Ps 200 James Mccune Smith School (the), New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 200 James Mccune Smith School (the)

PS 200 The James McCune Smith School is a small, neighborhood elementary school in Harlem serving pre-K through fifth grade. The building is located at a block address on Seventh Avenue in a dense, mixed-use neighborhood where residential and commercial spaces blend vertically, and walkability is high. The school sits embedded in the urban fabric rather than on a separate campus, which is the standard for New York City public schools.

The school's enrollment is small, with roughly equal cohorts across the grade band. The student population is economically disadvantaged: a very substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. By race and ethnicity, the school serves a largely Black student body, with a meaningful share of Hispanic students and a smaller number of students from other backgrounds, including a notable count of students identified as American Indian or Alaska Native.

Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available. The school's website information was not provided in this record.

Academically, PS 200's proficiency rates on state math and English language arts assessments fall substantially below state benchmarks. In math, third-grade proficiency was in the low-to-mid range; fourth-grade proficiency dropped sharply to roughly three in ten students; and fifth-grade proficiency fell further, to around one in five. English language arts showed a similar pattern: third grade was at about half; fourth grade dropped to roughly one in three; and fifth grade recovered slightly to around four in ten. Science proficiency in fifth grade was particularly low, around one in eight students. Participation rates were high, indicating these numbers reflect the actual student population.

When the school's overall proficiency is measured against all districts in New York County, it places in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into the school's approach to reading and math instruction further with the school directly, especially as the district has adopted structured curricula under the NYC Reads and NYC Solves mandates. The school is required to use one of three approved phonics-based, science-of-reading programs for elementary literacy, and the district's middle school partners are required to use approved math curricula as well.

The broader context matters. This is a high-need school in a neighborhood serving families with limited economic resources. Housing costs in the 10039 zip code have risen modestly year over year, and the city itself is in a sustained residential growth phase, though the Harlem and Upper Manhattan areas where this school sits are historically among the city's most densely populated. The school's small enrollment and tight integration into its block environment are typical of Manhattan elementary schools.

For families considering this school, the central reality is that current proficiency results are weak across tested subjects and grades, particularly in math and science. The school's student composition and economic context, along with the strong testing challenges, suggest a school serving high-need students with academic outcomes that diverge notably from district and state averages. Families should seek clarification from the school about instructional approach, specific interventions in place, and how results have changed over time, particularly as curriculum mandates have taken effect.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 356%

School 56% · District 44% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 41% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 518%

School 18% · District 35% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

English language arts

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 42% · ▲ 8 pts above district

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

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 45% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 31 pts below county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 45% · ▼ 6 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 26% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 566%

School 66% · district not reported

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 13 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income74%Higher-income72%2 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income56%Higher-income62%6 pp gap