P.S. 153 Adam Clayton Powell is an elementary school in Manhattan serving students from Pre-K through 5th grade. The school is known for its strong community focus and supportive environment, with parents consistently reporting high satisfaction with staff and their children's education. It serves a high-needs population, with a significant percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and a large English Language Learner population, both well above citywide averages. The school maintains an excellent 0% suspension rate, contributing to a positive school climate. While academic proficiency in both ELA and Math is a concern, falling below citywide medians, the school shows relative strengths in supporting English Language Learners and students with special needs. P.S. 153 offers a dedicated Gifted & Talented program and provides Dual Language classes in Spanish. The school also features an arts lab, a dance studio, and a gym, enriching the student experience.
What this school has to spend, and what it spends it on. Spending is not a measure of quality. Schools serving more students with higher needs receive more money.
Average class size by classroom setting: general education vs. ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching, where general- and special-education students learn together with two teachers). NYC DOE Class Size Report, 2021–22.
100% response rate
Teacher survey · overall positive
87%100% response rate
Survey topics
Safety86%city 90%
My students are safe…outside around this school.77%
My students are safe…traveling between home and this school.78%
My students are safe…in the hallways, bathrooms, locker rooms, and cafeteria of this school.97%
My students are safe…in my class(es).97%
Behavioral supports are applied equitably to children in my program.80%
Conflicts are resolved fairly in my school.88%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (86%) is their average, vs 90% citywide.
Bullying prevention33%city 42%
At this school students harass, bully, or intimidate other students.33%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (33%) is their average, vs 42% citywide.
Emotional support85%city 84%
How many adults at this school…help students develop the skills they need to complete challenging coursework despite obstacles?.84%
How many adults at this school…tell their students they believe they can achieve high academic standards?.92%
How many adults at this school…teach students how to advocate for themselves?.86%
How many adults at this school…recognize disruptive behavior as social-emotional learning opportunities?.76%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (85%) is their average, vs 84% citywide.
Academic expectations84%city 87%
In this school, the staff believes that all students can learn, including English language learners (ELLs), Emergent Multilingual Learners (EMLLs), and students with disabilities.95%
How many students in your classes…have to work hard to do well?.72%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (84%) is their average, vs 87% citywide.
College & career guidance70%city 90%
It’s a priority at this school that adults…provide students with guidance on the high school application process.70%
It’s a priority at this school that adults…provide families with guidance on the high school application process.70%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (70%) is their average, vs 90% citywide.
Family outreach96%city 94%
At this school…teachers understand families' challenges and concerns.97%
At this school…teachers work closely with families to meet students' needs.92%
At this school…staff regularly communicate with families about how they can help students learn.97%
At this school…school staff value families' race, ethnicity, culture, family structure, and background.97%
School staff regularly communicate with me about how I can help my child learn.94%
Teachers work closely with me to meet my child's needs.95%
My child's school communicates with me in a language that I can understand.96%
I am greeted warmly when I contact or visit the school.96%
My child's school will make me aware if there are any concerns about my child’s social or emotional well-being.
Parent–teacher trust97%city 95%
I feel respected by my child's teachers.98%
Staff at this school work hard to build trusting relationships with parents/guardians like me.95%
My child's teachers treat me as a partner in educating my child.97%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (97%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Show all survey topicsShow fewer
Rigorous Instruction
Strong Core Instruction91%city 91%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…reading and writing experiences grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational. [Social Studies].73%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to interact with complex grade-level text and tasks. [Social Studies].91%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage with texts and tasks reflective of their diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic perspective. [Social Studies].91%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage in meaningful discussion that critically examines topics that connect to the daily lives of students. [Social Studies].91%
Overall positive % is averaged across every Pos/Neg survey question per respondent group (school year 2023-2024). Survey topics are the DOE’s framework measures (each the average favorable response across its questions; expand a topic to see them and the citywide average); the dimension scores themselves are no longer in the public data file.[3]
Teacher experience and certification from the NYSED School Report Card (2024–25); students per teacher = enrollment ÷ reported teachers. Fewer than 4 years counts as inexperienced.
