Julia Richman Education Complex

Description

The Julia Richman Education Complex is an educational multiplex located in the Upper East Side neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. Names after the district superintendent of schools, Julia Richman, it houses six autonomous small schools for approximately 1,800 Pre-K through 12th grade students in the former Julia Richman High School building. The schools are operated by the New York City Department of Education.HistoryThe facility was built in 1923 as an all-girls commercial high school, Julia Richman High School (JRHS). By 1990 the NYC Board of Education identified JRHS as having the worst statistics of student achievement in Manhattan. The local police precinct referred to the crime-infested school as "Julia Rikers,” known for its violence and vandalism. Metal detectors were installed and metal cages were used to isolate students with disciplinary problems. Only thirty-seven percent of its enrollees graduated.The school closed to entering freshmen in 1993 who were given the opportunity to attend one of six new small schools located outside the school building. With money provided in part by the entities such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the building was redesigned from a single school into a multi-age, multi-service learning community with six autonomous, public, Small Schools. The new schools that formed the new Julia Richman Education Complex were "hothoused" in temporary buildings elsewhere. The $30 million renovation in 1993–95 restore