Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School, Albany NY

Original Research by School Decision on Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School

Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School serves about middle grades in Albany's public school system. The school's recent state testing results reveal significant academic challenges that a parent should understand directly.

In math, proficiency drops sharply by grade level. Sixth graders show a modest foundation, with about a quarter meeting state proficiency standards. Seventh grade proficiency falls to roughly a fifth of students. By eighth grade, the picture becomes acute: only a small fraction of students tested met proficiency, and the testing participation rate itself fell notably, suggesting real difficulty in the grade-eight population. In English Language Arts, the pattern is somewhat less steep but still concerning. Sixth and seventh grades each show proficiency rates in the mid-to-high twenties, while eighth grade improves to about two-fifths of students proficient, the strongest subject-grade outcome the school reports. Eighth-grade science proficiency sits below one-fifth, and again the participation rate dipped, mirroring the math trend.

Compared to other districts in Albany County, Myers sits in the bottom tier of schools on overall proficiency, reflecting the low rates across tested subjects and grades. A parent considering this school should discuss with the school directly what support structures exist for students struggling with core academics, what acceleration or intervention pathways are in place, and how the eighth-grade transition challenges are being addressed. The low participation rates in eighth grade, particularly in math and science, warrant a direct conversation about what those numbers reflect.

The school draws from a diverse student population. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating economic need across the enrollment. The student body is majority students of color, with the largest share Black, followed by smaller shares of Asian, Hispanic, multiracial, and white students. The school serves a neighborhood where about two-thirds of families are living at or below the poverty line.

Myers is a neighborhood middle school serving grades six through eight in a regular public school setting. It sits within the Albany City School District, which has recently restructured its middle school feeder pattern and is investing in school facilities, security and infrastructure through a capital project approved in 2026. The district has also made transportation more accessible for younger students, lowering elementary busing eligibility to one mile from home, a signal of attention to access. The district's tax-levy increases have been modest or absent for several years, which carries implications for property affordability in the neighborhoods the school serves.

Housing in the 12209 zip code where Myers is located reflects Albany's broader character as a mid-sized state capital with revitalization underway. Home values sit modestly above the national benchmark, while monthly rents run in the mid-range for the region. The city is in active downtown growth and housing development, with state and private investment flowing toward conversion of historic buildings to apartments and new residential construction.

Myers is not described as a school with distinctive magnet programming or specialized offerings. It appears to be a traditional public middle school serving its assigned attendance zone. If strong core academics or specific program pathways are important to your family, this school's current proficiency data suggests looking closely at what learning support and academic structure are in place, and whether the school's approach aligns with your child's learning needs.

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Academic performance

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

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
Math	60	63.0%
Science	55	76.0%

Math

Grade 627%

School 27% · District 29% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 722%

School 22% · District 27% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 84%

School 4% · District 9% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 632%

School 32% · District 30% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Grade 726%

School 26% · District 28% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 839%

School 39% · District 38% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 820%

School 20% · District 18% · ▲ 2 pts above district

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

Social studies

Grade 859%

School 59% · district not reported

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 32 pts below county median

This schoolALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, 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-income19%Higher-income56%37 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income17%Higher-income49%32 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income30%Higher-income55%25 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income17%Higher-income48%32 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income15%Higher-income40%25 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income4%Higher-income4%0 pp gap