Manhattan Charter School

Manhattan Charter's 48.5% ELA proficiency lands just a few points below the District 1 average of about 51.7%, and its 41.9% math proficiency sits further behind the district average of roughly 47.4%. The overall quality score of 1.81 out of 4 is also slightly below the district average of 1.98. Looking at the trajectory tells a more encouraging story: ELA dipped to 38.4% in 2022 but has climbed each year since, reaching 48.5% in 2025. Math has been more volatile — dropping to 28.2% in 2022 before partially recovering — and remains the weaker subject. One striking pattern is the gap between grade levels: fourth-graders score 64% in ELA and 60.7% in math, while third-graders score 35.3% and 30% respectively, suggesting instructional consistency varies as students move up.

The day-to-day feel here skews warm and trusting, at least according to the parents who responded. Parent-teacher trust is high at 92%, and parent-principal trust reaches 82%, suggesting families feel connected to the school. However, parent satisfaction at 79% trails the district average of about 88.5%, and teacher-reported instruction quality sits at 73% — well below the district average of 87.1% — which warrants attention. Attendance is the most pressing climate signal: a 79% attendance rate and 17.6% chronic absenteeism (rising to 20.9% among boys) are notably below district norms and worth weighing carefully. The caveat here is that only 10 families completed the survey — a 6% response rate — so survey results should be read as suggestive rather than definitive.

Manhattan Charter's student body is 63% Hispanic, 26% Black, 9% Asian, and 2% white, with an economic need index of 90.9 indicating most students come from low-income households. Twenty-six percent of students have IEPs, which is higher than typical and speaks to the school's role as a welcoming place for students with disabilities. The Lower East Side around it shares much of this character — median household income sits near $58,000 and the poverty rate is 23.1% — though the neighborhood is also home to many longtime residents and newer immigrant families who value bilingual and culturally responsive schooling.

The Lower East Side is one of Manhattan's most layered neighborhoods, blending generations of Puerto Rican and Dominican families with growing Asian and young professional populations. Median household income is about $58,035, the poverty rate runs 23.1%, and just 6.5% of households include children — meaning families with school-age kids are a smaller slice of the population here. The homeownership rate is low at 23.3%, with most residents renting, and the median home value of $833,574 reflects how rapidly the area has gentrified. Forty-four percent of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

The school is a quick walk from Delancey St-Essex St, served by the F train and the M, J, and Z lines, and East Broadway on the F is also reachable on foot. Multiple lines in close range make the commute flexible for families coming from different parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn.