A Message from InsideSchools: The data below is the most up-to-date data available from City and State systems. We are working hard to update the narratives for all schools. We welcome your insights in the Comments section. Questions? Ask us!

Our Insights

What’s Special

A focus on performing arts

The Downside

Metal detectors, poor attendance

Founded in 2006 in the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Education Complex, the Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts (UASPA) offers dance, theater, theater tech and vocal music, in addition to typical high school academics. Students do not need to need to audition or have previous experience in the arts. They showcase their work in dance, vocal music and theater performances during the year.

They practice in a renovated basement called the performing arts wing that has fresh, bright paint on the walls and also houses a history classroom and staff offices, according to parent coordinator Elizabeth Whitaker. The dance studio has mirrors, a ballet barre and floors suitable for dancing.

Students at UASPA seem happy with the variety of ways they can develop talents in the arts outside of academics, and most say they feel academically challenged in their classes, according to NYC school surveys. They participate in assemblies, plays, concerts and jam sessions in the school’s auditorium and in a larger space at the Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Campus near Lincoln Center.

A partnership with College Bound has helped more students graduate on time and to find colleges that are affordable and a good fit.

Principal Meghan McMahon is a dancer who pursued a career in education and received her master's from Teachers College, Columbia University. She was a founding history teacher at the school and served as assistant principal for four years before becoming principal in 2015. Teachers give McMahon high marks on NYC school surveys; under her leadership, the climate at the school has slowly become safer and teachers stay longer. “I adore her,” says Whitaker. “She is compassionate. She listens. She cares. It’s not above her to get her hands dirty.”

A thorny problem the principal has not yet solved is attendance. It remains stalled at roughly 80 percent, and many students miss more than 18 days of school. When they miss lessons, teachers need to spend extra time helping them catch up.

Whitaker says that when parents go to work early, teens may sleep in and come to school late or not at all. Some deliver younger siblings to school first, which results in tardiness. Teachers and staff make phone calls or use an app to let parents know if their child is missing or late. Students win incentives like “dress down day” or a trip to Madame Tussauds wax museum for good attendance.  

Students meet in small advisory groups with a staff person every day. They discuss social and emotional issues that come up. The school’s yearly plan states that the goal is to bolster relationships in school as a way to improve academics and attendance. “We try to build a strong community,” says Whitaker. “We’re getting there.”

The building is shared with two middle schools, Success Academy Harlem North West Charter School and IS 286 Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders, and high school Academy for Social Action

Students must pass through a metal detector to enter the building. Lydie Raschka, web reports and interview, April 2018)    

Get more from InsideSchools

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?
 
90%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
74%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
80%
Average daily attendance
 
76%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
71%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

267
Number of students
Citywide Average is 599

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
88%
Students with disabilities
 
31%
Multilingual learners
 
5%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
2%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
72%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
59%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
38%
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?
 
60%
8.1
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
95
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?
 
79%
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

Not offered in 2019-20

Advanced Foreign Language

Not offered in 2019-20

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
79%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
32%

Music

 
56%
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?
 
31%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
68%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
58%
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?
 
64%
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

Urban Assembly School for the Performing Arts (M04A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), Algebra II (College Course [Credited]), AP English Language and Composition, AP Psychology, AP Statistics, Chemistry (Advanced Science), Econ/Gov (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), US History (College Course [Credited])

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Softball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

509 West 129 Street
Manhattan NY 10027

Trains: 1 Line to 125th St; B Line, C Line to 135th St

Buses: Bx33, M10, M100, M101, M104, M11, M125, M3, M4, M5, M60-SBS


Contact

Principal: Roxanne Brown

Parent Coordinator: Elizabeth Whitaker

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the building with Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders and Success Academy Charter High School of the Liberal Arts Harlem

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? Yes

Was this information helpful?

Get more from InsideSchools

You may also like …

Harlem Village Academies Charter High School

35 West 124th Street
Manhattan, NY 10027

Success Academy Charter High School of the Liberal Arts Harlem

509 West 129th Street, 3rd Floor
Manhattan, NY 10027

Comments

  • Is this your school? Please post any news, updates, events, changes, or other information!
  • We welcome questions, open discussions, and disagreements but comments with personal attacks, rude language, or those with seemingly malicious intent will be deleted.
  • Very long comments, those that contain links, or repeat comments may be blocked by our spam filter.
  • Problems? email us at contact@insideschools.org.
  • Users must comply with our Terms of Use.

×