The 1,800 public schools in New York City are as diverse as our students and the distinctive neighborhoods we serve, from neighborhood schools with deep roots in their local community to small thematic schools such as performing arts. There are schools with a focus in STEM, humanities and dual language. Whatever your interest or passion may be, there is a school for you! As you begin your search, please consider some of the special programs, initiatives, and school districts throughout New York City Public Schools.
After researching specific neighborhoods and school districts, look more closely at individual schools before reaching out to them to express interest. Use the “Find a School” tool on the NYCPS website to look for schools by name, grade level, or district and view each school’s address and phone number. You can also access their progress reports, learning environment surveys, and quality reviews, which are explained in detail below:
- School Quality Guide: The School Quality Guide includes multiple years of data so that a school’s progress can be shown over time. It captures a school’s practices, environment, and performance. A more concise version, called the School Quality Snapshot, is also available. This helps parents, teachers, principals, applicants, and school communities understand schools’ strengths and weaknesses.
- NYC School Survey: Every year, all parents, teachers, and middle and high school students take the School Survey. Survey questions assess the community’s opinions on academic expectations, communication, engagement, safety, and respect. Information captured by the survey is designed to support a dialogue among all members of the school community about how to make the school a better place to learn.
- Quality Review: The Quality Review is a one to two-day visit by an experienced educator to each school. During the review, the reviewer visits classrooms, talks with school leaders, and uses a rubric to evaluate how well the school is organized to support student achievement. The school leadership also creates a self-evaluation. The Quality Review Report describes what the reviewer saw at the school and what the work environment is like. Think about how you would fit into the school community and what it might be like to work there. Keep in mind a school may change from year to year.
Non-NYCPS Resources:
There are ways to research schools that are external to the NYCPS. Two common sources that candidates use are:
- NYSED Data Tool: This is an overview that includes academic and demographic data, and uses clear visuals to help you compare information from different schools.
- InsideSchools.org: This is a 3rd party platform that includes community voice, school overviews, and narratives, and is not maintained by the NYCPS.