Ps 36 Margaret Douglas, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 36 Margaret Douglas

PS 36 Margaret Douglas is a small elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in a densely built neighborhood that sits at the intersection of Harlem and the institutional anchor of Columbia University. The school serves a neighborhood population that is economically diverse but weighted toward lower household incomes, with the vast majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with smaller Asian and white populations. The school sits embedded in a block-fabric setting typical of New York City public schools rather than on a separated campus.

The school's academic profile reflects mixed results on recent state assessments. In mathematics, proficiency rates vary by grade: third-grade students are closer to half meeting state standards, fourth-graders fall lower, and fifth-graders sit in the low-to-middle range. English language arts shows a similar pattern, with third and fifth graders performing above fourth graders, though proficiency rates across the grade band stay modest. Fifth-grade science proficiency is notably low. A parent may want to look into further what supports the school is putting in place to strengthen student mastery, particularly in the upper grades and in science.

The broader New York City context is relevant here. All schools in the district must now teach reading using one of three phonics-based, science-of-reading curricula mandated under the NYC Reads initiative, a significant shift from prior practice. This was implemented across the district to standardize literacy instruction. The school operates within a district and city system where many operational and curricular choices that once varied school-to-school are now standardized, reflecting broader citywide commitments to reading and math instruction.

The neighborhood itself is highly walkable and transit-rich, with extensive subway access and the character of mixed-use urban blocks. Housing in the zip code reflects the high cost of living in Manhattan, though the school population suggests families across the full economic range live in the area. The city's recent housing growth has been steady, and the broader Upper West Side remains stable as a residential and educational neighborhood.

For families considering this school, the real question is whether the recent academic proficiency data aligns with their expectations and whether they want to partner with a small, fully neighborhood-embedded elementary school serving a population with substantial economic needs. The school's enrollment is stable across grade bands, and the pre-K through fifth structure is a clear elementary pathway. State testing data is available for grades three through five; no data is reported for the earlier grades because they are not tested under New York's assessment system.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 353%

School 53% · District 44% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 434%

School 34% · District 41% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 542%

School 42% · District 35% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 42% · ▲ 10 pts above district

even with state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 438%

School 38% · District 45% · ▼ 7 pts below district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 45% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Science

Grade 521%

School 21% · District 26% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 5, 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.