M.S. M247 Dual Language Middle School

Test scores here lag behind District 3 averages — ELA proficiency of 53.6% falls below the district's 59%, and math at 34.3% is significantly behind the 54% district average. However, the data reveals a more nuanced story: Grade 8 students perform considerably stronger in ELA (63.8%), suggesting the dual-language model may be helping older students reach fluency and comprehension gains. Math has been inconsistent, fluctuating between 33% and 44% over recent years without a clear upward trajectory. The overall 1.76/4 quality score reflects these challenges, landing below the district average of 2.27.

This is where the school genuinely shines in the data. Parent satisfaction sits at an exceptional 96%, with trust in both teachers (96%) and the principal (99%) near the top of any school in the city. Teachers report 94% instruction quality. Yet there's a notable gap: teacher collegial trust is only 59%, and the teacher survey had just 23 responses — too small a sample to draw firm conclusions. Chronic absenteeism is high at 53.8%, well above the district average, which may reflect the challenges of a highly mobile immigrant population. Discipline is minimal with just one suspension last year.

The student body is 94% Hispanic, with the remaining 6% split among white, Asian, Black, and multi-racial students. This is an almost entirely Hispanic school in a neighborhood that is only 16% Hispanic according to census data — meaning this school is serving a community largely separate from the affluent, highly educated (80% BA+) residents who dominate the Upper West Side. Twenty-four percent of students have IEPs, and the economic need index of 82% confirms this serves a high-need population despite its wealthy zip code.

The Upper West Side is a family-oriented neighborhood with excellent transit (91st percentile), tons of families with children, and strong education orientation. However, safety scores are concerning (24th percentile), and the health environment is poor (13th percentile), with elevated asthma rates and air quality issues. Median home values exceed $1.5 million, and most residents have college degrees. The school sits in a world that looks very different from the one most of its students go home to.

Families can walk to school from much of the Upper West Side, and the neighborhood's high transit score means subways and buses are accessible. However, the disparity between neighborhood affluence and student family resources means many students may commute from farther-flung areas.