At a Glance
A high-performing, family-trusted Inwood public school where students test well above district averages
Best suited for
Families rooted in Inwood or upper Manhattan who want a high-performing, well-trusted neighborhood public school with strong math results and a calm, suspension-free culture — and who are comfortable with a predominantly Latino, high-need student body.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Math proficiency at 82.5% — among the strongest in District 6, with 7th graders hitting 97.5%
- Zero suspensions in 2023-24, even as the district average suspension rate is around 0.4%
- Near-perfect teacher-trust scores (teacher-principal trust at 100%) suggest unusually stable leadership
- A 100/100 program richness score, including unusual extras like Algebra I, Saturday Academy, and Spanish Language & Culture
- Parent satisfaction of 96% with an 80% family survey response rate — families here are highly engaged
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 66% is high and worth asking the school about directly
- Diversity index is low (14%) — families seeking a more mixed demographic environment may want to look elsewhere
- PTA fundraising is essentially zero ($160 total), so this school leans entirely on public funding rather than parent dollars
- The post-2019 dip-and-rebound pattern shows the school was affected by pandemic-era disruption even if it has fully recovered
- Class size of 21.9 matches the district average — don't expect unusually small classes
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 6
Among District 6 schools, Washington Heights Academy is one of the strongest public options, trailing only the well-known charters (Zeta and Success Academy) on program richness and outperforming most zoned schools. Its 3.14/4 overall score puts it well above the district average of about 1.98.
Academics
Both ELA (74.6%) and math (82.5%) proficiency far exceed the district averages of roughly 47% and 52%, respectively — a 27-point gap in ELA and a 30-point gap in math. The trajectory is the more striking story: ELA rose from 40.7% in 2016 to 74.6% in 2025, with math climbing from 44% to 82.5% over the same period. Results dipped during the 2022 disruption year but have rebounded and stabilized at a high level since. The school even offers Algebra I as an extracurricular, which is rare for elementary feeders.
Culture
The day-to-day feel here is unusually calm and connected. The school reported zero suspensions in 2023-24 — well below the district average — and teacher-principal trust sits at a perfect 100%. Parent-teacher trust (97%) and parent-principal trust (98%) are also exceptional, with 96% of families satisfied. The one flag worth naming is chronic absenteeism at 66% — about two-thirds of students miss 10% or more of school days, which is high even by citywide standards and could reflect family circumstance more than school culture. Attendance itself (91.1%) tracks right at the district average.
Community
The student body is 94% Hispanic, with small numbers of White, Asian, and Black students — a near-mirror reflection of Inwood's demographics. The economic need index of 82.6% means most students come from lower-income households, and 22% have IEPs. Despite that, the school's overall rating of 3.14/4 well exceeds the district average of about 1.98, suggesting a culture that supports a wide range of learners. ELL support is offered for the substantial share of newcomer students.
Neighborhood
Inwood is a working- and middle-class neighborhood at Manhattan's northern tip, with a median household income around $63,000 and a poverty rate of about 15%. Roughly 15% of households include children, and 40% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Homeownership is rare here — most residents rent — but the area has long anchored Dominican and broader Latino families who have shaped its civic life. It feels like a tight-knit, multigenerational community where schools often serve as neighborhood hubs.
The school is about a 4-minute walk from the 207 St (1 line) and Inwood-207 St (A line) stations, and roughly 6 minutes from Dyckman St (A line), making subway commuting straightforward for families from across upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 363 families responded (80% rate)
Programs & Activities
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Pre-K
Washington Heights Academy also has Pre-K classes. They're a separate application from kindergarten, made on MySchools.
Pre-K application
Applications typically open in the winter and close in the spring, with offers in late spring; the city announces exact dates each year.
Kindergarten
Washington Heights Academy doesn't have an attendance zone of its own, so living nearby doesn't guarantee a seat here. Families apply on MySchools, and seats go to the school's priority groups first, then by random lottery.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the kindergarten application.
- 2Rank this school with your zoned school, if you have one, and any others you'd take — in true preference order.
Middle school (6th grade)
Middle school is one citywide application, made in 5th grade. Washington Heights Academy admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:
- Washington Heights AcademyUnscreened49 seats
Middle school application
- Opened
- Wed, Oct 14
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 11
- Offers
- Wed, Apr 7
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the middle school application, in 5th grade.
- 2Unscreened programs fill by random lottery among the families who rank them.
- 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Washington Heights Academy a good school?
- On Motley, Washington Heights Academy earns an overall rating of 79/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 6 average.
- What grades does Washington Heights Academy serve?
- Washington Heights Academy serves grades Pre-K to 8.
- How do students get into Washington Heights Academy?
- Washington Heights Academy admits by application through a random lottery, with no academic screen.
- Is Washington Heights Academy public, charter, or private?
- Washington Heights Academy is a public school in NYC Community School District 6.
- What neighborhood is Washington Heights Academy in?
- Washington Heights Academy is in Inwood, Manhattan.