At a Glance
A career-focused arts high school with exceptional family trust and zero suspensions, where students audition to enter specialized fashion and design pathways
Families whose teenagers are passionate about fashion, design, photography, or visual arts and want a specialized career-focused pathway within a public school. Students who thrive in audition-based, creative environments with strong teacher relationships will do well here. It's particularly well-suited for families who prioritize trust and safety culture over PTA fundraising or traditional academic prestige markers.
- Audition-based admissions ensuring a motivated, arts-committed student body
- Zero suspensions — a remarkable discipline record for a large high school
- Near-universal parent trust scores (97% parent-principal trust)
- 100/100 program richness score with dedicated fashion, photography, and business pathways
- 21% of students have IEPs — indicating strong special education support within a specialized school
- No standardized test data available, so academic performance cannot be directly compared to district peers
- PTA fundraising is minimal ($176 total, $0 per student) — far below district average of $517 per student, suggesting limited parent fundraising infrastructure
- The school serves a high-need population (76.5% economic need index) — families should understand the socioeconomic diversity
- Audition process may not be the right fit for students seeking a traditional comprehensive high school experience
- Neighborhood safety scores are low (21.46) — typical for urban Manhattan but worth considering
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 2
Among District 2's peer schools — which include highly competitive options like P.S. 77 Lower Lab (99/100), Success Academy charters (95-96/100), and P.S. 290 (95/100) — this school occupies a distinctive niche as a career and technical arts school. Without test score data, direct comparison is difficult, but the exceptional trust scores and zero-suspension record suggest strong family and staff satisfaction that rivals top-performing peers.
Standardized test scores were not available for this school, making it difficult to directly compare academic performance to district averages of 73% ELA and 73% math proficiency. However, the school's selective audition-based admissions process suggests a academically motivated student body. The program offers AP Courses alongside CTE (Career and Technical Education) pathways in fashion and business, combining college prep with industry-relevant skills.
This is where the school truly stands out: parent satisfaction hits 94%, parent-principal trust reaches an exceptional 97%, and teacher instruction quality scores 93%. There were zero suspensions recorded, indicating a discipline environment focused on support rather than exclusion. Teacher collegial trust (93%) and teacher-principal trust (88%) both run high, suggesting strong leadership that staff believe in. The family survey response rate of 32% (444 responses) provides solid representative feedback, and the absence of any suspensions signals a school where students feel connected and behavior is managed constructively.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic (57%) and Black (31%), with a diversity index of 58%. Twenty-one percent of students have IEPs, and the economic need index sits at 76.5% — notably higher than many District 2 peers, reflecting a population that includes many families navigating financial challenges. The school draws from across the city via audition, so students come from diverse neighborhoods, bringing varied perspectives to the specialized arts community.
Chelsea-Hudson Yards is a transit-rich, increasingly family-oriented Manhattan neighborhood with an education orientation score of 86.59 (very high). The area has excellent subway access (74.33 transit score), though it's known more for its young professional population than its family density (only 6.4% of households have children). There are parks, galleries, and the High Line nearby, plus access to the Hudson River greenway. The neighborhood scores low on safety (21.46) and health environment (11.11), suggesting parents should be aware of typical urban considerations.
Highly walkable with excellent subway access — families from across Manhattan and beyond can reach the school via the 1, F, M, C, E, R, and W trains that serve the 23rd Street and 28th Street stations nearby
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 444 families responded (32% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
This program exposes students to computer graphics, painting, digital and black and white photography, illustration, graphic design and video production. Students are prepared for internships and the skills needed for completing a college admissions portfolio. There is a photography lab on school premises. Students collaborate with professional artists, exhibit their work at museums and attend workshops at FIT, Parsons, Copper Union, PRATT, School of Visual Arts, and New York City Tech.
This program is a comprehensive course of study where students are offered hands-on instruction in the process, skills, and language of Fashion Design from concept through production. Students collaborate with industry partners who help guide them. Classes in the program include Beginner & Advanced Fashion Illustration, Beginner & Advanced Garment Construction, Draping, Pattern Making, and Portfolio Development. Students will be able to produce a college admission portfolio.
This program is designed to develop student skills in visual display, store planning and marketing. Classes include: Introduction to Business Marketing, Introduction to Visual Merchandising, Beginner & Advanced Computer Applications, Business Law, Business Marketing Tools, Techniques, & Lab, Window Display and Exhibition Design, Fashion Buying & Marketing, and Entrepreneurship.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Economic Need & Special Populations
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is The High School of Fashion Industries a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for The High School of Fashion Industries yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades 9 to 12 in Chelsea-Hudson Yards.
- What grades does The High School of Fashion Industries serve?
- The High School of Fashion Industries serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into The High School of Fashion Industries?
- The High School of Fashion Industries admits by audition — applicants are judged on a performance, portfolio, or talent area.
- Is The High School of Fashion Industries public, charter, or private?
- The High School of Fashion Industries is a public school in NYC Community School District 2.
- What neighborhood is The High School of Fashion Industries in?
- The High School of Fashion Industries is in Chelsea-Hudson Yards, Manhattan.
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Economic Need & Special Populations
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Discipline
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