P.S. 199 Jesse Isidor Straus

Both ELA (85.7%) and math (85.5%) proficiency sit well above the district averages of 59.3% and 54.0% — a meaningful gap that puts P.S. 199 among the stronger zoned options in District 3. Scores have bounced around over the past decade, ranging from a 2017 low of 78.7% in ELA to a 2018 peak of 90% in math, with a notable dip in 2024 (73.9% ELA, 76.9% math) followed by a strong rebound in 2025. Performance is consistent across grades: grades 3, 4, and 5 all land between roughly 81% and 89% in both subjects, suggesting stable instruction rather than one strong cohort driving the numbers.

This is where P.S. 199 really shines. Every survey measure lands above district averages: parent satisfaction (95% vs. district 88%), parent-teacher trust (96%), teacher instruction quality (91% vs. 87%), teacher-reported safety (100%), and teacher collegial trust (100%). Zero suspensions in each of the past three years signals a calm, well-managed environment. In-session attendance at 93.4% is above the district's 90.4%. That said, the school's chronic absenteeism data shows striking disparities by race — Black and Hispanic students attend at meaningfully lower rates than their White, Asian, and Multiracial peers — a real equity gap worth flagging even though the overall climate reads as warm and well-run.

The student body of 546 is 59% White, 19% Asian, 7% Multiracial, 9% Hispanic, and 6% Black — a notably less diverse makeup than the city as a whole, reflecting the demographics of the surrounding Lincoln Square neighborhood. The economic need index of 16.3 is among the lowest in NYC, meaning very few students qualify for free lunch, which matches the surrounding census tract where median household income is $162K and the poverty rate is under 9%. IEP enrollment at 19% is healthy and slightly above the city average. The diversity index of 68% is moderate — the school is more homogeneous than the city, but with meaningful Asian and Multiracial representation.

P.S. 199 sits in the Upper West Side-Lincoln Square neighborhood, one of Manhattan's most family-friendly pockets. The surrounding census tract is affluent and well-educated: median household income tops $162,000, just 8.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and 83% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. About 15% of households include children, and homeownership sits at 37% with a median home value near $1.55 million — a neighborhood of co-op owners and long-term renters raising kids in a dense, walkable area.

Three subway stations are within easy reach — the 1/2/3 at 72 St (about a 3-minute walk), the 1 at 66 St-Lincoln Center (about 7 minutes), and the 1 at 79 St (about 10 minutes).