Living close to these Top NYC public elementary schools
Go Back To Previous PageIf you want to start and raise a family in New York City, the quality of education is probably at the forefront of your mind. So what is the NYC
public school system like? To begin with, New York City’s public school system gets operated by the New York City Department of Education. NYC’s public school system is – by far – the largest in the United States, covering all five boroughs. For example, they have more than 1,800 public schools, teach more than 1.1 million students, and have an annual budget of almost $25 billion. According to the New York Census Data, there are 7,056,860 total households in NYC; 65.7% of them are family households, and 34.4% are non-family households. We will highlight the top 10 public elementary schools in NYC.
In 2018, NYC spent $26,869 per student, which is its highest compared to previous years. Out of the 1.1 million students in the public education system, almost half of them, 488,000, are elementary school students.
Then, the NYC Department of Education got divided into 32 community school districts and then into smaller zones that determine which local school serves which area. A child is then assigned a school within a zone based on their home address. However, a few districts don’t have zoned schools and are known as “choice districts,” where students living in the area rank their preferred schools when applying. Many public schools also offer special programs such as gifted and talented education, English language learner’s education, and small learning communities.
Tips for finding a home near the best public elementary schools in New York
The NYC public school system has much to offer its students, but how can you ensure your child attends the best public school in New York City? As the school a student attends gets based on their zone and district, living next to good schools is essential. We will provide you with some tips on how to rent next to good schools in NYC.
Apartment hunting is a sometimes stressful and time-consuming task, especially if you have young children to care for. You must find the perfect space for you and your family but ensure you live in the same zone as a highly-rated school.
NYC’s top 10 public elementary schools in NYC
If you’re still curious about the high-rated public schools in NYC, here are just ten of NYC’s top public elementary schools. We showcased various schools in all five boroughs.
1. Battery Park City School is one of the top public elementary schools in NYC
55 Battery Place, Manhattan, NY 10280
Battery Park City School is one of NYC’s top public elementary schools and serves Pre-K and K-8. The school opened in 2009 and is New York’s
first green public school building. Not only do students here perform above average on state tests, but are also above average in year-over-year academic improvement.
Battery Park City School also serves its disadvantaged students well and has special education through a modified form of Integrated Co-Teaching. The school also has a strong science program, plenty of extra enrichment activities, and Spanish instruction starting in the 1st grade.
2. East Side Elementary School, P.S. 267
13 East 63rd Street, Manhattan, NY 10065
East Side Elementary School is found on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and serves grades K-5. It was first opened in 2010 and is an eight-story
building with a large lunchroom, large gym, modern classrooms, and a music room. Students perform above average on all the state tests and in year-over-year academic improvement.
They have a 92% proficiency in math, which is higher than the state average of 50%, and a 90% English proficiency, which is higher than the 46% state average. The school’s location allows children to explore the city’s museums, and class trips are frequent.
Additionally, the New York Historical Society helps teachers create lessons to help the students learn about the city and its neighborhoods. East Side Elementary School is wheelchair accessible and has special education with one integrated co-teaching class in every grade.
3. P.S. 40 Augustus Saint-Gaudens: the Gramercy top public elementary schools in NYC
320 East 20th Street, Manhattan, NY 10003
P.S. 40 Augustus Saint-Gaudens is located in Gramercy in Manhattan and is an essential part of the close-knit neighborhood. It is located on 
the bottom three floors of a historic-five story building and serves Pre-K and grades K-5.
They offer integrated co-teaching classrooms for each grade where students with functional needs get mixed with the general education students. Students at P.S. 40 perform at high levels.
4. P.S. 87 William Sherman
160 West 78th Street, Manhattan, NY 10024
P.S. 87 William Sherman is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and serves Pre-K and K-5. The school is known for its passionate teachers,
active parents, and commitment to the arts. They also have a popular dual-language Spanish-English program, which allows students to become proficient in both languages.
