At a Glance
A specialized elementary school where students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences find expert, evidence-based instruction.
Best suited for
Families of elementary-age children with dyslexia or language-based learning disabilities who want expert, evidence-based instruction in a small, supportive Manhattan setting.
What stands out
- Highly specialized mission serving students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities — one of the few NYC schools built entirely around this population.
- Research-grounded instructional approach including the PAF program, an Orton-Gillingham-based reading and spelling curriculum delivered multisensory and explicit.
- Low 8.5:1 student-teacher ratio across 340 students, allowing genuinely individualized instruction.
- Integrated Social Emotional Learning program that treats the whole child, not just the academic profile.
- Direct instruction model that emphasizes explicit, systematic teaching rather than discovery-based methods.
Things to consider
- Tuition is $79,600 — among the higher elementary tuitions in the city and a serious financial commitment.
- This is a specialized school, so it's a fit for students with diagnosed learning differences rather than a general elementary option.
- Student body demographics skew heavily white (77.6%) and may not reflect the diversity of NYC as a whole.
- Admission typically requires documentation of a language-based learning disability — this isn't a school families choose for a general education.
- Single tuition figure is given; financial aid details are not provided in available data.
Identity
Windward is a nonsectarian, coed elementary school (PK–5) specializing in evidence-based, multisensory direct instruction for students with dyslexia and language-based learning disabilities. The school uses Orton-Gillingham-based methods through its PAF program and integrates Social Emotional Learning alongside academics. Its core values are commitment, growth, impact, and community.
Community
With 340 students across PK–5 and an 8.5:1 ratio, classes are small and personal. The student body is 77.6% white and 15.9% multiracial, with smaller representation of Asian, Black, and Hispanic students. Parents consistently describe a warm, supportive community where children feel genuinely known and cared for.
Neighborhood
The school sits in the Upper East Side-Yorkville neighborhood, where median household income is $136,925 and 76.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The surrounding area is a residential pocket of Manhattan known for its settled blocks of prewar buildings, families who have lived there for generations, and newer arrivals drawn by the area's quiet streets.
The 96 St station on the 6 line and the 96 St station on the Q line are both about a 5-minute walk, and the 86 St Q stop is about 7 minutes away.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Parents describe school as a 'safe haven' with strong academics, prompt attention to concerns, and high level of care and support; gratitude for transformational impact on children
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Upper East Side-Yorkville.
- What grades does WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC serve?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC public, charter, or private?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC is a private school.
- What neighborhood is WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC in?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC is in Upper East Side-Yorkville, Manhattan.