P.S. 028 Wright Brothers

Proficiency sits below the district average — 39.5% in ELA versus the District 6 average of 47%, and 46.2% in math versus 52% — but the trajectory is the real story. Scores bottomed out during the pandemic years (21.4% ELA in 2022, just 13.9% math) and have since climbed steadily, with the 2025 numbers representing the school's highest marks in nearly a decade. The gap with the district is closing rather than widening, which is meaningful for families weighing year-over-year progress over a single snapshot.

Parents feel genuinely heard here: 98% report trusting their child's teacher and 96% trust the principal, with 93% satisfied overall — numbers that match or beat District 6 averages. Teachers rate the quality of instruction highly at 94% but show a noticeable trust gap with school leadership (76%), a tension worth probing. The big caveat is attendance: only 89.9% of students attend regularly, and 58.6% are chronically absent — meaning more than half miss enough school to threaten their progress. On the bright side, the school has reported zero suspensions for three straight years, which is a marker of a calm, well-managed environment.

P.S. 028's student body is 78% Hispanic and 16% Black, reflecting the predominantly Latino neighborhood that surrounds it. The school serves a high-need population — 89.8% of students meet the economic need index, and 28% have IEPs — but the diversity index of 38% reflects the fact that most students share a common cultural background rather than representing many different ones. Families here tend to stay in the area long-term, and the school's strong parent survey response (205 families) suggests an engaged community despite modest fundraising ($21 per student, well below the $52 district average).

Washington Heights (South) is a working-class, family-rooted stretch of upper Manhattan where most residents rent rather than own — only 8% of households are homeowners — and the median household income sits around $55,786. About a third of adults hold a bachelor's degree, and roughly 9% of households include children under 18. The neighborhood runs on subways and foot traffic, with the C train at 155th Street essentially at the school's doorstep and the 1 and B/D lines a short walk away. It's a transit-rich, densely settled area where most families rely on public transit for everything from school runs to groceries.

The school is exceptionally well-connected: the C train at 155th Street is about a two-minute walk, the 1 at 157th Street about five minutes, and the B/D at 155th Street also about five minutes.