At a Glance
A small, diverse elementary school with exceptional family-teacher relationships and zero suspensions, growing academically but battling chronic absenteeism
Families who prioritize a tight-knit school community with exceptional parent-teacher relationships over raw academic scores. Parents should be prepared to actively manage attendance — the chronic absenteeism rate suggests the school needs partnership to keep kids showing up. This works best for families who value the small-school feel, strong trust metrics, and a zero-tolerance approach to suspension, and who can navigate the East Village's particular urban tradeoffs around family density and environmental health factors.
- Near-perfect parent-teacher trust (95%) and principal trust (91%) — families feel genuinely heard
- Zero suspensions for three consecutive years despite serving a high-need population
- 100% of teachers report feeling safe at school, well above district average
- Strong PTA fundraising ($401/student) indicates active family engagement
- Small school feel with 247 total students across pre-K through 5th grade
- Chronic absenteeism at 63.9% is extraordinarily high — nearly two-thirds of students miss too much school
- Only 7 teachers responded to the climate survey — the 100% safety rating needs more data to be reliable
- Academic performance still trails district averages despite improvement
- Teacher survey response rate is too low to draw firm conclusions about staff experience
- Asthma and lead exposure rates in the neighborhood are above healthy thresholds
Based on 2024 data
School SummaryDistrict 1
Among its District 1 peers, Neighborhood School scores 64/100 — below the district's top performers like P.S. 184m Shuang Wen (87) and The East Village Community School (80), but tied with two other schools. The peer group includes some of the city's most sought-after unscreened options, making this school's position in the middle-lower tier notable but not surprising given its unscreened admissions. It falls below the district average ELA of 51.7%, though its climate and relationship metrics outshine many higher-performing peers.
Test scores have improved meaningfully — ELA climbed from 28.6% in 2016 to 44.1% in 2018, a 15-point jump — but the school still sits below the District 1 averages of 51.7% ELA and 47.4% Math. Class sizes match the district average at 21.2 students, so there are no size advantages to explain the gap. The trajectory is positive, suggesting the school is closing rather than widening the gap with peers.
The survey results paint a remarkably cohesive community. Parent-teacher trust hits 95%, parent-principal trust is 91%, and families report 100% 'strong relationships' — these numbers are exceptional and rare. Teachers give 100% on school safety and 89% on instruction quality, both above district averages. However, only 7 teachers completed the survey, which makes those glowing numbers statistically fragile. The discipline record is spotless: zero suspensions for three consecutive years.
The student body is 39% white, 36% Hispanic, 9% Black, 7% Asian, and 10% multiracial — notably more white than many District 1 schools, though the diversity index is a healthy 77%. About 24% of students have IEPs, slightly above typical. The East Village itself has only 6.6% households with children, making this a relatively child-sparse neighborhood, yet this school draws a substantial family population. PTA fundraising of $401 per student is well above the district average of $272, indicating engaged families with resources to contribute.
The East Village offers world-class transit (93rd percentile) and a vibrant cultural scene, but it's not designed for families — only 6.6% of households have children, and family-density scores reflect that. Safety scores are low (15th percentile), with elevated asthma rates and lead exposure concerns that any parent should factor in. Parks are accessible but competitive. The median home value over $1 million and low homeownership rate (14%) mean most families here are renters, and the 24.7% poverty rate signals economic diversity.
Families arrive primarily via the excellent transit options — this neighborhood has one of the city's highest transit scores. Walking is common given the urban grid, though the area's density and traffic (collision rate in the 77th percentile) require attention with young children.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 169 families responded (83% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Economic Need & Special Populations
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Neighborhood School a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for Neighborhood School yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in East Village.
- What grades does Neighborhood School serve?
- Neighborhood School serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into Neighborhood School?
- Neighborhood School admits by application through a random lottery, with no academic screen.
- Is Neighborhood School public, charter, or private?
- Neighborhood School is a public school in NYC Community School District 1.
- What neighborhood is Neighborhood School in?
- Neighborhood School is in East Village, Manhattan.
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