STEPHEN GAYNOR SCHOOL

A child with a diagnosed or clearly suspected language-based learning difference whose family wants research-backed, specialist instruction in a supportive environment, has the financial resources, and is prepared to plan ahead for middle school.

• One of only a small number of schools nationally accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators, the leading credential for structured literacy instruction.
• Every student gets an individualized, multisensory program calibrated to their specific language-based learning profile rather than a one-size-fits-all classroom approach.
• The Gaynor Writing Program and Hochman Writing Method extend specialized, evidence-based instruction into written expression — a real weak point for many language-different learners.
• Math instruction uses Singapore Math and Stern Structural Arithmetic, both known for their structured, visual, and concept-building approach that complements the reading work.
• Parents consistently describe the home-school partnership as a defining feature of the experience, not just a marketing phrase.

• At $86,220 for 2025-26, tuition is at the very top of NYC's private elementary market and well beyond most families' budgets.
• This is a specialized school, not a general elementary program — admission typically requires documentation of a language-based learning difference, and a child without one would not be the right fit here.
• Programs end at fifth grade, so families need a thoughtful middle school transition plan in place by the upper elementary years.
• A small number of parent reviews raise concerns about the volume of nightly homework, worth asking the admissions team about directly.
• Because the population is so specific, your child's peer group will mostly be other kids with similar profiles — a positive for some families, a limitation for others.