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Urban Assembly School for Leadership and Empowerment

Grades: 6-12
Staff Pick for Special Ed Noteworthy

Our Insights

What’s Special

Supportive all-girls school offers lots of writing.

The Downside

No science lab; limited chemistry and physics offered.

The Urban Assembly School for Leadership and Empowerment (formerly the Urban Assembly School for Criminal Justice), an ethnically and racially diverse school for girls, aims to empower its students and prepare them for a college liberal arts education. It serves an increasing number of students from conservative Muslim backgrounds--girls who, school administrators say, might not attend public school, were it not for the option of single-sex education.

Founding Co-principal Mariela Graham says girls gain self-confidence, develop a voice and are more likely to participate in class than some students at co-ed schools. And says founding Co-principal Nathalie Jufer, “The girls actively play at recess-–even at the high school level.”

The small size, along with the fact that many students remain at Urban Assembly for 7 years, gives the school a warm atmosphere. Faculty and other staff seems to know all the students, and extra efforts are made to support students from challenging backgrounds. Test scores and graduation rates exceed the city average.

The school’s strength is English and history. Girls in 9th grade feminist literature-–a required course said to be almost everyone’s favorite class-– discussed the pros and cons of women who are not Muslim wearing head coverings to express their support for Muslims. Girls identifying themselves as Christians and as Muslims plunged into the debate, keeping their voices down and their tempers cool.

Students read extensively and do one short writing assignment a marking period in each of academic subjects, including math. Teachers stress the presentation of evidence, pulling information from readings and encourage students to help and challenge each other respectfully. On our visit, classes were uniformly attentive and organized.

Girls work in pairs or small groups on in class assignments, such as determining what factors affects body fat. A 6th grade math class used blocks to figure out averages. When a girl described how her group had solved it, another student gently corrected her: “I think you confused the median and the mean,” she said.

An 11th grade environmental science class had an animated discussion about whether homes made of empty plastic bottles could alleviate housing shortages in the United States. A downside: The school is still waiting for a long-promised science lab and does not always offer either chemistry or physics. Although the school has “criminal justice” in its name, it no longer offers classes related to that theme.

Graham and her staff believe the emphasis on presenting arguments and writing skills will enable girls to get to college and succeed once they get there. An overnight college trip open to all students is offered every year, as well as a mother-daughter college trip. A full-time college counselor works with students starting in 9th grade and teaches a mandatory college writing class for seniors. Most students go to CUNY schools, although some have traveled outside the city to SUNY colleges or private schools.

Urban Assembly offers one Advanced Placement exam in each major subject area and lets some 8th graders take the algebra Regents exam. In most grades there one class with both students who are proficient in English and English language learners (ELL), the largest number of whom speak Bengali, Urdu or Arabic. The ELL classes have a second teacher for at least part of the day.

The school shares its building with J.H.S. 223 The Montauk, with Urban Assembly occupying one and a half floors. Each school has its own full gym but some facilities are shared and space is tight.

Special education: Urban Assembly offers ICT classes with two teachers and a mix of students with disabilities and general education students in middle school and for much of high school. There are no self-contained classes.  (Gail Robinson, May 2017; updated with new school name, October 2020)

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School Stats

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

Is this school safe and well-run?

From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey

How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
83%
81% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
38%
52% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
89%
78% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
0%
2% Citywide Average

From this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Are teachers effective?

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
87%
80% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
1.0

How do students perform academically?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
45%
42% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
61%
51% Citywide Average

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
47%
60% Citywide Average
How many students graduate in 4 years?
99%
91% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
493
Asian
45%
Black
9%
Hispanic
21%
White
19%
Other
5%
Free or reduced priced lunch
85%
Students with disabilities
14%
English language learners
15%

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
83%
86% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
57%
45% Citywide Average

From the 2020 School Directories

Uniforms required?
No

How does this school serve special populations?

From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide

How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
100%
85% Citywide Average
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
96%
80% Citywide Average

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
11%
7% Citywide Average
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 Urban Assembly School for Leadership and Empowerment (L62A)

Admissions Method: Open

Program Description:

Students will be taught to think critically cased on our Critical Thinking Framework which includes close reading of rich texts, discussion, and argumentative writing. This framework is used across the disciplines and prepares our students for college and career.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, AP Studio Art - 2D, AP United States History, Chemistry (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Girls PSAL teams

Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Volleyball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

4200 16 Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11204

Trains: F Line to Ditmas Av

Buses: B11, B16, B35, B67, B69, B8


Contact

Principal: Lauren Norman

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the building with JHS 223

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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