Picking an NYC public school? What the teacher survey reveals about a principal
With hundreds of schools to choose from, the annual NYC School Survey shows how teachers rate their principal and whether they would recommend their school.
Getting a child into a New York City public school means filing an application at each stage, beginning with kindergarten. The annual NYC School Survey offers one of the clearest views of how a school is actually run. Here is what its numbers can tell parents and guardians weighing their options.
How many NYC public schools families choose from
No school system in the country is bigger. Elementary schools alone number about 670. Add 140 schools running from kindergarten through eighth grade, about 250 middle schools that stand on their own and close to 90 that serve sixth through 12th grade. High schools number more than 400, with a combined 700 programs, and the city also has 286 charter schools.
Most families narrow that list by what matters to them: values, a sense of academic quality, a child’s needs and practical logistics. Some look for hands-on learning, a strong music program or a focus on student leadership. Others put after-school options first, want specific activities such as debate or chess, or need a school close to home.
What the NYC School Survey shows about teachers and principals
Teachers, parents and students in middle and high school all receive the survey each year. One measure often works as a stand-in for how well a school is managed: whether teachers trust their principal. Leadership trouble can spill into classrooms even when it is invisible on a school visit.
Close to 67,000 teachers responded in spring 2026, and 87% of them viewed their principals positively. A citywide figure says little about a single building, so the school-level results are the ones to read.
Brooklyn’s P.S. 307 shows how far those numbers can move. In 2023, only 12% of its teachers who responded agreed that the principal was an effective manager who kept the school running smoothly. After a new principal took over, that share rose to 85%.
Another survey question worth checking asks teachers whether they would recommend their school to parents looking for a place for their child. Teachers usually know whether their own school is working well.
Quick answers
How many public schools are there in New York City?
About 670 elementary schools, 140 K-8 schools, about 250 standalone middle schools, close to 90 schools for grades 6 to 12, more than 400 high schools and 286 charter schools.
What should parents look for in the NYC School Survey?
Two useful measures are teachers' trust in their principal and whether teachers would recommend the school to parents.
