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Our Insights

What’s Special

Personal attention; Japanese and Italian lessons

The Downside

Little racial or ethnic diversity

New Heights Academy Charter School provides students in grades 5 to 12 a safe, structured environment and the chance to learn Japanese or Italian. While many students enter with weak skills, most graduate on time, and top students have been admitted to selective colleges such as New York University, Barnard, Colgate and Middlebury.

Like many charter schools, New Heights follows a traditional style of teaching, with teachers at the front of the class and desks in rows. Timers beep to instruct when to stop working on the assigned task. Students wear uniforms and the school has a no-nonsense attitude toward goofing off.

“Because it is small, the teachers are on top of you, in a good way,” a senior told us. “If you come in late one time, they call home.”

“There is a sense of community,” another senior told us. However, the school is almost entirely Latino, and students said they are disappointed they haven’t been exposed to different racial and ethnic groups.

The school is housed on several floors of a renovated former office building. High school students may leave the building for lunch. Middle school students have recess in a nearby park.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: The school has several learning specialists and has expanded special education services in recent years.

ADMISSIONS: Lottery. Most students are admitted in 5th grade, but the school fills openings in the upper grades. Five to 10 students are admitted in 9th grade. (Clara Hemphill, school website, statistics and interview with students, June 2018)

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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 2022-2023 NYC School Survey

How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
87%
80% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
49%
51% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
72%
77% Citywide Average
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
63%
0% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
5%
1% Citywide Average

How do students perform academically?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
34%
54% Citywide Average
How many elementary school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
35%
46% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
40%
42% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
44%
51% Citywide Average

From 2023 End-of-year Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism Report

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
96%
60% Citywide Average
How many students graduate in 4 years?
87%
91% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
731
Asian
1%
Black
10%
Hispanic
88%
White
1%
Other
0%
Free or reduced priced lunch
87%
Students with disabilities
17%
English language learners
18%

How does this school serve special populations?

From 2023 End-of-year Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism Report

How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
100%
84% Citywide Average
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
83%
77% Citywide Average

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
27%
31% Citywide Average
How many students with disabilities scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
33%
25% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
16%
7% Citywide Average
How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
0%
23% Citywide Average
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Contact & Location

Location

1818 Amsterdam Avenue
Manhattan NY 10031

Trains: 1 Line to 145th St; C Line to 155th St; A Line, B Line, D Line to 145th St

Buses: M3, M4, M5, M100, M101, Bx6, Bx19


Contact

Principal: Christina Brown

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? No

This school is in its own building.

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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