Tag Young Scholars

These numbers are exceptional. At 98.2% ELA proficiency and 96.3% math proficiency, Tag Young Scholars outperforms the District 4 averages (49.8% and 45.2%) by roughly 50 percentage points in each subject. The overall score of 3.89/4 is more than double the district average of 1.90/4. Scores by grade are remarkably consistent — every tested grade lands above 91% in both subjects, with grade 5 hitting a perfect 100% in ELA and grade 3 hitting 100% in math. The trend line over the past decade shows steady improvement from the low 90s in 2016 to the high 90s today, with ELA hitting an all-time high this year. This is a school where students are performing well above grade level, not just meeting state standards.

The day-to-day feel here is calm and structured. Attendance runs at 95.5%, well above the district average of 87.7%, suggesting families are committed and students rarely miss school. Discipline is almost nonexistent — just one suspension across the 2023-24 school year, with zero in the two years prior. Parent satisfaction is high at 93% (slightly above the district's 91%), and parent-teacher trust is strong at 94%, which lines up with the PTA's robust fundraising ($482 per student, more than four times the district average). One number worth flagging: teacher-reported safety sits at 80%, below the district average of 87%. That's not a red flag — discipline data tells you things are calm — but teachers' perception of the environment is worth asking about during a visit. Teacher trust in instruction quality (83%) is also slightly below the district average (87%), though teacher collegial trust is solid at 88%.

The student body looks quite different from the surrounding neighborhood. About half the students are Asian (49%), with another 18% White, 11% Black, 13% Hispanic, and 8% multiracial. That composition reflects a citywide G&T draw — many families apply from outside the immediate area. The East Harlem census tract shows a median household income around $44,000, a 29.5% poverty rate, and a 7.8% homeownership rate, with only 8.6% of households including children. The school's economic need index of 34 is well below the citywide average, and only 6% of students have IEPs — lower than most schools — which is worth noting for families whose children need significant special education support.

Tag Young Scholars sits in a stretch of East Harlem where about 30% of residents live below the poverty line and the median household income is around $44,000, though home values reflect the broader Manhattan market at a median of $828,000. Just over a third of adults nearby hold a bachelor's degree. The school pulls families from well beyond the immediate census tract — anyone with a 5-year-old applying to G&T citywide might end up here — but for families who do live nearby, the commute is genuinely easy by subway.

Three subway options on the 6 line: the 110 St stop is about a 4-minute walk, 103 St is roughly 7 minutes, and 116 St is around 9 minutes away.