At a Glance
A small, specialized ABA program wrapped in a school day for young learners
Best suited for
Families of young children (pre-K through early elementary) with autism spectrum disorder or related developmental needs who want intensive, integrated ABA-based intervention delivered in a school-day structure on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
What stands out
- ABA-1:1 and ABA-2:1 classroom models with data-driven, individualized instruction
- Speech-language therapy and occupational therapy fully integrated into the school day, not treated as add-ons
- Transdisciplinary team approach that coordinates ABA clinicians, therapists, and families around one plan per child
- Very low student-to-staff ratio (about 8:1 overall, and much lower inside the classroom)
- Rolling admissions — families do not have to wait for a fall entry point
Things to consider
- This is a specialized therapeutic program, not a general academic curriculum school — families looking for a traditional progressive or college-prep elementary should look elsewhere
- Cost is a recurring theme in parent reviews; specialized staffing at these ratios is expensive
- Small enrollment and a clinical focus mean limited exposure to a broad neurotypical peer group
- Services are concentrated in early childhood and lower elementary; families will need to plan for transitions out of the program as children age
- Because admission is rolling and cohort-based, the social community is shaped more by treatment timing than by grade
Identity
A therapeutic early-childhood and elementary program organized around Applied Behavior Analysis, with speech and occupational therapy embedded in the school day rather than delivered as pull-out services.
Community
A deliberately small program — 103 students total across six grade levels — which means the community is more like a clinical cohort than a traditional school body. Families tend to be navigating similar developmental journeys.
Neighborhood
The school sits on the Upper West Side, in a census tract area with a median household income of about $152,000 and a bachelor's-degree attainment rate over 80% — one of the most affluent, well-educated pockets of Manhattan.
Subway access is excellent: the 96 St stop on the 1/2/3 lines is about a four-minute walk, and the 96 St stop on the C/B lines is roughly five minutes away; the 86 St C/B station is about ten minutes on foot.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews - some parents praise highly trained staff and tailored approach while others cite concerns about cost and administration
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Upper West Side (Central).
- What grades does MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER serve?
- MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER?
- MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER public, charter, or private?
- MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER is a private school.
- What neighborhood is MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER in?
- MANHATTAN CHILDREN'S CENTER is in Upper West Side (Central), Manhattan.