Female / male shares as published by the DOE; other gender identities aren’t reported in the source data.
Enrollment
30
39
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↳ Students who live in the zone and have a sibling at the school.
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↳ Other students who live in the zone.
20
20
1.00
↳ Students who live in the district and have a sibling at the school.
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↳ Students who live outside the district and have a sibling at the school.
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—
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↳ Other students who live in the district.
5
5
1.00
↳ All other applicants.
0
10
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Last year’s published figures. Schools make more offers than seats because not everyone enrolls, so offers can exceed seats. Counts under 10 are suppressed (shown as “<10”).
Pre-K - School Day
Program code 06M153PK · Cycle 2024-2025
ZonedGifted & talented
47 applicants · 54 seats last year; every priority group with applicants received offers.
↳ Students who live in the zone and have a sibling at the school.
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—
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↳ Other students who live in the zone.
10
10
1.00
↳ Students who live in the district and have a sibling at the school.
—
—
—
↳ Students who live outside the district and have a sibling at the school.
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—
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↳ Other students who live in the district.
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—
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↳ All other applicants.
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Last year’s published figures. Schools make more offers than seats because not everyone enrolls, so offers can exceed seats. Counts under 10 are suppressed (shown as “<10”).
How to read Applications / seat and where the outlook buckets come from is explained in our methodology.
51st percentile citywide
School-managed budget
$8.5MPositions: 72
56th percentile citywide
Total spend per student
$37,407
67th percentile citywide · city median $33,606
Staffing costs
Principal’s salary
$198K
39th percentile citywide
Principal and assistant principals
$479KPositions: 3
46th percentile citywide
Teaching staff
$4.5MPositions: 38
56th percentile citywide
Where the school-managed budget goes
These five categories add up to the school-managed budget. They do not include the centrally-paid costs in total spend.
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (96%) is their average, vs 94% citywide.
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…focusing deeply on the concepts emphasized in the standards to help students build strong foundations for learning. [Social Studies].
82%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…reading and writing experiences grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational. [Science].100%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to interact with complex grade-level text and tasks. [Science].100%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage with texts and tasks reflective of their diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic perspective. [Science].100%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage in meaningful discussion that critically examines topics that connect to the daily lives of students. [Science].100%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…creating coherent progressions within the standards from previous grades to current grade to build onto previous learning. [Science].100%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…reading and writing experiences grounded in evidence from text, both literary and informational. [ELA].87%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to interact with complex grade-level text and tasks. [ELA].93%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage with texts and tasks reflective of their diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic perspective. [ELA].93%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage in meaningful discussion that critically examines topics that connect to the daily lives of students. [ELA].80%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…focusing deeply on the concepts emphasized in the standards to help students build strong foundations for learning. [ELA].87%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to interact with complex grade-level text and tasks. [Math].89%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage with texts and tasks reflective of their diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic perspective. [Math].89%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage in meaningful discussion that critically examines topics that connect to the daily lives of students. [Math].100%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…focusing deeply on the concepts emphasized in the standards to help students build strong foundations for learning. [Math].94%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to interact with complex grade-level text and tasks. [English as a New Language (ENL)].86%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage with texts and tasks reflective of their diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic perspective. [English as a New Language (ENL)].86%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…students to engage in meaningful discussion that critically examines topics that connect to the daily lives of students. [English as a New Language (ENL)].86%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to include multiple opportunities for…focusing deeply on the concepts emphasized in the standards to help students build strong foundations for learning. [English as a New Language (ENL)].86%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (91%) is their average, vs 91% citywide.
