The top reported proficiency rate is 51% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ms 247 Dual Language Middle School
MS 247 Dual Language Middle School serves grades six through eight on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in a neighborhood where housing values and rents rank among the highest in the country. The school is small, with combined enrollment that spans roughly the same size as a large elementary school. It is deeply marked by its student population: the overwhelming majority of students come from families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic, with very few students from other racial or ethnic backgrounds.
The school's name reflects its central educational mission. It operates as a dual-language program, meaning instruction is delivered in both English and Spanish across the curriculum. For a family seeking bilingual instruction in an integrated setting on the Upper West Side, this is a direct offering. The nature of that instructional model, the ratio of languages, and how the program serves students who arrive as English speakers versus Spanish speakers or bilinguals are details a parent would want to learn directly from the school, as the data does not specify those program mechanics.
On state testing, the school's results show uneven performance. In eighth-grade English language arts, students performed at a proficient level, with a solid share of the grade meeting standards. Sixth and seventh grade English results fell below that, and sixth-grade math performance was quite low. Seventh-grade math improved notably. Eighth-grade math and eighth-grade science produced no tested students, so the data does not capture how older cohorts performed in math or whether science instruction reached state-tested status at this school. A parent may want to look into this further with the school: understanding the reasons for the missing eighth-grade data matters for assessing the overall academic picture.
Comparing MS 247 to other middle schools and schools within New York County, the school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile of schools in that comparison. This means its academic results, taken as a whole, place it below the midpoint and in the lower range relative to peers.
The school sits within New York City Geographic District 3, which covers the Upper West Side. That district recently shifted to a lottery-based admissions system for middle schools, removing academic screens that had previously existed. A diversity plan also allocates a quarter of seats at each middle school to low-income and lower-performing students, a policy affecting how students gain entry to schools in this zone. The district also faced prolonged uncertainty about school closures and relocations, proposals that were ultimately withdrawn in spring 2026 after intensive community engagement. For families considering schools in the area, that instability, though resolved, may still be recent and worth discussing with school leaders.
The immediate neighborhood around the school is dense, mixed-use, and highly walkable, with heavy pedestrian activity and a blend of residential and commercial buildings. Public transit access is extensive, with the city's subway system providing the primary means of getting around. Housing in the zip code is expensive, both to buy and to rent, and has risen year over year. For families, this location means the school serves an area where most residents rely on transit and where family housing costs are substantial.
The school offers soccer and volleyball as organized sports. Beyond those offerings, the data does not include a full roster of clubs, electives, or other program details, so a parent would benefit from checking the school's website or contacting the school directly to understand what else is available.
A meaningful share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic circumstances of the families the school serves. Data on the count of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners is not available, limiting a full picture of the school's support systems. A parent interested in learning whether the school has robust language support services, how it approaches special education, and how it structures math intervention or tutoring should speak with the school directly.
See more original research from School Decision →