There are more than 1,000 public schools in New York City, making it the largest public school system in the United States. More than one million students attend these schools, which are located throughout the five boroughs of the city.

More than 600 grade schools are located in New York City, as are over 200 middle schools and more than 280 high schools. These schools require many teachers, administrators and other employees. Even with such a large number of pupils, the public schools in New York city are well-run and staffed by professional employees at all levels.

The top public grade schools in New York City include P.S. 290 Manhattan New School on the Upper East Side,  P.S. 40 Augustus St.-Gaudens in Midtown, and P.S. 41 Greenwich Village.

Notable public middle schools include the Mott Hall School in North Harlem, P.S. 184 Shuang Wen in the East Village, and M.S. 243 Center School on the Upper West Side.

The best public high schools are Beacon High School in Midtown, Stuyvesant High School in Lower Manhattan, and Urban Academy Laboratory High School on the Upper East Side.

Many different types of specialized schools are in place in New York City. These include charter schools and magnet schools.

Charter schools are very popular in New York City. Many parents and teachers feel that these specialized schools offer some students the best possible educational experiences. Quite often, students who attend these charter schools score high on tests and achieve noteworthy rankings, academically.  Notable charter schools include Harlem Success Academy (K-5), Leadership Village Academy (5-9), and  Harlem Village Academy (5-11).

Magnet schools are now situated throughout New York City. These specialized schools offer pupils intensive learning experiences in a range of subjects, such as math, visual arts, technology and science, while also providing a standard education taught by dedicated professionals. Students at these specialized schools also consistently achieve high rankings in test scores.

Charter and magnet grade schools, middle schools and high schools are located in every borough of the city.

Public schools in New York City offer a broad spectrum of sports programs and extracurricular activities. These include theater and drama, dance, baseball, football, soccer, basketball, fencing, drawing and music.

Many Montessori schools are also located in New York City. At these schools, pupils receive personalized instruction and are taught in non-competitive environments.

While most Montessori schools are geared toward pre-school through elementary school-age children, some of these schools now offer middle school educations.  The best Montessori schools include Montessori School of Manhattan, Metropolitan Monteessori, and Gold Material Montessori.

Whichever school you choose, be sure to research diligently and take heed to the individual needs of your child when searching for a great school in the Big Apple.  Happy searching!