Jhs 143 Eleanor Roosevelt, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Jhs 143 Eleanor Roosevelt

JHS 143 Eleanor Roosevelt is a small middle school in upper Manhattan serving grades six through eight, located in a densely populated, mixed-use neighborhood where schools are woven into the urban block fabric rather than sited on separate campuses. The school sits at 511 West 182nd Street in a part of the city shaped by the subway, diverse local businesses, and dense residential buildings. This is a predominantly Hispanic student population in a neighborhood where the vast majority qualify for free or reduced-price meals, reflecting both the economic circumstances of families in the area and the school's role as a neighborhood anchor.

The school's enrollment is small, with about equal numbers across its three grade levels and a handful of students in ungraded placements. The student body is almost entirely Hispanic, with a tiny number of Black and white students. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the share of students receiving special education or English language services was not available.

Academic results across this school are weak. On the New York State testing assessments administered in early 2025, proficiency rates (students scoring at Level 3 or 4, the proficient mark) ranged from under one-fifth in grade six English and math to under one-third in grade eight science. Grade seven performed somewhat better, with about two out of five students proficient in math and just over one-third in English language arts. Grade eight math shows a particular challenge: only one student tested scored at proficiency, and that figure reflects a very low participation rate, suggesting that many eighth graders either did not sit for the exam or were not present on test day. Across the three grades and subjects where 2024-25 data is available, the overall proficiency index places this school in the bottom quartile among New York County's middle schools.

When compared to other schools in the county, JHS 143's proficiency performance is substantially below the typical school. The school's four-year graduation rate was not available; since this is a middle school, that metric does not apply. Chronic absenteeism data was also not provided.

District 6, which includes this school, has experienced enrollment decline over the past several years, driven by fewer resident families moving into the area and rising charter-school enrollment. At the same time, the district has undergone consolidations and school re-sitings to adjust to changing numbers. The district implemented new reading-curriculum mandates beginning in the 2023-24 school year, requiring all elementary schools to use one of three phonics-based programs. Gifted and Talented admissions across the city were also overhauled, shifting from a single exam for four-year-olds to a teacher-recommendation and lottery system with new entry points, which increased access for Black and Hispanic students.

A parent considering JHS 143 may want to look further into why participation and proficiency are so low, especially in grade eight. Low test participation can sometimes reflect scheduling changes, illness during test windows, or other temporary conditions, but it can also signal broader attendance or engagement challenges. A conversation with the school about what supports it offers students who struggle academically, what its daily schedule and class structure look like, and how it works with families on attendance and engagement would help clarify what this school can provide.

The neighborhood itself is highly walkable, served by subway lines, and embedded in a vibrant urban setting. Housing values in the zip code are above the state average, and rents have risen. The broader New York economy continues to grow, anchored by finance, tech, and professional services, though the school's students are drawn from families with very limited economic resources based on the meal-eligibility rate.

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Academic performance

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

New York Regents Exams

1 course 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	47	23.0%

Math

Grade 618%

School 18% · District 40% · ▼ 22 pts below district

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

Grade 740%

School 40% · District 51% · ▼ 11 pts below district

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · District 55% · ▼ 55 pts below district

▼ 37 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 619%

School 19% · District 42% · ▼ 23 pts below district

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

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 43% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 49% · ▼ 21 pts below district

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

Science

Grade 828%

School 28% · District 45% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 835%

School 35% · district not reported

▼ 43 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 6, 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.