P.S./I.S. 217 Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island's math proficiency of 76.5% sits about 4 points above the District 2 average of 72.5%, and the trend line is clearly upward — from 57.9% in 2016 to 76.5% in 2025. ELA proficiency at 71.8% is essentially at the district average of 73.2%, and the trajectory has been more uneven, climbing into the low 70s before dipping slightly in 2025. Science proficiency is 65.4%, a middling figure worth asking about. The grade-level breakdown tells an interesting story: grades 3 through 5 post strong results (Grade 5 math hits 87.8%), but scores soften noticeably in 6th and especially 7th grade — where ELA drops to 42.9% and math to 55.2% — before rebounding in 8th. That middle-school dip may reflect cohort size or a transition challenge worth probing on a tour.

Day-to-day, this school feels orderly and family-connected. Teacher-reported instruction quality is 96%, well above the district's 89.8%, and parent satisfaction sits at 92%, matching the district average. Parent-teacher trust (95%) and parent-principal trust (91%) are both strong, and 89% of families report strong relationships — a real signal that this is a community where parents feel heard. The school also reports zero suspensions in 2023-24, with only one in the prior year, which is striking for a K-8. Two softer spots are worth flagging: teacher-principal trust is only 81% (the lowest of the survey dimensions), and teacher-reported safety is 92%, a few points below the district's 95.3%. Attendance is 93.6%, better than the district's 91.95%, though the chronic absenteeism figure reported is unusually high and worth asking the school to explain — it doesn't square with the strong attendance rate.

The student body mirrors Roosevelt Island's affluence: 36% White, 33% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 9% Black, and 5% multiracial. The economic need index of 21.2% is among the lowest in the district, signaling relatively few students from low-income households. Thirteen percent of students have IEPs, and ELL support is available. Screened admissions and the island's geographic isolation mean the community is small and self-selecting — 688 students total, with an average class size of 25.8, very close to the district norm. The 76% family survey response rate is a healthy sign that parents here actually engage with school communications.

Roosevelt Island sits in a slice of the Upper East Side-Lenox Hill-Roosevelt Island area defined by high-income, highly educated households. Median household income is roughly $138,621, the poverty rate is 8%, and 80% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher — figures well above the citywide averages. Only 18.5% of households have children, reflecting the neighborhood's mix of professionals, retirees, and graduate students. Homeownership is low at 28.3%, with a median home value above $1.2 million, meaning many families here rent. The island itself is a distinct pocket — quiet, residential, and physically separated from the rest of Manhattan — which shapes both the school's catchment and its community feel.

Getting here means a deliberate commute. The closest option is Roosevelt Island station on the M line, about a 9-minute walk from the school. The 7 train at Vernon Blvd-Jackson Heights and the G train at 21 St are both around 16 minutes on foot, crossing into Queens via the nearby bridges. The F train is not listed among the closest stations.