About this site

Search for NYC public schools

Insideschools.org is the only place online where you can find qualitative reviews about public schools in New York City written by journalists, contributors, and users. Start with the search tool on the homepage. There are three ways to begin:

1) You can choose to browse schools in a specific zip code, borough, and/or those that house certain grade levels.

2) If you want to look up information on a specific school, click on the Name or Number option.

3) You can also search schools in a community school district.

4) If you want to select more options, click on Advanced Search.

You can also narrow the results later, so don't worry if your search turns up a long list of schools.

Other tips:

• Take a look at schools we deem "noteworthy." These are schools the staff reviewers particularly like based on their impression of the school on their most recent visit.

• Consider "unzoned" schools located throughout the city and outside your immediate neighborhood or district. These schools will enroll children from outside their zone, which may be helpful to you if you can't find a good option near your home.

• Have you read our Basics section on how to enroll? Information there will help you make knowledgeable choices. If you want to find out what your zoned school is, call the City of New York at 311.
  

• High schools generally are not zoned. All 8^th graders must fill out a high school application, even if the school of their choice is just down the block.

What if I'm looking for a private or parochial school?

Insideschools.org is a guide to public schools in New York City. We only profile public schools within the city's five boroughs, and do not cover private or parochial schools. Here's a list of websites with information about private and parochial schools as well as organizations/companies which have information about schools outside of New York City.

School/program search websites:

• A Better Chance is a national non-profit organization. Through its College Preparatory Schools Program, it recruits talented students of color to place them in "top" independent and public schools and offers a support system while they attend.
• Boarding School Review offers profiles and reviews of boarding schools.
• Diocese of Brooklyn operates Roman Catholic schools in the Brooklyn and Queens; has a searchable school database.
• Education Records Bureau administers admissions tests for private schools in New York City.
• Greatschools.net - source of school information on public, private and charter schools in all 50 states, and detailed school profiles for California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Washington.
• Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York - guide to private schools
• My Boarding School provides a directory of boarding schools including college prep programs, military schools and character education schools.
• New York Archdiocese operates Roman Catholic schools in Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and upstate New York. Site has a searchable school database.
• New York State Association of Independent Schools provides a directory of private schools in New York State with links to individual schools.
• The Parents League offers information and advice on private school admissions in New York City to parents who pay an annual membership fee. Advice on summer camps and after-school programs also available.
• Prep for Prep - a NYC program for academically-gifted minority students which prepares them for entrance into the city's private schools.
• Private School Review allows you to search for private schools nationwide on their website. The site also includes information about housing, day care and other services.
• School Wise Press - database of California schools
• Washington DC Education Center School Search - information about District of Columbia public schools and public charter schools.

Consultation services for a fee:

• Abacus Guide to Schools In New York City has resources about private, parochial and public schools in New York City.
• Nycschoolhelp.com - provides consultation on public and private schools in Brooklyn
  
• School Match - searchable database of comparative information on schools nationwide
• School Search NYC - provides information and consultation on public and private schools in New York City

Where does Insideschools gets its school data? How often do you update school information?

We update the statistical information on our site once a year, when we receive it from the New York City Department of Education and from the New York State Education Department..

How can I request a visit to my school?

On your school's profile on Insideschools.org, you'll see a link that says "Add new info." Click on it to let us know you'd like us to visit your school.

If you work at the school, leave us a voicemail at (212) 947-9779 or send a message through Contact us, and we'll get back to you right away to schedule an appointment to visit the school.

How can I correct the contact information for my school?

On your school's profile on Insideschools.org, you'll see a link that says "Add new info." Click on it to send us a message with details about what needs changing.


How can I update other information on the site that is inaccurate?

If you see information in one of our school profiles that is factually incorrect - such as mention of a principal who has since left, or a note that the school does not have a library, when it in fact does- simply click on "Add new info" to send us a message. If it's a matter of opinion and not fact, we may not change the information as it appears on the site, but you can write a comment that may get posted on the Comments section of the school profile.

If you see information that needs updating on our other pages, such as in the Basics, click on "Add new info."


When will my comment about a school be posted?

Most comments about schools will be posted within a few days of our receiving them. Comments will not be edited, however, they will be reviewed. Deciding whether to post a comment is up to the discretion of Insideschools staff. If you want your comment to be published, you must be a registered user and the comment must not violate our Comments Policy. When the comment is posted on the school page, your username will be displayed with it.

