Mosaic Preparatory Academy, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Mosaic Preparatory Academy

Mosaic Preparatory Academy is a small elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in East Harlem, part of New York City's Geographic District 4. The school enrolls roughly a small-to-mid-sized population across its seven grade levels, with a student body that is predominantly Latino, with substantial Black and American Indian representation and very few white or Asian students. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating the school serves families with limited economic resources.

The school's academic results in state testing show a pattern that warrants careful attention. In fifth grade, where the school has its broadest test coverage, results are mixed. Fifth graders showed a modest proficiency rate in English language arts, with a meaningful minority performing at or above proficiency. In science, fifth-grade proficiency was considerably lower. Math results across the tested grades reveal a steeper challenge: proficiency rates in third and fourth grade fall below where the school would aim them, and fifth-grade math proficiency is also low. A parent reviewing these numbers may want to look into the school's instructional approach further, particularly around math, and understand what supports are in place to help students build foundational skills. The school does have a science and history curriculum beyond testing, but specific program details were not available.

The school operates within District 4, which serves East Harlem and surrounding neighborhoods. In fall 2024, District 4 adopted new reading instruction under the citywide NYC Reads initiative, moving all elementary classes to phonics-based curricula and ending the prior balanced literacy model. This represents a substantive shift in how early literacy is taught across the district. At the middle and high school level, District 4 will adopt a new standardized math curriculum starting in 2026-27. For families considering admissions to screened middle schools, the city reinstated academic merit screening in 2023, though East Harlem students do have access to some nearby options through geographic priority.

East Harlem itself is a densely built, walkable Manhattan neighborhood embedded in the broader fabric of New York City's neighborhoods and transit system. Housing values in the zip code are substantial, reflecting the city's overall market position. Rents have grown in the recent period. The area is active with mixed-use buildings, pedestrian traffic, and small commercial storefronts typical of dense urban neighborhoods. Public transit, parks, libraries, and other civic resources are integrated into the neighborhood rather than separated on suburban-style campuses.

A parent or caregiver looking at Mosaic should understand it as a small, neighborhood-based elementary school serving a predominantly Latino and Black student population from economically vulnerable families. The testing data suggests the school faces meaningful instructional challenges, especially in mathematics, and a family would benefit from directly engaging with the school about its reading and math support structures and classroom practice.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 338%

School 38% · District 46% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 414%

School 14% · District 49% · ▼ 35 pts below district

▼ 44 pts below state median · ▼ 47 pts below county median

Grade 516%

School 16% · District 44% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 35 pts below state median · ▼ 40 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 319%

School 19% · District 44% · ▼ 24 pts below district

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

Grade 413%

School 13% · District 52% · ▼ 39 pts below district

▼ 40 pts below state median · ▼ 50 pts below county median

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 52% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Science

Grade 524%

School 24% · District 37% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 551%

School 51% · district not reported

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

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 4, 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.