Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle Schools

Best Middle Schools
in NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2

This page covers 12 middle schools in NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2. Rankings use a composite of neighborhood opportunity, class sizes, and per-student investment — signals available consistently from federal data across all US public schools. Schools in this district score near the national median on neighborhood opportunity. Use these rankings as a starting point; pair them with school visits and conversations with local parents before making any enrollment decision.

12
Schools Ranked
New York
State
None
Charter Schools
RankingsHow We RankFAQAbout Data

Middle Schools Rankings

Showing 10 of 12
1
rank
NYC LAB MS FOR COLLABORATIVE STUDIES
Grades 06–08519 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (11.8:1)
73
/100
Student:Teacher
11.8:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Free Lunch
36%
Low economic need
2
rank
IS 289
Grades 06–08239 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (11.2:1)
63
/100
Student:Teacher
11.2:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
52/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
45%
Near nat'l 52.2%
3
rank
BALLET TECH/NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL FOR DANCE
Grades 04–08116 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (8.7:1)
63
/100
Student:Teacher
8.7:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
46/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
47%
Near nat'l 52.2%
4
rank
MS 297
Grades 06–08422 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (9.6:1)
63
/100
Student:Teacher
9.6:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
51/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
54%
Near nat'l 52.2%
5
rank
EAST SIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Grades 06–08421 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (12.8:1)
62
/100
Student:Teacher
12.8:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
48/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
28%
Low economic need
6
rank
MS 255 SALK SCHOOL OF SCIENCE
Grades 06–08364 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
61
/100
Student:Teacher
14.4:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
46/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
22%
Low economic need
7
rank
JHS 167 ROBERT F WAGNER
Grades 06–081,019 students
Scores consistently across all ranking signals
58
/100
Student:Teacher
14.4:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
46/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
35%
Low economic need
8
rank
MS 131
Grades 06–08236 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (5.2:1)
58
/100
Student:Teacher
5.2:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
45/100
Near nat'l median
Free Lunch
93%
High economic need
9
rank
LOWER MANHATTAN COMMUNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Grades 06–08328 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (9.3:1)
58
/100
Student:Teacher
9.3:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
36/100
Below nat'l median
Free Lunch
47%
Near nat'l 52.2%
10
rank
YORKVILLE EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
Grades 06–08256 students
Ranked for: small class sizes (12.2:1)
58
/100
Student:Teacher
12.2:1
Below nat'l 15.4:1
Opportunity
37/100
Below nat'l median
Free Lunch
30%
Low economic need
2 more middle schools in NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 not shown here.
View all schools in NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2
How We Rank Middle Schools

Each school receives a composite score (0–100) built from 4 federal data signals, weighted to reflect what matters most at the middle school level. All signals are normalised against national benchmarks so a school's score reflects its standing across the entire US, not just within this district.

Neighborhood Opportunity
35%
Harvard Opportunity Atlas score for the school's neighbourhood. Reflects long-run economic outcomes for children raised in this area.
Student-Teacher Ratio
30%
Lower ratio = smaller classes. Particularly important during the middle years when academic and social needs are at their most complex.
Per-Pupil Expenditure
20%
Annual district spending per enrolled student from the NCES F-33 Finance Survey. Compared against national average.
Free Lunch Rate
15%
Percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced-price lunch. Reflects the economic profile of the community the school serves.
Test scores are excluded: they are not published as consistent open federal data across all states, making reliable cross-district comparison impossible with this signal alone.
District at a Glance
12
Middle Schools
118
Total Schools
73
#1 Score
61
Avg Score
Top Ranked Middle School
Compare NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 with neighbouring districts
⇄ Compare districts
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets: NCES Common Core of Data (enrollment, school characteristics, student-teacher ratios), NCES F-33 Finance Survey (per-pupil expenditure), Harvard Opportunity Atlas (neighbourhood opportunity scores). Federal data is published on an annual cycle and may not reflect the very latest school-year changes. Rankings reflect available data and should be used as a starting point — not a substitute for visiting schools or consulting district resources directly. What this ranking does not measure: teacher quality, classroom culture, extracurricular programmes, school safety, or parent and student satisfaction.