The brief
The top-rated elementary schools in New York for 2026 are PS 124 Yung Wing (9.2/10), Spruce Street School (9.1/10), and Basis Independent Manhattan (9.1/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 190 elementary schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
New York City's elementary school landscape spans 155 ranked schools, giving families an unusually wide field to evaluate. PS 133 Fred R. Moore leads the group with a 9.5/10 composite score, followed closely by PS 92 Mary McLeod Bethune and Professor Juan Bosch Public School, both at 9.4. The city-wide average sits at 6.6/10, but 69 schools — 45% of the ranked total — clear the 7/10 mark, meaning strong options are distributed across the five boroughs rather than concentrated in a handful of neighborhoods. The table below covers academics, environment, and other key metrics for all 155 schools. Sort by any column to match what matters most to your family. Whether you're prioritizing raw performance scores or looking for a school closer to home, the data lets you compare on your own terms.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 19.2
- 29.1
- 39.1
- 49.0
- 59.0
- 69.0
- 78.9
- 88.8
- 98.7
- 108.7
All 190 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 190
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1PS 124 Yung WingNew York City Geographic District # 2students 500student-teacher ratio 13.5:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 2Spruce Street SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 450student-teacher ratio 11.8:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 3Basis Independent Manhattanstudents 134student-teacher ratio 4.5:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 4Peck Slip School (the)New York City Geographic District # 2students 351student-teacher ratio 13.5:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 5The Caedmon Schoolstudents 101student-teacher ratio 4.1:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 6Reece Schoolstudents 110student-teacher ratio 2.5:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 7The Cathedral School of St John the Divinestudents 277student-teacher ratio 2.8:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 8MuscotaNew York City Geographic District # 6students 283student-teacher ratio 14.9:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 9PS 166 Richard Rogers School of the Arts & Science (the)New York City Geographic District # 3students 600student-teacher ratio 16.2:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 10The School at Columbia Universitystudents 487student-teacher ratio 4.6:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 11PS 183 Robert L StevensonNew York City Geographic District # 2students 534student-teacher ratio 16.2:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 12PS 89New York City Geographic District # 2students 330student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 13Battery Park City SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 803student-teacher ratio 13.2:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 14East Side Elementary School-PS 267New York City Geographic District # 2students 362student-teacher ratio 15.1:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 15PS 126 Jacob August RiisNew York City Geographic District # 2students 566student-teacher ratio 11.8:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 16Yorkville Community SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 344student-teacher ratio 12.3:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 17River School (the)New York City Geographic District # 2students 512student-teacher ratio 17.1:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 18Metropolitan Montessori Schoolstudents 101student-teacher ratio 3.2:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 19PS 171 Patrick HenryNew York City Geographic District # 4students 774student-teacher ratio 18.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 20Tag Young ScholarsNew York City Geographic District # 4students 550student-teacher ratio 19.0:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 21The Town Schoolstudents 287student-teacher ratio 4.7:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 22PS 198 Isador E Ida StrausNew York City Geographic District # 2students 515student-teacher ratio 14.3:1grades Pre-K–5th
- 23PS 77 Lower Lab SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 368student-teacher ratio 19.4:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 24PS 234 Independence SchoolNew York City Geographic District # 2students 489student-teacher ratio 12.9:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 25PS 84 Lillian WeberNew York City Geographic District # 3students 670student-teacher ratio 16.0:1grades Pre-K–5th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and New York education department. Rankings are relative to all public elementary schools in New York. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
PS 124 Yung Wing
New York City Geographic District # 2
500 students · 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 1% in New York
- Academics
- 9.4
- Growth
- 9.1
- Environment
- 9.0
- 2
Spruce Street School
New York City Geographic District # 2
450 students · 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 1% in New York
- Academics
- 8.5
- Growth
- 9.6
- Environment
- 8.7
- 3
Basis Independent Manhattan
134 students · 4.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 1% in New York
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 4
Peck Slip School (the)
New York City Geographic District # 2
351 students · 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–5th
Top 2% in New York
- Academics
- 8.8
- Growth
- 9.8
- Environment
- 7.1
- 5
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 6
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 7
The Cathedral School of St John the Divine
277 students · 2.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–8th
Top 1% in New York
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
- 8
Muscota
New York City Geographic District # 6
283 students · 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–5th
Top 3% in New York
- Academics
- 8.2
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 6.7
- 9
PS 166 Richard Rogers School of the Arts & Science (the)
New York City Geographic District # 3
600 students · 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–5th
Top 4% in New York
- Academics
- 9.3
- Growth
- 9.7
- Environment
- 5.2
- 10
The School at Columbia University
487 students · 4.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–8th
Top 1% in New York
- Academics
- not scored
- Growth
- not scored
- Environment
- not scored
Questions
What is the best elementary school in New York, New York?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, PS 124 Yung Wing is the top-rated elementary school in New York with a composite score of 9.2/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many elementary schools are in New York, New York?
New York has 208 elementary schools, including 27 charter schools. Of these, 199 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average elementary school rating in New York?
Among 199 New York elementary schools with a composite score, the average is 6.5/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in New York).
How does MySchoolScout rate elementary schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within New York, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in New York, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the New York elementary school rankings?
New York has 27 charter elementary schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best middle schools in New York2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in New York2026 rankings and ratings
- All 481 schools in New YorkElementary, middle and high
- New York schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings