Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders
Grades 6-8 · 509 WEST 129 STREET · Manhattan
Kofi Edusei Jr, Principal · 212-543-4960
About
The Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders is a small Manhattan middle school serving grades 6-8, known for its intimate learning environment with an enrollment significantly below the citywide median. The school's mission emphasizes fostering broad intellectual interests, adolescent development, and academic excellence, aiming to prepare students to be leaders. It offers unique opportunities such as travel experiences, a strong athletic program, and a variety of science, technology, and arts-based elective courses. Academically, the school's ELA proficiency is at the citywide 25th percentile, while math proficiency is below this benchmark. The share of students taking accelerated coursework is near the citywide median. Parents report overwhelmingly positive relationships with the school, with survey results showing 97-99% favorability across various questions. The faculty is highly regarded for its strong family engagement and good instruction, with a high percentage of experienced teachers who recommend the school. While students generally feel safe in hallways, the school's climate rating is "Fair," with student survey data indicating some concerns regarding bullying and physical altercations. The school provides a laptop for every student and offers an after-school program until 6 PM.
Academics
State test proficiency rates and acceleration.
ELA proficiency
41%
Math proficiency
28%
Community & climate
Demographics, attendance, school survey results, and DOE quality ratings.
Quality signals
DOE quality-rating labels are skewed across the system; read them relative to the citywide distribution in our .
Parent survey · overall positive
Admissions
Seats, applicants, and admissions method from the most recent cycle. Where the school enrolls separate tracks (general ed, students with disabilities, specialized education), each track is shown on its own row, with its priority order beneath it.
Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders (I.S. 286)
Program code M286L · Cycle 2024-2025
22 applicants · 77 seats last year; every priority group with applicants received offers.
Spending
Total spend
$5.9MStudents: 86
Location & commute
Where the school is and how to get there.