Jhs 104 Simon Baruch, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Jhs 104 Simon Baruch

JHS 104 Simon Baruch is a traditional public middle school serving grades six through eight in the East 20s in Manhattan. The school sits in a dense, mixed-use neighborhood where residential buildings, small businesses, and shops intermingle on crowded blocks and sidewalks are the primary way people move through the area. Transit access is extensive, and the school draws from a diverse student body: the enrollment reflects a substantial Asian population, alongside significant populations of Hispanic, white, and multiracial students. About two-fifths of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school in a economically mixed enrollment environment.

On state testing, JHS 104 shows strongest results in English Language Arts, where proficiency rates in grades seven and eight both reach the mid-eighties. Sixth grade ELA is somewhat lower but still solid at about four-fifths of students proficient. In mathematics, the picture is more variable. Seventh graders perform strongest, with proficiency in the low-to-mid eighties, while sixth and eighth graders both run at about two-thirds proficiency. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among districts in New York County, a meaningful strength. Science state testing data at the eighth-grade level are not available; the school did not report any eighth-grade science test-takers. Social studies testing is not currently required and the most recent data available are from 2009, so a current picture of performance in that subject area cannot be drawn.

Participation rates tell part of the story: in sixth and seventh grades, test participation is above nine in ten for both ELA and math. In eighth grade, ELA participation is at about four-fifths, but math participation drops sharply to about a third of the grade. This significant gap in eighth-grade math participation warrants clarification with the school, as it may reflect scheduling, testing format, or other factors that parents should understand before enrolling.

The school enrolls roughly a thousand students across its three grades, with sixth grade being the largest cohort. Class sizes and staffing details are not available in the data, so prospective families would benefit from asking the school directly about classroom composition and support services. The school's location in one of the city's densest neighborhoods means the building is embedded in a working, mixed-use block rather than set apart on its own campus. Families should expect a urban school experience with strong transit connections but limited outdoor space typical of Manhattan schools at this scale.

Academic strengths in ELA and a top-quartile overall proficiency position suggest solid foundational instruction. The variable math picture across grades and the eighth-grade math participation mystery are soft spots a parent may want to look into further with the school, particularly if a child is moving into eighth grade. The school offers a pathway typical of New York City middle schools: a three-year program feeding forward to the screened high school admissions landscape that District 2 families navigate. For families in the East 20s neighborhood or those considering a traditional public middle school with good ELA outcomes and a diverse peer group, this school represents a concrete option worth visiting and discussing with the enrollment office.

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Academic performance

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

New York Regents Exams

2 courses reported · 2024-25

End-of-course exams required for a New York Regents diploma. Each row shows the cohort size and the share of students scoring at the proficient level or higher.

Course	Students tested	% proficient
Science	233	86.0%
Math	144	100.0%

Math

Grade 667%

School 67% · District 71% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 784%

School 84% · District 80% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above 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 680%

School 80% · District 74% · ▲ 6 pts above district

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

Grade 785%

School 85% · District 77% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 885%

School 85% · District 77% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Science

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 57% · ▼ 57 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 879%

School 79% · district not reported

even with state median · ▲ 24 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 6Lower-income61%Higher-income91%31 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income71%Higher-income91%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income78%Higher-income88%11 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income50%Higher-income75%25 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income70%Higher-income90%20 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income60%Higher-income71%12 pp gap