The Anderson School

Test scores here read like a misprint — 98.6% ELA and 97.4% math proficiency against a district average of 59% and 54%. But look deeper: this isn't a fluke. The school has maintained 95%+ proficiency in both subjects since at least 2016, with a slight math dip in 2022 (93.5%) that recovered to 97.4% by 2025. Grade-level data shows consistency across the K-8 span: Grade 6 hit 100% in both subjects, Grade 4 math hit 100%, and even the lowest-performing Grade 8 math cohort still hit 93%. That's not a cherry-picked average — it's sustained excellence across nearly 500 students. The program richness score of 34.7/100 suggests academics are the priority over bells-and-whistles programming.

The culture numbers are extraordinary: 95% parent satisfaction, 96% parent-teacher trust, 97% teacher-principal trust, and 94% teacher instruction quality. These aren't just high — they're among the highest in the city. Teacher-reported safety sits at 96%, well above the district average of 94%. Discipline is effectively non-existent: zero suspensions for two consecutive years after a single suspension in 2021-22. Attendance is exceptionally strong at 96% (district average is 90.4%), though chronic absenteeism data (94.8%) suggests some discrepancy between enrollment and day-to-day presence — possibly tied to the screened population's travel patterns or illness protocols. The day-to-day feel is one of mutual respect between families and staff, with teachers who trust leadership and parents who feel genuinely partnershipped with.

The student body is 45% White, 32% Asian, 8% Hispanic, 3% Black, and 13% Multi-Racial — notably more Asian and less Black/Hispanic than the surrounding neighborhood might suggest, likely a function of the screened admissions process. Economic need is very low at 13.6%, compared to a district that includes neighborhoods with significantly higher need. IEP students represent 10% — reasonable, though below what you'd expect in a truly inclusive setting. The diversity index of 71% is solid, and the PTA fundraising of $2,172 per student (nearly 3.5x the district average) signals a deeply engaged, high-resource parent community. This is a school where families have time, money, and cultural capital to invest in their children's education.

The Upper West Side is one of Manhattan's most family-friendly neighborhoods, scoring 98.47 percentile in family density and 94.64 in education orientation. Median household income of $151,940 and 80% BA+ education rate tell you everything about the demographic. Transit access is excellent (91.19 percentile), making the school reachable from much of Manhattan without a car. Safety scores are mixed (24.14 percentile) — this is a safe neighborhood for families but has typical urban crime density. Health environment scores (13.03 percentile) suggest some environmental concerns worth researching if your child has respiratory issues. There are ample parks, museums, and family resources nearby.

Highly walkable for Upper West Side residents. Families from nearby neighborhoods and those with commutes from other parts of Manhattan or Brooklyn will find the transit access strong (91st percentile) but should factor in travel time — this isn't a neighborhood school in the traditional sense.