WEST PREP ACADEMY

www.ms421.org

158 Students

Middle School 6th - 8th

School Overview

West Prep Academy (officially known as M.S. 247) is a public middle school located in the Manhattan Valley neighborhood of the Upper West Side. Serving students in grades 6 through 8, the school is situated on West 105th Street, sharing space within a larger educational facility. The academy is characterized by its commitment to fostering a supportive community environment, focusing on academic rigor while emphasizing the social and emotional development of early adolescents as they transition toward high school.

The school is known for its relatively small, personalized setting, which allows for closer relationships between students and faculty. Its curriculum typically balances core academic subjects—such as mathematics, humanities, and science—with enrichment programs designed to engage students in critical thinking and collaborative projects. As a neighborhood school within the New York City Department of Education, West Prep Academy works to provide an inclusive space that draws from the diverse local community, aiming to prepare its student body for success in a competitive high school landscape.

158

Total Students

22.0

Full-Time Teachers

7.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

85.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for WEST PREP ACADEMY
Demographic	Student Count
White	11
Hispanic	85
Black	52
Asian	4
Two or More	4
Pacific Islander	2

Hispanic
85 (53.8%)
Black
52 (32.9%)
White
11 (7.0%)
Asian
4 (2.5%)
Two or More
4 (2.5%)
Pacific Islander
2 (1.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle 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 # 3
Phone:	(212)280-8502
Website:	http://www.ms421.org
Grade Range:	6th - 8th
Total Students:	158
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	22.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	7.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	130
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	5

* 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 6 37

Grade 7 51

Grade 8 70