Original Research by School Decision on Harbor Science and Arts Charter School
Harbor Science and Arts Charter School serves kindergarten through ninth grade in New York County and has announced it will close permanently at the end of June 2026. This closure is the defining circumstance for any family currently considering or enrolled in the school.
The school serves about two hundred forty students, with enrollment distributed across the grades it operates. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black population; no white students are currently enrolled. Two students identify as Asian or multiracial, and a very small number as American Indian or Native Hawaiian. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, students with IEPs, and English learners was not available.
The school operates as a charter in New York County. State assessment proficiency data and four-year graduation rates were not reported, so the academic performance picture through those lenses is unavailable. Among the county's districts, Harbor Science and Arts is below the midpoint on chronic absenteeism, meaning a relatively high share of students miss school chronically. Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range of the county's districts, on the lower half of that range.
The school's official website indicates it is one of the oldest existing charter schools in New York City and has served East Harlem and surrounding communities for a considerable time. The stated mission centers on science and arts. As students face the closure, the school directs families toward the Democracy Prep charter network, which operates schools in Harlem and the Bronx, as an alternative pathway.
For families already enrolled, the closure means students will need to transition to a new school by summer 2026. For families considering enrollment, the school's end date means any child entering now will be part of the final cohort. Parents weighing this decision may want to clarify with the school what transition support it will provide and whether the Democracy Prep schools it recommends have capacity for incoming students. The closure creates a clear timeline and removes the school as a long-term option, which is a practical matter worth confirming directly with school leadership given the importance of school stability to a child's academic path.
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