Ps 77 Lower Lab School, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 77 Lower Lab School

PS 77 Lower Lab School serves kindergarten through fifth grade on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, drawing a small, highly diverse enrollment in a stable, mixed-income neighborhood near Third Avenue. The school's name reflects its longstanding role as a laboratory school within the public system, though the data provided does not detail the pedagogical or research aspects of that function.

The school's academic performance is notably strong. State test results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that are at or above the highest levels across tested grades and subjects. In mathematics, fourth and fifth graders showed perfect proficiency, and third graders achieved near-universal performance. English language arts results were similarly high, with third and fifth graders at universal proficiency and fourth graders in the high range. The single science assessment available, for fifth grade, showed perfect proficiency. Participation rates in state testing were consistently high across grades, suggesting strong engagement with the assessment process. Compared against other schools in New York County, PS 77's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile.

The school enrolls approximately a small number of students across its six grades, with relatively even distribution from kindergarten through fourth grade and a slightly smaller fifth-grade class. Approximately one in eleven students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a student body weighted toward families with greater economic means. The racial and ethnic composition is diverse, with Asian students forming the largest single group, followed by white students, students of mixed race, Hispanic students, and a small number of other groups. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the scope of special education and multilingual support services. The school is a regular public school, not a magnet or charter, and it operates within the broader framework of New York City Geographic District 2.

The Upper East Side neighborhood where PS 77 is located reflects Manhattan's densely mixed character: schools are embedded in the street grid rather than set apart on campuses, and daily life depends on the subway network, extensive streetscape pedestrian activity, and proximity to parks and cultural institutions. Housing values in the zipcode are substantially above both state and national medians, and rents have risen noticeably year over year. This is an affluent area with access to significant private and institutional resources, though families across a range of incomes live in the neighborhood.

The city itself is in a sustained housing-growth phase, though permit activity has recently slowed. The broader NYC job market is expanding, particularly in technology and professional services, alongside ongoing tourism-driven hospitality employment. The recent overhaul of Gifted and Talented admissions citywide, replacing standardized testing with teacher nominations and lottery for kindergarten entry, affects how early elementary families in District 2 plan enrollment. The future of the G&T system remains uncertain, with incoming leadership signals of further change.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 398%

School 98% · District 81% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 4100%

School 100% · District 79% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 5100%

School 100% · District 78% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 3100%

School 100% · District 80% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 44 pts above county median

Grade 497%

School 97% · District 78% · ▲ 19 pts above district

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

Grade 5100%

School 100% · District 81% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Science

Grade 5100%

School 100% · District 67% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 58 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 598%

School 98% · district not reported

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above 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-income100%Higher-income96%4 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income100%Higher-income100%0 pp gap