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Our Insights

What’s Special

Rock climbing, sailing and a second chance at success

The Downside

Some students want more challenge; Building undergoing repair

The James Baldwin School offers a different approach to learning that seems to work for lots of kids who have been unsuccessful elsewhere. Children practice yoga, learn to sail, go rock climbing and take classes like "Math for Social Justice," which makes math relevant to students’ lives. Teachers work to help teens get to college even if it takes more than four years.

Students are not required to take Regents exams. Instead, all 11th and 12th graders must complete “Portfolio Based Assessments” called PBATs in each class. In Math for Social Justice students created a budget for a fictional company and researched Bureau of Labor statistics, for example.

The atmosphere is orderly but relaxed. Children do not wear uniforms and teachers are on a first name basis with students, according to parent coordinator Jeanette Aybar. There are two teachers in most classrooms.

Students of different ages work together in small advisory groups called “crew”—a feature of all schools, like Baldwin, that are part of the NYC Outward Bound network. New students bond with their crew during a camping trip. Other local and farther-afield expeditions are also common, including trips to build houses with Habitat for Humanity. Crews stay together all four years.

Students transfer in to Baldwin from other high schools. Because each student may need different courses to graduate, most classes combine kids from different grades and some courses may fulfill a few requirements. “We are always looking into new ways for students to gain credits and get greater support once they are here,” Aybar said.

Many teens are overcoming enormous challenges, according to the yearly plan.  Some are homeless, others come from foster care or are parents themselves. Many have had spotty attendance records and have had negative experiences with school. Although most children graduate on time, not many are ready for college-level work by the time they graduate. On school surveys, some children say they do not feel challenged in class. Teachers are working to improve instruction, according to the yearly plan.

The school, housed in the Bayard Rustin Educational Campus, is shared with five other schools. The building is undergoing an upgrade, Aybar said. The 6th floor, where all schools share space, is beautifully renovated; the floor occupied by Humanities Prep and James Baldwin, though clean, has some peeling paint.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: There is a full-time counselor, and an assistant from the NYC Outward Bound network. About half of the graduates go on to attend four-year colleges, another 40 percent to two-year colleges. Acceptances include Howard University, Trinity and City University of New York schools. Some children pursue the military or work, but college remains an option if they want to pursue it. “Graduates always come back to work with our college office,” Aybar said. (Lydie Raschka, web reports and interview, May 2018; updated Aug. 2020)

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Academics

School
Citywide
Transfer school graduation rate
 
75%
From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide and 2022-23 NYC School Survey

Students

148
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
100%
Students with disabilities
 
35%
Multilingual learners
 
7%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
1%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
86%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
15%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
9%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
93%
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
93%
3.1
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
161
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 191
How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
94%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey, 2022-23 School Quality Guide, 2021-22 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2023 Guidance Counselor Report, and this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Advanced Courses

Which students have access to advanced courses at this school? Learn more

Calculus

Not offered in 2021-21

Computer Science

Not offered in 2021-21

Physics

 
23%

Advanced Foreign Language

Not offered in 2021-21

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

Not offered in 2021-21

AP/IB Math or Science

Not offered in 2021-21

Music

Not offered in 2021-21
From unpublished, anonymized data from the 2021-22 school year provided by the New York State Education Department, brought to you by

College Readiness

School
Citywide
How many students graduate with test scores high enough to enroll at CUNY without remedial help?
 
33%
From the 2020-21 and 2022-23 School Quality Guide

How many graduates who are eligible received Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding to attend a NYS college?
 
34%
This shows how well this school supports low-income students to get funding for college.
How many of those TAP recipients made it through college? Learn more
From unpublished, anonymized student-level data for the class of 2016-17 provided by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) in coordination with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), brought to you by
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
90%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought to you by Visit Understanding FAFSA for help with the FAFSA and financial aid.
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

The James Baldwin School (A41A)

Admissions Method: Transfer

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Advanced Courses

Chemistry (Advanced Science), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited])

Boys PSAL teams

Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Soccer, Volleyball, Wrestling

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Bowling, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

351 West 18 Street
Manhattan NY 10011

Trains: 1 Line to 18th St; A Line, C Line, E Line, L Line to 14th St

Buses: M11, M12, M14A-SBS, M14D-SBS, M20, M23-SBS, M55, M7, SIM1C, SIM33C, SIM3C, SIM4C


Contact

Principal: Crystal Davis

Parent Coordinator: Jeanette Aybar

Phone: 212-627-2812

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Bayard Rustin Educational Campus with five other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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