Early Childhood Instruction87%city 92%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to…meet the needs of the children in my classroom. [Early childhood].85%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to…develop learning experiences grounded in the concepts of development and learning emphasized in the Prekindergarten Foundations for the Common Core (PKFCC), New York State Prekindergarten Learning Standards (NYSPLS) and/or Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF). [Early childhood].92%
In planning my last instructional unit, I had the resources and tools I needed to…help children engage with books and materials, or in other learning activities reflective of their diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic perspective. [Early childhood].85%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (87%) is their average, vs 92% citywide.
Quality of Student Discussion66%city 67%
How many students in your classes…build on each other’s ideas during class discussions?.62%
How many students in your classes…use data or text references to support their ideas?.59%
How many students in your classes…show that they respect each other’s ideas?.72%
How many students in your classes…provide constructive feedback to their peers/teachers?.59%
How many students in your classes…participate in class discussions at some point?.79%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (66%) is their average, vs 67% citywide.
Collaborative Teachers
Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Classroom Instruction95%city 92%
I am able to...receive support around how to incorporate students' cultural and linguistic backgrounds in my practice.92%
I am able to...modify instructional activities and materials to meet the developmental needs and learning interests of all my students.90%
I am able to...ensure instruction represents multiple perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds.92%
I am able to…ensure instruction represents multiple genders, gender identities and expressions and sexual orientations.94%
I am able to…ensure instruction represents multiple races and ethnicities.100%
I am able to...design appropriate instruction that is matched to students' need (e.g. English language learners (ELLs) or Emergent Multilingual Learners (EMLLs) proficiency and students with disabilities).95%
I am able to...apply my knowledge of parents' various cultural backgrounds when collaborating with them regarding their child's educational progress.100%
I am able to...develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs for my students with disabilities.100%
I am able to...monitor progress on Individualized Education Program goals for my students with disabilities.100%
I am able to...distinguish linguistic/cultural differences from learning difficulties.100%
I have conversations about race and racism at my school that help me examine my own beliefs around identity.82%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (95%) is their average, vs 92% citywide.
Peer Collaboration92%city 87%
At this school…the principal/school leader, teachers, and staff collaborate to make this school run effectively.95%
At this school…teachers design instructional programs (e.g. lessons, units) together.90%
At this school…teachers make a conscious effort to coordinate their teaching with instruction at other grade levels.92%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (92%) is their average, vs 87% citywide.
School Commitment90%city 83%
I usually look forward to each working day at this school.92%
I would recommend this school to parents/guardians seeking a place for their child.85%
I would recommend this school to other teachers as a place to work.92%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (90%) is their average, vs 83% citywide.
Quality of Professional Development88%city 82%
Overall, my professional development experiences this year have...included enough time to think carefully about, try, and evaluate new ideas.82%
Overall, my professional development experiences this year have...Included opportunities to engage in inquiry-based, professional collaboration with peers and/or mentors from other schools.87%
Overall, my professional development experiences this year have...directly related to my students’ needs.95%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (88%) is their average, vs 82% citywide.
Innovation and Collective Responsibility84%city 79%
How many teachers at this school…help build a welcoming school environment in the entire school, not just their classroom?.87%
How many teachers at this school…are actively trying to improve their teaching?.82%
How many teachers at this school…take responsibility for improving the school?.84%
How many teachers at this school…are eager to try new ideas?.82%
How many teachers at this school…feel responsible that all students learn?.87%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (84%) is their average, vs 79% citywide.
Supportive Environment
Classroom Behavior62%city 66%
How many students in your classes…listen carefully when the teacher gives directions?.72%
How many students in your classes…follow the rules in class?.64%
How many students in your classes…respond to challenging questions in class?.51%
How many students in your classes…do their work when they are supposed to?.59%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (62%) is their average, vs 66% citywide.
