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Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women

Grades: 6-12

Our Insights

What’s Special

Challenges top students, supports kids who need it

The Downside

Some discipline problems

Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women (UAI), a small middle and high school near Borough Halls transportation hub, draws girls from across Brooklyn. It offers a focused track to college without a lot of frills. Many students enter with low reading, writing and math skills, but there are opportunities for high-achievers, including a healthy selection of math courses, an engineering class at nearby NYU Tandon School of Engineering and Advanced Placement Literature.

All 8th graders are offered Regents-level math and science classes. An afterschool program offers Girls Who Code, Green Team, LEGO League and other math and science related activities.

Class size is an average of 25 students and many classrooms have two teachers; a 9th grade algebra class had 13 children at the time of our visit, and some of the upper grades had more than 25 because the older girls are able to handle it, said Principal Kiri Soares, who has been at the school since its founding. The school has three full-time social workers, one guidance counselor, two part-time social workers and interns from Hunter College. Advisors meet with 6th and 9th graders two to three times a week.

During our visit, children worked in small groups on activities such as graphing or peer editing. In an 8th grade English class, a patient teacher led a discussion of the Langston Hughes poem, I, Too, allowing children time to reach the conclusion that the poem was written from the viewpoint of an African-American slave. I think he overcomes, a girl said, of the slave narrator. He doesnt let that define him.

A course called Family Life and Sexuality Education helps students understand puberty and make healthy choices. In a weekly Power Group, a counselor or social worker helps students adjust to middle school, learn social skills and address other teen issues. In an after school Job Club students open savings accounts, and learn about career options and managing money.

There are few arts during the day, just visual art and movement, however, many middle school students stay after school for theater, guitar, chorus, sports, debate, Step classes and more. High school students tend to branch out into job shadowing, SAT prep, College Now classes, peer leadership and other options.

Nearly 90 percent of graduates are admitted to private and public two- and four-year colleges. This is a feat, given that about one-third of the girls leave after 8th grade and more than 25 of the incoming 9th graders read at about a 2nd grade level, the reading teacher said. She works with them up to three times a week.

The school has grappled with issues of discipline, order and attendance. On the day of our visit, a student spoke rudely about the principal to a visitor, yet the majority of the girls were calmly working together in class. To instill good habits, teachers insist on nonverbal cues that show interest, such as sitting up, and nodding in response to teacher directions.

The school shares the renovated former family court building with Urban Assembly School for Law and Justice and a District 75 school for children with disabilities. Girls in grades 7 to 12 are allowed to go out for lunch with parent permission.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The building is handicapped accessible. There are team-teaching classes on every grade.(Lydie Raschka, April 2017)

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School Stats

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
94%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
82%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
100%
Average daily attendance
 
81%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
67%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
95%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achive the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
95%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

436
Number of students
591 Citywide Average

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
84%
Students with disabilities
 
17%
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?
 
92%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
27%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
9%
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
97%
12.1
Years of principal experience at this school
8 Citywide Average
113
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
226 Citywide Average

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
71%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey, 2021-22 School Quality Guide, 2019-20 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2021 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 2019-20

Computer Science

 
2%

Physics

 
18%

Advanced Foreign Language

Not offered in 2019-20

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
53%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
31%

Music

Not offered in 2019-20
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?
 
64%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
97%
From the 2020-21 and 2021-22 School Quality Guide
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
72%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought you by
How many graduates of this school received Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding to attend a NYS college?
 
52%
How many of those TAP recipients made it through college? Learn more
From unpublished, anonymized student-level data for the class of 2014 provided by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) in coordination with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), brought to you by
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2021 High School Directory

The Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

Rigorous course work in science, computer technology, engineering, and math. Supportive classes in social emotional skill development and learning experiences with partner organizations and local colleges to prepare students for college and beyond.

Offerings

From the 2021 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Placement (AP) courses

AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Biology, AP Environmental Science, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP World History: Modern

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball, Soccer

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

283 Adams Street
Brooklyn NY 11201

Trains: 2 Line, 3 Line, 4 Line, 5 Line to Borough Hall; A Line, C Line, F Line, R Line to Jay St-MetroTech; B Line, Q Line to DeKalb Ave; G Line to Hoyt & Schermerhorn

Buses: B103, B25, B26, B38, B41, B45, B52, B54, B57, B61, B62, B63, B65, B67, B69


Contact

Principal: Kiri Soares

Parent Coordinator: Aisha Huggins

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Adams Street Educational Campus with one other school

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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