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Our Insights

What’s Special

Students may earn two free years of college credit

The Downside

Too soon to say; Imposing building with few windows

Students at Manhattan Early College School for Advertising may earn two years of free college credit in addition to a high school diploma. Some graduate with an associate's degree in four years; others may stay up to six years. Founded in 2014, the school has attracted a team of experienced teachers who are enthusiastic about the school. it has quickly established a safe tone, an above average attendance rate and lots of support for students. The small size makes it possible for teachers to get to know families. MECA hosts annual dinners for families on each grade to review academic expectations for both high school and college courses, according to the CEP (comprehensive educational plan). Teacher-advisors meet three times a week with small groups of children, and reach out to parents of their advisees at least once a month, and more if the child is struggling. The school has found ways to help struggling students. Ninth graders who are behind in reading are placed in a literacy course with just 6-8 other kids. Every day, students have "learning lab," where they get support from tutors in small groups. The school’s partner, BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College) pays students and graduates of the college to be teaching assistants in classrooms. The whole school community has a daily 10-minute meeting, in addition to advisories, to check in with students and provide support. Students take no more than four courses each semester. This allows them to focus on fewer subject areas and teachers to focus on fewer pupils. Classes are 75 minutes long but teachers mix up the session with activities, art and technology not just lectures according to the CEP.Principal Matthew Tossman is an English teacher with a doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania. Most teachers say he is an effective manager on school surveys but it is too soon to say how the students are performing academically.Because the high school operates on a college schedule, there are three weeks in January and two weeks in June when students don't have regular classes. Instead, teachers design week-long intensive classes for children to choose from. In the school's first year, these included curating an exhibit with the Museum of Art and Design, visiting ad agencies to work on marketing strategies for the school, starting the school magazine, and making podcasts to accompany walking tours of lower Manhattan. The school has visual art and theater but there is no music according to the Arts in School Report.Manhattan Early College is located in the Murry Bergtraum High School for Business Careers building, which also houses the Urban Assembly School for Emergency Management and The Maker Academy. Sports are campus wide. The imposing building has few windows and is located in an out-of-the-way spot adjacent to NYPD headquarters.SPECIAL EDUCATION: Nearly one-quarter of MECA students have IEPs (individualized education programs) and require special needs. Seniors who have fallen behind are scheduled for an additional three blocks of small group instruction, among other supports.  (Lydie Raschka, web reports, September 2018)

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School Stats

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

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
94%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
88%
Average daily attendance
 
81%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
59%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

392
Number of students
Citywide Average is 599

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
80%
Students with disabilities
 
19%
Multilingual learners
 
4%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
0%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
81%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
33%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
24%
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?
 
33%
4.2
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
139
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 157

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
68%
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

Not offered in 2019-20

Physics

 
26%

Advanced Foreign Language

 
4%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
26%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
6%

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?
 
70%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
93%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
63%
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?
 
74%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought you by
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

Manhattan Early College School for Advertising (M73A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

Students engage in a rigorous, project-based curriculum that blends art, technology, and creative problem solving. Students have the option to graduate from MECA after four years with a CTE-endorsed high school diploma and up to 36 college credits or to stay for six years and graduate with a high school diploma, an Associate Degree from the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) and two years of paid work experience.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

American Sign Language, French, Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP United States History, Arts (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Chemistry (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (College Course [Credited])

Boys PSAL teams

Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Volleyball, Wrestling

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Cross Country, Flag Football, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track, Softball, Volleyball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

411 Pearl Street
Manhattan NY 10038

Trains: 1 Line, E Line to Park Place; 2 Line, 3 Line, A Line, C Line to Fulton St; 4 Line, 5 Line, 6 Line, J Line, Z Line to Chambers St; N Line, Q Line to Canal St; R Line to City Hall

Buses: BM1, BM2, BM3, BM4, BxM18, M103, M15, M15-SBS, M22, M55, M9, QM11, QM25, QM7, QM8, SIM1, SIM10, SIM11, SIM15, SIM1C, SIM2, SIM3, SIM31, SIM32, SIM33C, SIM34, SIM35, SIM3C, SIM4, SIM4C, SIM4X, SIM5, SIM6, X27, X28, X37, X38


Contact

Principal: Sarah Kaplan

Parent Coordinator: Jacob Jones

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the Murry Bergtraum Educational Campus with three other schools

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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