Effective School Leadership
Inclusive Leadership97%city 95%
The principal/school leader at this school…puts decisions made with families into action.97%
The principal/school leader at this school…works to create a sense of community in the school.96%
The principal/school leader at this school…ensures families are comfortable communicating with the school.98%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (97%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Instructional Leadership87%city 86%
The principal/school leader at this school...makes clear to the staff their expectations for meeting instructional goals.92%
The principal/school leader at this school...understands how children learn.86%
The principal/school leader at this school...sets high standards for student learning.95%
The principal/school leader at this school...participates in instructional planning with teams of teachers.84%
The principal/assistant principal(s) at this school…supports teachers in implementing what they have learned in professional development.92%
The principal/assistant principal(s) at this school…carefully tracks student academic progress.92%
The principal/assistant principal(s) at this school…knows what’s going on in my classes.87%
The principal/assistant principal(s) at this school…provides teachers with formative feedback to improve practice.92%
How many adults at this school…have access to school-based supports to assist in behavioral/emotional escalations?.65%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (87%) is their average, vs 86% citywide.
Program Coherence86%city 83%
At this school…once we start a new program, we follow up to make sure that it’s working.79%
At this school…it is clear how all of the programs offered are connected to our school’s instructional vision.85%
At this school…curriculum, instruction, and learning materials are well coordinated across the different grade levels at this school.95%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (86%) is their average, vs 83% citywide.
Teacher Influence72%city 66%
At this school…the principal/school leader encourages feedback through regular meetings with families and teacher leaders.97%
How much influence do teachers have over school policy in...hiring new professional personnel?.58%
How much influence do teachers have over school policy in...planning how discretionary school funds should be used?.55%
How much influence do teachers have over school policy in...selecting instructional materials and/or curriculum used in classrooms?.74%
How much influence do teachers have over school policy in...setting standards for student behavior?.74%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (72%) is their average, vs 66% citywide.
Strong Family-Community Ties
Two-Way Communication100%city 99%
At this program, teachers incorporate feedback from families into supporting children in the program.100%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (100%) is their average, vs 99% citywide.
Strong Relationships98%city 95%
At this school, my child receives what they need to achieve their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goal(s). [Families of students with IEPs].96%
At the beginning of the school year, teachers support children in adjusting to this program.100%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (98%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Building Families' Capacity as their Child's Primary Teacher97%city 97%
My child’s teachers give me helpful ideas about how I can support my child’s learning and development. [Birth-5].95%
My child’s teachers let me know that I can make a difference in my child’s learning. [Birth-5].95%
At this program, teachers let families know that they can make a difference in their child's learning and development.100%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (97%) is their average, vs 97% citywide.
Parent Involvement in School76%city 71%
Since the beginning of the school year, how often have you…communicated with your child's teachers about your child's performance?.96%
Since the beginning of the school year, how often have you…seen your child’s projects, artwork, homework, tests, or quizzes?.94%
My child’s teachers let me know that I can make a difference in my child’s learning. [Birth-5].95%
I know how to contact the Parent Coordinator at my child’s school.17%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (76%) is their average, vs 71% citywide.
Trust
Parent-Principal Trust96%city 94%
I feel respected by my child's principal/school leader.97%
I trust the principal/school leader at their word (to do what they say that they will do).95%
The principal/school leader is an effective manager who makes the school run smoothly.95%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (96%) is their average, vs 94% citywide.
Teacher-Principal Trust96%city 84%
I feel respected by the principal/school leader at this school.97%
The principal/school leader at this school is an effective manager who makes the school run smoothly.97%
The principal/school leader has confidence in the expertise of the teachers at this school.97%
I trust the principal/school leader at their word (to do what they say that they will do).97%
The principal/school leader looks out for the personal welfare of the staff members.95%
The principal/school leader places the needs of children ahead of personal interests.97%
The principal and assistant principals function as a cohesive unit.90%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (96%) is their average, vs 84% citywide.
Teacher-Teacher Trust90%city 86%
Teachers in this school trust each other.87%
It's OK in this school to discuss feelings, worries, and frustrations with other teachers.87%
I feel respected by other teachers at this school.97%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (90%) is their average, vs 86% citywide.