P.S. 87 William Sherman has plenty of special education support, including SETSS (special education teacher support services) and ICT (integrated co-teaching) classes for every grade level. They also offer speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling.
5. P.S. 321 William Penn
180 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11215
William Penn is one of the best elementary schools in Brooklyn, located in the neighborhood of Park Slope. The school serves grades K-5 and has a
reputation for being one of the best schools in NYC. They teach children to learn to think deeply, learn independently, and take responsibility for their education.
William Penn has an atmosphere that is both demanding and fun and does an excellent job of challenging top students while giving extra support to students that need extra help. They have two ICT classes per grade, along with two teachers with one trained in special education. The school integrates children with support needs in regular classrooms, but with extra support such as a full-time aide. They also have a mentor teacher with special education experience available to help guide and support teachers.
6. P.S. 29 John M. Harrigan
425 Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
John M. Harrigan is located in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, and serves Pre-K and K-5. It is one of the most popular schools in the area as it’s a progressive
school that rivals any private schools in the area. The school seeks to connect studies with the children’s real lives and to include them in decisions, which means plenty of collaboration and brainstorming ideas within the classroom.
Writing is also a large part of the school, and there is even a journalism club where 4th and 5th graders can write and put out a “PS29 Post”. Parents are very active at PS29 by helping run after school clubs and programs, raise money to pay for assistants in kindergarten, and even fund the post put out by the journalism club.
7. P.S. 41 Crocheron
214-43 35th Avenue, Queens, NY 11361
P.S. 41 Crocheron is located in Bayside, Queens, and serves grades K-5. The school is traditional with a cozy feel and has a strong record of academic 
achievement. They’re focused on academics as well as the emotional well-being of the students.
P.S. 41 has an emphasis on teaching students to write well but also has an annual science fair and exposure to the arts through ballroom dancing, musicals, and a chorus. The school offered a class called “Horizon” for children with autism. These students can also attend the regular classes for part of the day, accompanied by an aide to help them.
8. P.S. 188 Kingsbury
218-12 Hartland Avenue, Queens, NY, 11364
P.S. 188 Kingsbury is found in the quiet neighborhood of Oakland Gardens in Queens and serves Pre-K and K-5. It is one of the top public elementary 
schools in NYC with high attendance, strong “As” on progress reports, and over 90% of the students are proficient in math and reading tests.
The school has rigorous academic standards and a strong writing program focused on nonfiction. They also offer arts and athletics with an art and music teacher, and clubs for basketball, art, yearbook, and chorus.
9. P.S. 69 Journey Prep: the Bronx’s top public elementary schools in NYC
560 Thieriot Avenue, Bronx, NY 10473
Journey Prep is located in Clason Point, Bronx, and serves Pre-K and K-5. The Department of Education rated this school as “high impact,” which
means students here perform better compared to other similar schools in the city. Although many students here are low income, more than two-thirds of them meet state standards for math and English.
The school also won an award for its environmental programs from the National Wildlife Federation. P.S. 69 has a well-equipped science facility and has an “Outside World” where children can grow herbs and flowers, study soil and seeds, and conduct experiments. Journey Prep also has enrichment classes such as journalism, computer programming, debate, or inventions.
10. P.S. 5 Huguenot: the Staten Island top public elementary schools in NYC
348 Deisius Street, Staten Island, NY 10312
P.S. 5 Huguenot is located in South Shore of Staten Island and serves grades K-5. The school is situated in its building and focuses on preparing
students to move onto the next grade In comparison to other schools, P.S. 5 helps students improve their test scores and the school as a whole performs well on test scores compared to other schools in NYC.
Students here have an 81% proficiency in math, which is higher than the 50% state average, and an 80% English proficiency that is higher than the state average of 46%.
Georges has been working in Wall Street for the last 16 years trading derivatives with hedge funds. He has been an active real estate investor for over a decade. Georges graduated from HEC Business School in Paris and holds a master in Finance from ESADE Barcelona.
