Charter Schools & Magnet Schools in Manhattan

UPDATED December 2024: Looking for a Manhattan charter school? Look no further than our list of the top charter schools in Greenwich, Upper East Side, SoHo, Tribeca or Harlem.

Considering a charter or magnet school for your child in Manhattan? The most important thing to know is charter and magnet schools are public schools that often have a specific focus. Charter schools in Manhattan, for example, typically respond to a need articulated by public school parents. On the other hand, Magnet schools in NYC are federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement and offer a specialized curriculum following a specific theme (think: STEM, civic leadership, and global conservation). Though charter and magnet schools in Manhattan are tuition-free (thanks to them being public schools), there is an application process. Want to find the perfect charter school or magnet school in NYC for your child? Below, you’ll find the best charter and magnet schools in Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Tribeca, Meatpacking District, Hell's Kitchen, Financial District, Battery Park, Harlem, and more.

Watch the Manhattan, Brooklyn, & Queens School Showcase today to "tour" schools, meet directors, and find the perfect school for your child!

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Charter Schools

JHS 123 - THE BRONX URBAN COMMUNITY MAGNET SCHOOL 
1025 Morrison Ave.  , Bronx
718-328-2105  
Email [email protected]  

The Bronx Urban Community Magnet School students have a passion for discovery. Through STEAM exploration and project-based learning, students become goal-oriented problem solvers able to address local and global issues. JH​S 123 students learn to question the past, present, and future, and build essential skills to become change agents.   

NEW YORK CITY MAGNET SCHOOLS DISTRICT 6 
Upper Manhattan- Inwood, Hudson Heights and Washington Heights  ,
Email [email protected] 

The District 6 Magnet schools offer innovative 3K-fifth grade education for all New York City children.The themed-based magnet education prepares students to be creative thinkers, active listeners, and global citizens, as they learn through various modalities to find their voice and pursue their interests and talents.

NEW YORK CITY MAGNET SCHOOLS DISTRICT 8.11  
The Bronx - Soundview, Parkchester and Coop-City ,
Email [email protected] 

District 8/11 magnet schools, for children 3K-eighth grade, attract students of various socio-economic backgrounds, races, and academic achievement levels. Each school’s themed curricula promote 21st Century skills, as well as creativity, teamwork, and acceptance, through engaging and innovative learning opportunities.

MANHATTAN CHARTER SCHOOL
100 Attorney St., Lower East Side, New York
212-533-2743
Manhattan Charter School II
220 Henry St., Lower East Side
212-964-3792

Email [email protected]

Two small public elementary schools educating children kindergarten-fifth grades. Committed to offering a well-rounded education designed to help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Never more than 25 students in a class. All students receive weekly French, art, physical education, and technology instruction, in addition to daily music instruction.

NEW YORK FRENCH AMERICAN CHARTER SCHOOL
311 W. 120th St., Upper West Side
646-982-2049
Email [email protected]

New York French American Charter School has educated hundreds of dual language PreK-eighth students in our tuition-free French immersion school. The school supports all levels of French and English language learners in their bilingual immersion school environment.The school unlocks a lifelong appreciation for our multicultural world.

P.S. 152M: THE MAGNET SCHOOL OF INNOVATION IN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY
93 Nagle Ave., New York
212-567-5456  

The Magnet School of Innovation in a Global Community, a 3K through fifth grade school, encourages students to use the engineering design cycle to create positive change through social innovation and invention. PS 152 students are global innovators that engage regularly in drama, dance, coding, inquiry, chess, art, and hydroponics.  

ZETA CHARTER SCHOOLS
Zeta Bronx 1 Elementary
222 Alexander Ave.
Bronx, NY 10454
929-458-3000

Zeta Inwood 1 Elementary
Inwood/Washington Heights
652 W.187th St.
New York, NY 10033
929-447-5282

With a focus on rigorous, hands-on academics, wellness, innovation, and family service, Zeta Schools prepare students to be leaders and problem-solvers in a modern world. Zeta offers children in pre-K through fifth grade a high-quality, free elementary education in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Apply now for the 2021-22 school year!

Public Schools

JHS 123 - THE BRONX URBAN COMMUNITY MAGNET SCHOOL 
1025 Morrison Ave.  , Bronx
718-328-2105  
Email [email protected]  

The Bronx Urban Community Magnet School students have a passion for discovery. Through STEAM exploration and project-based learning, students become goal-oriented problem solvers able to address local and global issues. JH​S 123 students learn to question the past, present, and future, and build essential skills to become change agents.   

LINDEN TREE ELEMENTARY MAGNET SCHOOL FOR GLOBAL LEADERS OF INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY
1560 Purdy St., Bronx
718-239-7401  

Linden Tree Magnet School for Global Leaders of Innovation and Discovery students collaborate and communicate through the project-based learning process. Students learn interpersonal skills that help them become motivated thinkers, empathic listeners, and global leaders. Interactive activities and firsthand experiences encourage students to be lifelong learners.   

