Ella Baker School, New York NY - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Ella Baker School

Ella Baker School is a small pre-K through eighth-grade public school on the Upper East Side, serving a mixed-income, racially diverse enrollment of about that size. The student body is distributed fairly evenly across grades, with pre-K through second grade enrollment each in the low-to-mid thirties, and upper elementary and middle grades somewhat smaller, particularly seventh and eighth grades.

In mathematics, the school shows an uneven profile. Third graders demonstrate strong proficiency, while fourth and seventh graders reach only about half proficiency. Fifth and sixth graders land in the mid-to-high sixties, and eighth grade is also around that level. In English language arts, third grade is quite strong, fifth grade is also solid, and the eighth grade is in the mid-to-high sixties. Fourth, sixth, and seventh graders are in the low-to-mid seventies and mid-fifties respectively, creating similar unevenness. Science results, available only for fifth and eighth grade, show both grades in the mid-to-high sixties. Social studies data appears only from a single year over a decade ago and is not current.

The school sits in a dense, walkable neighborhood characterized by mixed-use development and extensive street life, where the subway is the primary transportation for most families. Housing costs in the 10065 zip code are very high, and most residents without significant means have relocated elsewhere. About half the school's enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school draws families across economic backgrounds despite neighborhood pricing.

The student composition is racially diverse: roughly a third white, about a third Hispanic, and a sixth Black, with smaller numbers of Asian and multiracial students. Specific data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a reader interested in those supports should ask the school directly.

Test participation rates vary by grade and subject, ranging from about two-thirds to nine-tenths. A parent may want to ask the school about the reasons for participation gaps, particularly in science and across the middle grades, to understand whether absences, opt-outs, or other factors are at play.

Among the county's school-based comparison universe, Ella Baker shows overall proficiency in the top quartile, a meaningful strength. The school's principal leadership and specific program offerings beyond core academics were not documented in available sources; parents interested in electives, arts, special services, or enrichment should visit the school's website or contact directly to learn what is available.

The Upper East Side location places the school within one of the city's densest areas of civic and cultural amenities, and the school is woven into the neighborhood block fabric rather than separated on a campus. Day-to-day life for families is shaped by the extensive public transit network, libraries, parks, and the walkable street environment. The neighborhood continues to add housing, though the residential market remains very expensive, and families navigating school choice are often doing so within the constraints of a high-rent housing market or after displacement.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 395%

School 95% · District 81% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 37 pts above county median

Grade 454%

School 54% · District 79% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Grade 571%

School 71% · District 78% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 661%

School 61% · District 71% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 750%

School 50% · District 80% · ▼ 30 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 51% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 67 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 390%

School 90% · District 80% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 78% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 585%

School 85% · District 81% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 656%

School 56% · District 74% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 755%

School 55% · District 77% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 77% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Science

Grade 567%

School 67% · District 67%

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 867%

School 67% · District 57% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 33 pts above state median · ▲ 58 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 555%

School 55% · district not reported

▼ 37 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 850%

School 50% · district not reported

▼ 28 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income55%Higher-income90%35 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income25%Higher-income80%55 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income36%Higher-income80%44 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income38%Higher-income80%43 pp gap