Amber Charter School East Harlem
Grades K-5 · 220 EAST 106 STREET · Manhattan
Meirelys Ruiz, Principal · 212-534-9667
About
Amber Charter School in East Harlem, established in 2000 as New York State's first Latino-led charter school, serves students in grades K-5 with a mission to provide an academically rigorous and well-rounded education alongside strong character development. The school emphasizes a core curriculum in literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies, complemented by enrichment in visual arts, music, physical education, and technology. All students receive instruction in Spanish as a second language from kindergarten, with a strong focus on developing English Language Learner skills. Academically, the school's ELA proficiency rate of 56% is just above the citywide median, while its math proficiency rate of 53% is just below the median. Notably, the 4th-grade math proficiency rate has been reported as significantly above the citywide average. Parents express overwhelmingly positive sentiment, with survey results showing 96-100% positive responses regarding their experiences. The school fosters a supportive learning environment, with K-2 classes benefiting from two teachers and grades 3-4 from a teacher and academic tutor, aiming for personalized learning and social-emotional growth. It also maintains partnerships with cultural institutions and community organizations.
Sources (16)
- Amber Charter School Official Data · 2023-2024
Academics
State test proficiency rates and acceleration.
ELA proficiency
56%
Math proficiency
53%
Proficiency rates are from the Grade 3–8 NYS state test (school-level).
Attendance rate
Community & climate
Demographics, attendance, school survey results, and DOE quality ratings.
Quality signals
Parent survey · overall positive
89%100% response rate
Teacher survey · overall positive
Financials
[8]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.
Charter schools manage their own budgets rather than receiving a school allocation from the DOE, so the staffing and supplies breakdown the DOE publishes for district schools is not published for this school.
Spending
Total spend
$6.8MStudents: 288
Location & commute
Where the school is and how to get there.