NEW YORK CITY MAGNET SCHOOLS DISTRICT 6 
Upper Manhattan- Inwood, Hudson Heights and Washington Heights  ,
Email [email protected] 

The District 6 Magnet schools offer innovative 3K-fifth grade education for all New York City children.The themed-based magnet education prepares students to be creative thinkers, active listeners, and global citizens, as they learn through various modalities to find their voice and pursue their interests and talents.

NEW YORK CITY MAGNET SCHOOLS DISTRICT 8.11  
The Bronx - Soundview, Parkchester and Coop-City ,
Email [email protected] 

District 8/11 magnet schools, for children 3K-eighth grade, attract students of various socio-economic backgrounds, races, and academic achievement levels. Each school’s themed curricula promote 21st Century skills, as well as creativity, teamwork, and acceptance, through engaging and innovative learning opportunities.

MANHATTAN CHARTER SCHOOL
100 Attorney St., Lower East Side, New York
212-533-2743
Manhattan Charter School II
220 Henry St., Lower East Side
212-964-3792

Email [email protected]

Two small public elementary schools educating children kindergarten-fifth grades. Committed to offering a well-rounded education designed to help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Never more than 25 students in a class. All students receive weekly French, art, physical education, and technology instruction, in addition to daily music instruction.

NEW YORK CITY MAGNET SCHOOLS
Locations throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, and Queens,
Email [email protected]

Magnet schools are nationally recognized for innovative learning. A magnet education offers unique programs designed to promote academic and social emotional skills that set the foundation for learning. The diversified approaches to teaching at magnet schools promote creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking for all students.

P.S. 152M: THE MAGNET SCHOOL OF INNOVATION IN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY
93 Nagle Ave., New York
212-567-5456  

The Magnet School of Innovation in a Global Community, a 3K through fifth grade school, encourages students to use the engineering design cycle to create positive change through social innovation and invention. PS 152 students are global innovators that engage regularly in drama, dance, coding, inquiry, chess, art, and hydroponics.  

P.S. 189M: THE MAGNET SCHOOL OF INQUIRY AND EXPRESSION
2580 Amsterdam Ave., New York
212-927-8303

At The Magnet School of Inquiry and Expression, students use their ‘voice and choice’ as agents of change through public service announcements, blogging, and campaigning. The school's unique, inquiry-based approach builds self-confidence, nurtures creativity and expression, and develops critical 21st Century skills for lifelong success.   

PS 115M: THE ALEXANDER HUMBOLDT MAGNET ACADEMY OF ART AND SCIENCE EXPLORATION
586 W. 177th St., New York
212-927-9233  
Email [email protected]  

At The Magnet School of Arts and Science Exploration, PS 115, students discover their talents and passions as they engage with curriculum and real-world problems through STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. PS 115 has a dedicated STEAM Lab and Maker Space for hands-on learning and exploration.  

PS 160: THE WALT DISNEY STEAM MAGNET SCHOOL   
4140 Hutchinson River Parkway East  , Bronx
718-822-8402  

At The Walt Disney Magnet STEAM School students learn to think, create, and innovate through STEAM and understand the natural world through project based learning (PBL) activities. Curriculum is designed to help students find their voices, develop critical thinking skills, and engage with the world to create positive change.  

PS 178: MAGNET SCHOOL OF MULTIMEDIA ARTS & DESIGN   
850 Baychester Ave., Bronx
Email [email protected] 

At Magnet School of Multimedia Arts & Design classrooms, multimedia labs, and makerspaces help students design and create solutions to real-world problems. Learning engages students with complex, cognitively demanding topics, and guide students in developing the knowledge, skills, and mindsets that allow them to thrive personally and academically.  

PS 98: THE MAGNET SCHOOL OF STEAM STUDIES 
512 W. 212nd St., Manhattan
212-927-7870  

PS 98M, The Magnet School of STEAM Studies, is a 3K-fifth school that offers hands-on interdisciplinary studies through a STEAM lens, as well as a Spanish dual language program. All students at PS 98 thrive in the supportive learning environment that nurtures problem solvers, independent thinkers, and active citizens.  

ZETA CHARTER SCHOOLS
Zeta Bronx 1 Elementary
222 Alexander Ave.
Bronx, NY 10454
929-458-3000

Zeta Inwood 1 Elementary
Inwood/Washington Heights
652 W.187th St.
New York, NY 10033
929-447-5282

With a focus on rigorous, hands-on academics, wellness, innovation, and family service, Zeta Schools prepare students to be leaders and problem-solvers in a modern world. Zeta offers children in pre-K through fifth grade a high-quality, free elementary education in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Apply now for the 2021-22 school year!

And you can always browse more of our education resources in Manhattan, including private schools, preschools, Catholic schools, and special education schools.