PS 721 STEPHEN MCSWEENEY SCHOOL

481 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

PS 721, also known as the Stephen McSweeney School, is a specialized District 75 school located in the Pelham Bay/Zerega area of the Bronx. District 75 schools in New York City are designed specifically to support students with significant challenges, including those with autism, intellectual disabilities, emotional needs, and multiple disabilities. The school is dedicated to providing a highly structured, supportive environment where students receive individualized instruction tailored to their unique cognitive, social, and physical requirements.

The school places a strong emphasis on functional academics, life skills training, and vocational preparation to help students transition toward independence. By maintaining smaller class sizes and employing specialized staff—such as speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists—PS 721 fosters a multidisciplinary approach to education. The goal of the Stephen McSweeney School is to empower its diverse student body by focusing on personal growth, community integration, and the development of essential skills needed for life beyond the classroom.

481

Total Students

89.0

Full-Time Teachers

5.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

96.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PS 721 STEPHEN MCSWEENEY SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	13
Hispanic	280
Black	167
Asian	13
Two or More	1
American Indian	5
Pacific Islander	2

Hispanic
280 (58.2%)
Black
167 (34.7%)
White
13 (2.7%)
Asian
13 (2.7%)
American Indian
5 (1.0%)
Pacific Islander
2 (0.4%)
Two or More
1 (0.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Special Education School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NYC SPECIAL SCHOOLS - DISTRICT 75
Phone:	(718)597-6404
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	481
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	89.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	5.4
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	462
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* 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

Grade 9 7

Grade 10 1

Grade 11 9

Grade 12 9

Ungraded 455