Community Action School-ms 258, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Community Action School-ms 258

Community Action School-MS 258 is a middle grades school serving students in grades six through eight in Manhattan's Upper West Side neighborhood. The school is small, with a student body that reflects the neighborhood's demographics: a substantial majority of students are Hispanic or Black, and nearly all qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a predominantly low-income enrollment.

Academic performance data from the 2024-2025 school year shows mixed results across grade levels and subjects. In seventh-grade math and English Language Arts, about half of tested students met proficiency standards. Sixth-grade performance was notably weaker, with under one-fifth of students proficient in either subject. Eighth-grade English Language Arts results were somewhat stronger than sixth grade, though still below seventh-grade achievement. No students participated in eighth-grade math or science testing, which limits the picture of learning in those areas and grades.

The school participates in the New York State Testing Program, which means state assessments shape how academic progress is measured. The varied proficiency rates across grades suggest either differences in how students are learning at different developmental stages or, possibly, challenges with how students transition from one year to the next. A parent may want to look into further with the school what instructional supports exist for sixth graders entering middle school and how the school works to build momentum in math and ELA across the grades.

Community Action School-MS 258 operates within New York City Geographic District 3, a district on the Upper West Side that underwent significant changes in recent years. The district removed academic screening from middle school admissions starting in 2023, moving to a lottery system and reserving a quarter of seats at each middle school for low-income and lower-performing students. This policy shift may mean the school serves a broader range of learners than schools with selective entry, and it situates Community Action within a deliberate effort to increase integration and access. The district also faced a contentious closure proposal affecting middle school options, which was withdrawn in April 2026 after sustained community opposition.

The school offers clubs and activities including a bilingual social club, an English as a New Language breakfast club, robotics, and student council. The robotics program may appeal to families interested in hands-on STEM engagement.

When measured against other districts in New York County, Community Action School-MS 258's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile. This reflects the low proficiency rates in sixth grade and the absence of eighth-grade testing data, and it indicates the school serves students facing significant academic challenges. No graduation rate is available because the school serves middle grades only; students transition to high school after eighth grade.

The school's location on West 93rd Street places it in a neighborhood characterized by mixed-use residential and commercial space, high pedestrian activity, and proximity to the extensive New York City subway system. Families have access to abundant transit, parks including Central Park to the east, and the walkable streetscape typical of Manhattan's Upper West Side. Housing costs in the area are high, reflecting the desirability of the neighborhood and the city's sustained housing growth.

For families considering this school, the key questions are whether the school's small size and community focus match their preference, how well the school's supports meet their child's learning needs given the proficiency data, and whether the lottery admissions system and diversity-focused enrollment policy align with their values. The school appears to serve a population with substantial economic needs and varying academic starting points, which shapes both the peer environment and the school's likely instructional approach.

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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
Math	21	48.0%
Science	19	21.0%

Math

Grade 615%

School 15% · District 61% · ▼ 46 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

Grade 752%

School 52% · District 70% · ▼ 18 pts below district

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 50% · ▼ 50 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 618%

School 18% · District 66% · ▼ 48 pts below district

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 754%

School 54% · District 70% · ▼ 16 pts below district

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

Grade 841%

School 41% · District 68% · ▼ 26 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Science

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 39% · ▼ 39 pts below district

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

Social studies

Grade 851%

School 51% · district not reported

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

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 3, 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

Mathematics

Grade 8Lower-income21%Higher-income25%4 pp gap