Teachers College Community School, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Teachers College Community School

Teachers College Community School sits on Morningside Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, serving a school population that is majority Black and Hispanic, with a substantial share of students from low-income households qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, operating as part of New York City Geographic District 5.

The school's testing results show a pattern of strength in the elementary grades and substantial softening in the middle grades. In grades 3 through 5, the school demonstrates solid proficiency in both English language arts and math, with scores in the upper range for grades 4 and 5. Grade 3 performance is more modest but still respectable. Science proficiency in grade 5 is also notably strong. However, the picture changes sharply in grades 6 and beyond. Grade 6 proficiency drops significantly in both subjects, particularly in math where only a small share of students demonstrate proficiency. Grade 7 shows recovery in math and a solid result in ELA, but grade 8 data are mixed, with ELA proficiency moderately below grade 7 and math participation and results essentially absent from the data.

The low participation rates in some grades, particularly grade 6 and grade 8 science, warrant a parent asking the school directly what drives these gaps. Whether they reflect assessment scheduling, makeup testing, or other factors matters for understanding what the numbers mean. The overall proficiency index places the school above the midpoint among other schools in New York County.

The school operates within the context of two major curriculum mandates that affect all District 5 elementary and middle schools. NYC Reads requires all elementary schools to use one of three approved phonics-based reading programs, replacing the prior model of principal discretion. NYC Solves imposes similar standardization on middle school math instruction. Both changes are now in effect. For families familiar with different reading or math approaches, these mandates mean the school's pedagogy is no longer a point of choice within the building; the city has set the frameworks.

The neighborhood around the school is dense, walkable, and mixed-use, with residential and commercial space woven together. New York City as a whole has been adding housing at a rapid pace, and Morningside Heights itself is part of that growth pattern, though the immediate residential market reflects broader Manhattan dynamics. Housing values in the 10027 zip code are substantially above the state benchmark and significantly above national medians, and rents are correspondingly elevated. Families considering this school should budget for a high-cost housing market.

The school's size for its grade band is typical. Enrollment includes a modest population across the early grades and grows noticeably in the upper elementary and middle grades. Data on special education services and English learner populations were not available, so a parent may want to consult the school directly about the scope and quality of those services if they are relevant to their child.

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Academic performance

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

New York Regents Exams

3 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	37	27.0%
Ela	9	44.0%
Social Studies	6	67.0%

Math

Grade 362%

School 62% · District 44% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 481%

School 81% · District 41% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 582%

School 82% · District 35% · ▲ 48 pts above district

▲ 31 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Grade 621%

School 21% · District 38% · ▼ 17 pts below district

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

Grade 783%

School 83% · District 43% · ▲ 40 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 32% · ▼ 32 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 369%

School 69% · District 42% · ▲ 27 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 474%

School 74% · District 45% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 582%

School 82% · District 45% · ▲ 37 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 642%

School 42% · District 42%

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

Grade 771%

School 71% · District 46% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 857%

School 57% · District 42% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Science

Grade 581%

School 81% · District 26% · ▲ 55 pts above district

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 833%

School 33% · District 27% · ▲ 6 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 25 pts above 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 4Lower-income64%Higher-income100%36 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income67%Higher-income91%24 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income37%Higher-income67%30 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income64%Higher-income100%36 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 4Lower-income91%Higher-income60%31 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income57%Higher-income100%43 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income21%Higher-income20%1 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income76%Higher-income100%24 pp gap