P.S. 046 Arthur Tappan

P.S. 046's test scores land below the district average in ELA (40.9% vs. 53.9%) and roughly at the average in math (49.8% vs. 50.7%), but the trajectory is the real story. Math proficiency jumped from 8.5% in 2016 to 49.8% in 2025 — a dramatic climb, with 2024 (41.8%) and 2025 (49.8%) showing particularly steep gains. ELA has followed a similar pattern, rising from 14.5% to 40.9% over the same period. The 8th-grade class posted the strongest ELA results (53.1%) and 7th-grade math hit 64.5%, suggesting older students are increasingly well-prepared. The school carries an overall quality score of 1.81 out of 4, below the district average of 2.09, but the trend line points firmly upward.

The day-to-day feel at P.S. 046 is shaped by an extraordinary level of family and staff buy-in. Parent satisfaction sits at 99%, parent-teacher trust at 100%, and parent-principal trust at 99% — all far above the district averages of around 91% for satisfaction. Teachers rate the quality of instruction at 99% and collegial trust at 93%, suggesting a collaborative staff. The softer spots: teacher-reported safety is 83% (below the district's 88.85%), and 47.3% of students are chronically absent, well above typical levels. Discipline is trending in a better direction — suspensions dropped from 14 in 2022-23 to 5 in 2023-24, a meaningful improvement even as the suspension rate (2%) remains slightly above the district's 1.21%.

With 479 students, P.S. 046 is a mid-sized zoned school where the student body is roughly 50% Black and 45% Hispanic, with small percentages of White, Asian, and Native American students. The diversity index of 51% reflects a fairly concentrated demographic rather than a highly mixed one. About a third of students have IEPs, and the school offers ELL support, meaning classrooms include a wide range of learners. The neighborhood context — a median household income around $54,700 and a 25.5% poverty rate — shapes the families walking through the door.

P.S. 046 is located in North Harlem, a neighborhood where the median household income is around $54,700 and about a quarter of residents live below the poverty line. Homeownership is low (12.6%), reflecting a largely renter population, and only about 10% of households include children — meaning families with school-age kids are a relative minority in the area. Roughly 36% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The surrounding blocks are a mix of pre-war apartment buildings along Frederick Douglass Boulevard and the wider Harlem residential fabric.

The 155 St station (B and D lines) is about a 3-minute walk away, and the 155 St C train stop is roughly 6 minutes on foot. The Harlem-148 St 3 train is about a 10-minute walk, giving families a few subway options for the commute.