M.S. M245 The Computer School

ELA proficiency at 79.9% and math at 80.1% are well above the District 3 averages of 59.3% and 54.0% — roughly 20+ points ahead of typical peers. Math is the standout trajectory, climbing from 67.4% in 2016 to 80.1% in 2025, a steady upward march that reflects real instructional improvement. ELA has bounced in the high 70s to low 80s range with a one-year dip to 72.5% in 2024, now recovered to 79.9%. Grade 7 math is exceptional at 91.5%, the school's strongest grade-by-grade result.

The day-to-day feel here leans warm and orderly. Attendance at 93.6% is above the district's 90.4%, and discipline is light with just 5 suspensions last year and a 1% rate (a touch above district average but well within normal). The real story is in the staff culture: 100% of teachers trust their principal and rate instruction quality highly, with 99% reporting collegial trust among peers — rare numbers that suggest a stable, cohesive faculty. Parent satisfaction sits at 90%, also above district average, though the family survey response rate of 34% means these voices represent a self-selecting slice of the community.

Enrollment is 364 students across grades 6–8, with a demographic mix that's notably white (47%) compared to the city overall, alongside 30% Hispanic, 10% Black, 8% multiracial, and 4% Asian students. The economic need index of 30.5 indicates a relatively comfortable student body, though 22% of students have IEPs, showing real inclusion of students with disabilities. The neighborhood surrounding the school is one of Manhattan's wealthiest — high household incomes, low poverty — which shapes who tends to apply and get in through screened admissions.

The school sits in the Upper West Side's Central neighborhood, an affluent stretch of Manhattan where most adults hold a bachelor's degree, median household income is roughly $152,000, and homeownership is common despite a $1.5M median home value. Families with children make up about 17% of households — not a kid-saturated zone, but plenty of middle-schoolers live within walking distance. Poverty is low at 8.3%, and the surrounding blocks feel residential and stable.

Three subway options sit within a 6–7 minute walk: the 1 train at 79th Street, the 1/2/3 at 72nd Street, and the C/B at 72nd Street — giving families flexibility from uptown, the East Side, or Brooklyn.