WASHINGTON HEIGHTS EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING SCHOOL

www.wheelsnyc.org

964 Students

Other Pre-K - 12th

School Overview

The Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS) is a public secondary school located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. Operating as a 6-12 institution, the school is founded on the EL Education model, which emphasizes high academic achievement, character development, and a "learning by doing" approach. The curriculum is designed to be rigorous and project-based, encouraging students to engage in critical thinking, fieldwork, and community-connected projects that make learning relevant to the real world.

WHEELS is widely recognized for its strong, inclusive school culture and its commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of their starting point—are prepared for success in college and beyond. The school places a heavy emphasis on student voice, leadership, and a "crew" structure, where students work in small groups to support one another’s academic and social-emotional growth. By fostering a collaborative environment, the school aims to create a community where students feel known, valued, and challenged to contribute positively to their neighborhood and the broader society.

964

Total Students

77.7

Full-Time Teachers

12.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

82.9%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for WASHINGTON HEIGHTS EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	26
Hispanic	880
Black	24
Asian	8
Two or More	26

Hispanic
880 (91.3 %)
White
26 (2.7 %)
Two or More
26 (2.7 %)
Black
24 (2.5 %)
Asian
8 (0.8 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 6
Phone:	(212)781-0524
Website:	http://www.wheelsnyc.org
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 12th
Total Students:	964
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	77.7
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.4
NSLP Participation:¹	N/A
Qualified Free Lunch:	791
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	8

* 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 34

Kindergarten 42

Grade 1 38

Grade 2 42

Grade 3 41

Grade 4 37

Grade 5 25

Grade 6 86

Grade 7 72

Grade 8 89

Grade 9 118

Grade 10 112

Grade 11 121

Grade 12 101

Ungraded 6

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for WASHINGTON HEIGHTS EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING SCHOOL
Grade	Student Count
Pre-Kindergarten	34
Kindergarten	42
Grade 1	38
Grade 2	42
Grade 3	41
Grade 4	37
Grade 5	25
Grade 6	86
Grade 7	72
Grade 8	89
Grade 9	118
Grade 10	112
Grade 11	121
Grade 12	101
Ungraded	6