Sixth Avenue Elementary School

Sixth Avenue Elementary outperforms the District 2 average on both ELA (86.1% vs. 73.2% district) and math (77.2% vs. 72.5% district), earning an overall 3.27/4 compared to the district's 2.91. The school's test scores show volatility over the past several years — climbing from the mid-70s to the mid-80s in ELA, with a notable jump to 86.1% in 2025 — suggesting either genuine improvement or the effects of a strong cohort moving through the grades. Grade 5 students stand out with 95.7% ELA proficiency, indicating strong upper-elementary preparation.

The school's climate data tells a complicated story. Families report exceptionally high trust — 97% parent-teacher trust and 96% parent-principal trust — and 99% of teachers report feeling safe at school. Student relationships are described as strong by 98% of families. However, only 67% of teachers rate instruction quality as strong (compared to the district average of 89.8%), and teacher-principal trust sits at 71%, suggesting tension between staff and leadership that families may not perceive. The chronic absenteeism rate of 80.6% is extraordinarily high — among the highest in the city — and cuts across almost all demographic groups, suggesting systemic challenges with attendance engagement rather than subgroup-specific issues.

The student body is notably less diverse than the district overall: 60% White, 17% Multi-Racial, 12% Hispanic, 9% Asian, and 2% Black. This contrasts with the district's more diverse composition and may reflect the neighborhood's demographics. Economic need is low at 15.7%, and PTA fundraising reaches $669 per student — well above the district average of $517, indicating a community with significant resources to contribute. At 342 students across grades PK-5, the school is small enough for personal attention but large enough for a full program.

The school sits in Midtown South-Flatiron-Union Square, one of Manhattan's most transit-rich and affluent neighborhoods. Median household income is $171,008 with a median home value of $1.66 million, and 81.4% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher. Transit access is near-perfect at 99.62, making commutes easy for working families. However, only 9.2% of households have children, meaning the neighborhood is less family-oriented than many other parts of the city — families here are the exception rather than the norm. Safety scores are low (6.51/100), reflecting the area's heavy foot traffic and urban density rather than actual crime rates.

The neighborhood's transit score of 99.62 makes this highly accessible by subway, and the zoned catchment means most families walk or take short bus rides. Parking is extremely difficult for those driving.