Capital Preparatory (cp) Harlem Charter School, New York NY

Original Research by School Decision on Capital Preparatory (cp) Harlem Charter School

Capital Preparatory (CP) Harlem Charter School is a mid-sized charter serving grades six through twelve on Madison Avenue in Upper Manhattan, with an enrollment that spans middle school through high school. The school is located in the heart of a dense, mixed-use neighborhood where schools are woven into the urban block rather than set apart on campus. The area is shaped by the city's extensive public transit, diverse economy anchored in finance and technology, and active street life, with residents moving across neighborhoods routinely by subway.

The school's student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of students identifying as Hispanic. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a student population drawn primarily from lower-income households in the surrounding community. The school is small relative to typical public high schools and operates as a charter, independent from the district system and answerable to SUNY for renewal.

Academic performance is mixed across the grades. In English Language Arts, results vary sharply by grade: sixth and seventh graders show low proficiency, while eighth graders reach a much higher bar. In math, proficiency is consistently low through sixth and seventh grades, with no results reported for eighth grade. Science testing data at grade eight is unavailable, reflecting either a gap in testing administration or reporting. These patterns suggest the school may be stronger with older students or that the earlier grades are still building toward stronger results. A parent investigating the school would want to ask directly about what supports are in place for sixth and seventh grade math and ELA, and whether the gap between grades reflects curriculum design, instructional intensity, staff or resources.

Among the county's charter and traditional public schools, Capital Prep's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile. The school's graduation rate was not available in the data, making it difficult to assess how many students who enter the high school complete their diplomas.

The school's most distinctive feature is its dual-enrollment pathway, a college-credit model through which students take courses at a nearby college while still in high school and can earn an Associate Degree alongside or before their high school diploma at no cost. This is a tangible pathway to reduce college costs and time to degree, and the school markets it as a defining strength. The school also received a five-year charter renewal from SUNY in early 2026, giving families assurance of its continued operation for the next full charter term.

The school sits in a neighborhood where housing values are above the state benchmark and rents have been rising, reflecting broader housing growth across the city. Families choosing Capital Prep Harlem are typically drawn to its college-credit model, its charter independence, and its commitment to a specific student community; the low proficiency results in the lower grades signal that early academic support may need scrutiny as part of any enrollment decision.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

Not publicly reportedCohort of 1 student · Class of 2021

The federal source does not publish a graduation rate for cohorts this small. The cohort size is shown for context.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

1,253 schools plotted. 14 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

New York Regents Exams

2 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
Social Studies	52	73.0%
Ela	50	46.0%

Math

Grade 60%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 45 pts below state median · ▼ 45 pts below county median

Grade 730%

School 30% · district not reported

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 37 pts below state median · even with county median

English language arts

Grade 629%

School 29% · district not reported

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

Grade 720%

School 20% · district not reported

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 876%

School 76% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 80%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, 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.