How do I get advice about a school problem?

We try to direct everyone who contacts us to the information they need, but because of the high volume of questions and comments we receive, we ask that you research this issue first on our website. The majority of general questions about schools are addressed in the Basics, and much information about specific schools can be found under their profiles in Find a NYC School.

In addition, our organization, Advocates for Children operates a parent education helpline Monday through Thursday from 10 AM- 4 PM at (866) 427-6033.

\My organization is having an education event. Can you put it on your calendar or e-mail alert?

We welcome information on upcoming events. You can post the information about your event on the Insideschools calendar yourself. We can't guarantee that it will be included in our e-mail alerts but if you send us a note via Contact us we'll be sure to consider it.

Can I arrange a workshop with Insideschools staff?

We have a very small staff and are not able to accommodate all requests for a workshop. However please contact us if you would like to request a workshop. To request a training or workshop from the Advocates for Children staff, use AFC's Contact Us form.


How can I send an article query or submission to Insideschools?

Feel free to send your query or submission to us via Contact us.

Can I use articles/logos/photos from Insideschools.org in my website/ magazine/ newspaper?

Yes, but be sure to credit Insideschools.org for the material as everything on this website is copyrighted.

What is registration? Why do I have to register or log in?

You must be registered with Insideschools.org in order to use the interactive tools - such as Contact us and Ask Judy, or to send a school comment or participate in the forums. This ensures that we can get in touch with you with a response to your questions, and that only quality information is posted on the website by users.

To register, you have to provide a username (any name you'd like) that will be displayed with your comments, a password (so we know you are who you say you are), and an e-mail address. (You can set up a free e-mail account at Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and other service providers.)

When you register for the first time, be sure to check your e-mail to activate your account. If you have problems registering or logging in, please send an e-mail to mailer@insideschools.org with the words "registration assistance" in the subject line.

Technical issues

How do I subscribe to Insideschools.org email alerts?

When you register, you'll see an option to sign up for our e-mail alerts. If you're already registered but are not receiving the e-mails, log in and click My Account in the upper right hand corner of the page. When you get to that page, click on the link that says Newsletters & Notifications. You can subscribe there.

How do I unsubscribe from Insideschools.org email alerts?

There's a link at the bottom of every e-mail alert that says "Manage my subscription." Click on it to unsubscribe.

What is a username?

A username is a name you use to identify yourself on this website. You can make up a username, and once you choose it when you register, no other user of the site can claim the same username. Just one tip: We strongly discourage using your real name here if you do not feel comfortable having your name displayed next to any comments you may post on the site.

I registered but cannot log in!
First check that you are entering the correct username and password. Also, all new registration accounts need to be activated. When you registered, you should have recieved an e-mail with instructions to follow. If you did not receive the e-mail, check your spam to make sure it didn't get caught in there. Or perhaps there was a typo in the e-mail address you provided at registration so that e-mail could not find its way to you.

We require activation of user accounts to reduce the possibility of rogue users abusing the site anonymously. If you are sure the email address you signed up with is valid, send us an e-mail to mailer@insideschools.org with the words "registration assistance" in the subject line and a staff member will provide assistance.

I forgot my username or password!

When you try to log in, you'll see a little "?" nearby. Click on that to get help resetting your password.

How do I change my password or e-mail address?

Once you've logged in, click My Account in the upper right hand corner of the page to update your settings. Under the heading of "Modify Settings," you'll see a link for "Update Account Settings."

How do I edit a posting I made in the open house dates/ calendar/ classifieds sections?

First log in to the site, and then click My Account. Look for a link that says "View my postings" and click on it.

I tried to click on an article to read and received an error message.

Occasionally our site may experience technical difficulties - perhaps we are updating the website or the server is overloaded with requests from users. The best thing to do is to try back later in the day, or the next day. By then, the problem is likely to have been ironed out. If you continue to experience difficulty, please contact us and tell us in detail the problem you are experiencing, including the error message that you are receiving.

How can I make Insideschools.org my internet browser homepage?

There's usually an option in the toolbar of your browser that allows you to change your homepage. For Firefox, click on Tools, then Options. Be sure to select the Main tab.

Have other questions? Write to us through Contact us.