New York City Geographic District # 3 School District

New York City Geographic District 3 enrolls 19,335 students across 43 schools. With 42 ranked schools and a district average of 6.8 out of 10, performance spans a wide range — but the top tier runs well above that mean. Families who research individual schools rather than stopping at the district average will find several strong options.

PS 163 Alfred E. Smith leads all 43 schools with a rating of 8.7 out of 10, the highest mark in the district. It shares that position with West End Secondary School, a high school that also earns 8.7. These are the district's two highest-rated schools, and they anchor opposite ends of the K–12 arc — giving families one of the strongest elementary-to-high-school continuity options available within a single district.

Two other schools rank just below those leaders. PS 75 Emily Dickinson and the Special Music School each earn 8.5 ratings, placing them third and fourth district-wide. PS 9 Sarah Anderson rounds out the top five at 8.2. Five schools scoring 8.2 or higher is a meaningful cluster in a 43-school district, and the variety within that group — three traditional elementary programs, one specialized music school, and one high school — gives families with different priorities a realistic path to a top-tier placement.

The 6.8 district average reflects the full spread, with strong performers at the top and weaker schools pulling the mean down. The gap between the district average and its five best-rated schools is nearly two full points. District 3 rewards research. Parents who evaluate school by school — rating, program type, and fit — will find the strongest options concentrated among a small, identifiable group of standouts.