asian, White, and Native American. The economic need index of 86.9 reflects a student body drawn largely from low-income families, mirroring the broader East Harlem (South) area around it.

East Harlem (South) is a working-class Manhattan neighborhood where median household income sits around $44,000 and nearly 30% of residents live below the poverty line. Only about 9% of households include children, and homeownership is rare at under 8%, reflecting a heavily renter population. The BA-or-higher education rate of 38% is below the citywide average, and the median home value of $828,171 reflects Manhattan's broader housing market more than local incomes.

The 96 St Q train is about a 2-minute walk, the 96 St 6 train about 7 minutes, and the 103 St 6 train roughly 10 minutes away — three subway options within easy reach.