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Our Insights

What’s Special

Students learn Korean and receive support throughout the college process

The Downside

Strict rules and high suspension rate

Democracy Prep Harlem High combines rigorous academics with strict discipline. For those who do well in a regimented environment, the school offers the opportunity to study Korean language and culture, to develop civic engagement skills and to write lengthy independent research papers. The schools offer a longer school day and year and the possibility of international travel.

Founded in 2013, Democracy Prep Harlem is the second high school in a network of schools founded by Seth Andrews, a graduate of Bronx High School of Science and the Harvard School of Education who taught in South Korea. His schools, which serve mostly black and Latino students, aim to replicate what Andrews saw as the Korean values of hard work and respect for teachers.

The pace is fast and the environment is competitive. Students who cannot keep up may be asked to repeat a grade, and some become discouraged and leave each year. But those who persevere are admitted to top colleges and get advice and support from other Democracy Prep alumni during their college years. Though the sampling of students is small, Democracy Prep has had better success than most charter networks getting students into and through college, according to an article in the Daily News.

Students take four years of Korean language and learn about Korean culture through traditional music, dance and practices. Some even go to South Korea. Teachers hope that learning Korean will instill confidence in students and help them stand out in the college process.

Unlike some charters that don’t accept students after a certain grade, Democracy Prep takes in new students whenever a spot opens up, even in later grades. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor. Tutoring is available on the weekends, after school and in the summer.

The school website shows musical theater performances, such as In the Heights, and trips to Ecuador and South Africa, for those who reach certain academic and behavior benchmarks. 

Democracy Prep schools instill aculture of strict discipline. Students earn points to earn special privileges and demerits for tardiness, missing uniforms and other infractions. Students are dismissed early on Friday unless they have been assigned a one- or two-hour detention, according to the student handbook. The suspension rate was 25 percent, far above the statewide average, in the most recently available data. 

Civic action includes trips to Albany and Washington D.C. to speak to elected officials on issues of importance to students. All seniors complete a final college-level research project on a social or political issue of their choosing. 

Admissions: By lottery. Applications due April 1. Check the website to apply, and find dates to attend an open house. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, photo credit, February 2019)

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School Stats

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

Academics

School
Citywide
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
89%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
97%
From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide and 2022-23 NYC School Survey

Students

1008
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
89%
Students with disabilities
 
26%
Multilingual learners
 
7%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
18%
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
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

 
71%

Computer Science

 
18%

Physics

 
19%

Advanced Foreign Language

 
18%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
12%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
38%

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?
 
66%
From the 2020-21 and 2022-23 School Quality Guide
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

Contact & Location

Location

212 West 120th Street
Manhattan NY 10027

Trains: 2 Line,3, B Line, C Line to 116th St; A Line, D Line to 125th St

Buses: M2, M3, M7, M10, M60-SBS, M100, M101, M102, M116, Bx15


Contact

Principal: Matthew Rooney

Phone: 212-932-7791

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? No

This school is in its own building.

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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