Storefront Academy Harlem Charter School

Test scores here are below the District 4 averages — 43% in ELA versus the district's 50%, and 35% in math versus 45%. The scores have seesawed over the past three years, with ELA dipping to 36% in 2024 before bouncing back to 43% in 2025. This isn't a school that's trending upward in a clear direction; it's more like a school that's holding steady at a below-average mark. The economic need index of 91% means these kids are coming from high-poverty backgrounds, which affects performance, but other schools in similar conditions are doing better.

Here's where the picture gets interesting. Parent satisfaction is 95% — higher than the district average of 91% — and trust numbers are off the charts: 100% of parents trust both teachers and the principal. Teachers give their own instruction quality a 92% rating (above district average) and report 97% safety in the building. That said, there's a tension: chronic absenteeism is a massive 46%, way above what's healthy. That's nearly half the kids missing significant school time, which drags down the academic program and makes consistent learning hard. Only 7 teachers responded to the survey, so take the teacher numbers with a grain of salt — they're based on a very small sample.

This is a nearly all-minority school in a neighborhood that's also predominantly low-income and working-class. The student body is 71% Black, 22% Hispanic, 4% Native American, and just 1% white, with 0% Asian enrollment. Nearly a third of students (32%) have IEPs, and 91% qualify for free lunch — this is a high-need population. The school reflects its East Harlem community in many ways, but it's quite a bit smaller than typical district schools and operates under charter governance.

East Harlem is a densely populated, transit-rich neighborhood where families are everywhere — the family density score of 93 is among the highest in the city. It's also a neighborhood with real challenges: the safety score is low at 9.6 out of 100, and environmental health indicators show concerns like elevated lead rates and high asthma rates. But it's walkable, the subway is accessible (transit score of 83), and there's a strong community feel. For families, the tradeoffs are typical of urban neighborhoods in transition.

East Harlem is highly walkable, and the transit score of 83 means subways and buses are easy to access. Families in the neighborhood can likely walk or take short bus rides.