East Harlem Scholars Academy Charter School
Grades K-8 · 2050 Second Avenue · Manhattan
Desree Cabrall-Njenga, Principal · 212-348-2518
About
East Harlem Scholars Academy Charter School provides a kindergarten through eighth-grade education in East Harlem, aiming to foster academic skills, strength of character, and emotional well-being within a challenging and nurturing environment. As a charter school, it admits students via a lottery, prioritizing local residents, and serves a student population with high economic need. While state test proficiency in ELA is at the citywide 25th percentile and Math proficiency is below it, the school receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents, with survey results indicating high satisfaction with the school community and staff attentiveness. The leadership is recognized for its focus on continuous instructional improvement and high expectations for teachers. The school benefits from a modern facility, opened in 2016, which includes a robotics lab, gymnasium, and a community cafe, contributing to a comprehensive student experience. The school also maintains a substantial waitlist, reflecting strong demand from families.
Sources (5)
- East Harlem Scholars Academy Charter School Official Data · 2023-2024
- East Harlem Scholars Academy Charter School - District 4 - InsideSchools · 2024-2025
- Officials Break Ground on $30 Million East Harlem Charter School Complex · 2014
- SUNY Charter Schools Institute - East Harlem Scholars Academy Charter School 1 · Unknown
- High School (9th-12th) - East Harlem Scholars Academies · 2025
Academics
State test proficiency rates and acceleration.
ELA proficiency
41%
Math proficiency
37%
Proficiency rates are from the Grade 3–8 NYS state test (school-level).
Attendance rate
94%
Avg class size (general ed)
—
Avg class size (ICT)
—
Community & climate
Demographics, attendance, school survey results, and DOE quality ratings.
Quality signals
Parent survey · overall positive
86%59% response rate
Survey topics
Family outreach94%city 94%
- School staff regularly communicate with me about how I can help my child learn.87%
- 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.95%
- I am greeted warmly when I contact or visit the school.97%
- My child's school will make me aware if there are any concerns about my child’s social or emotional well-being.97%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (94%) is their average, vs 94% citywide.
Parent–teacher trust96%city 95%
- I feel respected by my child's teachers.97%
- Staff at this school work hard to build trusting relationships with parents/guardians like me.93%
- My child's teachers treat me as a partner in educating my child.98%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (96%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Show all survey topicsShow fewer
Effective School Leadership
Inclusive Leadership92%city 95%
- The principal/school leader at this school…puts decisions made with families into action.88%
- The principal/school leader at this school…works to create a sense of community in the school.93%
- The principal/school leader at this school…ensures families are comfortable communicating with the school.95%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (92%) is their average, vs 95% citywide.
Strong Family-Community Ties
Strong Relationships73%city 90%
- At this school, my child receives what they need to achieve their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goal(s). [Families of students with IEPs].73%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (73%) is their average, vs 90% citywide.
Parent Involvement in School71%city 63%
- Since the beginning of the school year, how often have you…communicated with your child's teachers about your child's performance?.95%
- Since the beginning of the school year, how often have you…seen your child’s projects, artwork, homework, tests, or quizzes?.91%
- I know how to contact the Parent Coordinator at my child’s school.28%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (71%) is their average, vs 63% citywide.
Trust
Parent-Principal Trust94%city 94%
- I feel respected by my child's principal/school leader.95%
- I trust the principal/school leader at their word (to do what they say that they will do).93%
- The principal/school leader is an effective manager who makes the school run smoothly.95%
Each question’s favorable response rate; the topic score (94%) is their average, vs 94% citywide.
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]
Operational health
Attendance
94%
Chronic absenteeism
55%
Suspension rate
7%
Teachers[7]
Teachers with 4+ years' experience
91%
Students per teacher
9:1
Teaching out of certification
80%
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.
Student body
Race / ethnicity[4]
- Asian 2%
- Black 22%
- Hispanic 69%
- White 3%
- Multiracial 2%
School-level totals; may not sum to 100% due to rounding and small subgroup suppression.
Gender[4]
- Female 51%
- Male 49%
Female / male shares as published by the DOE; other gender identities aren’t reported in the source data.
Enrollment
487
Economic Need Index
92%
Free / reduced lunch
90%
English learners
16%
Students with IEPs
28%
Location & commute
Where the school is and how to get there.