PS 290 MANHATTAN NEW SCHOOL

437 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

PS 290, also known as the Manhattan New School, is a highly regarded public elementary school located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Known for its strong sense of community and commitment to academic excellence, the school follows a progressive educational philosophy. It emphasizes a constructivist approach to learning, where students are encouraged to be active participants in their education through inquiry-based projects, collaborative work, and critical thinking rather than rote memorization.

The school is well-regarded for its robust arts and enrichment programs, which help foster a creative and inclusive environment. Because of its excellent reputation and high demand, PS 290 operates within a competitive district, often maintaining a close-knit feel despite its urban setting. The parent community is notoriously active and deeply involved in supporting the school’s resources and extracurricular initiatives, contributing to an environment that balances rigorous academics with a focus on the social-emotional development of every child.

437

Total Students

26.7

Full-Time Teachers

16.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

13.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PS 290 MANHATTAN NEW SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	273
Hispanic	51
Black	8
Asian	55
Two or More	45
American Indian	4
Pacific Islander	1

White
273 (62.5 %)
Asian
55 (12.6 %)
Hispanic
51 (11.7 %)
Two or More
45 (10.3 %)
Black
8 (1.8 %)
American Indian
4 (0.9 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2
Phone:	(212)734-7127
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	437
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	26.7
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	16.4
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	53
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	4

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 68

Kindergarten 69

Grade 1 69

Grade 2 57

Grade 3 46

Grade 4 55

Grade 5 73