Is Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson a good school?

Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson ranks in the bottom 14.6% of New York elementary schools.

How many students attend Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson?

In the 2023-24 school year, 391 students attended Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson.

What is the racial makeup of Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson?

Students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson are 48% Hispanic, 46% African American, 4% White, 1% American Indian.

Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Summary:

PS 123 Mahalia Jackson is an elementary school in New York City's District 5, serving grades PK-8 with a total enrollment of 399 students. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of New York elementary schools over the past decade, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school serves a predominantly low-income student population, with over 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

PS 123 Mahalia Jackson's academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is significantly below the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 57.14% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA, compared to 35.5% in the district and 42.6% statewide. The school's performance also varies significantly across different student subgroups, with African American and Hispanic students, as well as English Language Learners and students with disabilities, tending to perform worse than their peers. Despite spending significantly more per student ($26,630 in 2022-2023) compared to the district and state averages, the school's academic outcomes remain poor.

The nearby schools, such as PS 200 James McCune Smith School and PS 194 Countee Cullen, also struggle academically, with similar low proficiency rates on state assessments. However, a few charter schools in the area, like Success Academy Charter School-Harlem 5 and Neighborhood Charter School of Harlem, significantly outperform the traditional public schools, suggesting that alternative educational models may be more effective in this community. The persistent academic challenges at PS 123 Mahalia Jackson highlight the need for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the educational needs of this community.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

301 W 140th St
New York, NY 10030-1499

(212) 342-6200

District: New York City Geographic District # 5

SchoolDigger Rank:
2088^th of 2,445 New York Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $26,630

Student/teacher ratio: 10.2

Number of students: 391

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.1%

African American:

45.5%

White:

4.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95.7%

See top rated New York elementary schools

Compare Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson ranks worse than 85.4% of elementary schools in New York. It also ranks 15^th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District # 5. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.16. (See more...)

Compare Details Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson ranks worse than 93% of middle schools in New York. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.89. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (48.1%), African American (45.5%), White (4.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson is 10.2, which is the 8^th best among 16 elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District # 5. (See more...)

Compare Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson employs 38 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson is $26,630. 10 elementary schools in the New York City Geographic District # 5 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson:

SchoolDigger ranks Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson 2088^th of 2445 New York public elementary schools. (See Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

SchoolDigger ranks Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson 1399^th of 1504 New York public middle schools. (See Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

New York City Geographic District # 5:

SchoolDigger ranks New York City Geographic District # 5 710^th of 865 New York school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2006	8.87	2101^st	2206	4.8%
2007	8.28	2091^st	2219	5.8%
2008	11.19	2069^th	2227	7.1%
2009	17.50	2012^th	2257	10.9%
2010	5.70	2202^nd	2263	2.7%
2011	10.21	2133^rd	2286	6.7%
2012	5.90	2234^th	2320	3.7%
2013	13.80	2128^th	2325	8.5%
2014	11.38	2189^th	2345	6.7%
2015	8.58	2268^th	2352	3.6%
2016	17.44	2055^th	2366	13.1%
2017	17.79	2057^th	2386	13.8%
2018	17.81	2089^th	2395	12.8%
2019	11.87	2236^th	2413	7.3%
2022	9.78	2324^th	2434	4.5%
2023	16.53	2134^th	2439	12.5%
2024	19.16	2088^th	2445	14.6%

See the entire list of New York Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	32.09	696^th	938	25.8%
2019	42.60	420^th	860	51.2%
2022	18.43	994^th	1027	3.2%
2023	25.40	875^th	1001	12.6%
2024	26.73	927^th	1066	13.0%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	30.70	1461^st	1941	24.7%
2019	24.05	1617^th	1859	13.0%
2022	30.67	1505^th	2031	25.9%
2023	35.97	1226^th	2016	39.2%
2024	34.32	1367^th	2110	35.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	20.23	1780^th	2041	12.8%
2024	52.71	837^th	2078	59.7%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Homeless students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	38.22	465^th	730	36.3%
2019	28.09	470^th	570	17.5%
2022	28.90	489^th	622	21.4%
2023	50.23	276^th	637	56.7%
2024	43.13	395^th	766	48.4%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	18.44	2054^th	2338	12.1%
2019	11.47	2226^th	2357	5.6%
2022	10.20	2298^th	2401	4.3%
2023	13.30	2225^th	2403	7.4%
2024	21.27	2022^nd	2413	16.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	20.04	2017^th	2340	13.8%
2019	15.71	2108^th	2358	10.6%
2022	11.92	2255^th	2400	6.0%
2023	23.15	1928^th	2400	19.7%
2024	21.13	2034^th	2411	15.6%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	29.93	709^th	948	25.2%
2019	24.12	722^nd	891	19.0%
2022	28.07	703^rd	936	24.9%
2023	35.75	543^rd	857	36.6%
2024	30.55	656^th	927	29.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	21.76	1198^th	1392	13.9%
2019	20.90	1141^st	1315	13.2%
2022	21.13	1315^th	1503	12.5%
2024	34.39	1021^st	1531	33.3%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: NY State Education Department, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

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Rank History for all middle school students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2010	11.13	1102^nd	1243	11.3%
2011	10.54	1178^th	1295	9.0%
2012	4.95	1287^th	1337	3.7%
2013	12.61	1263^rd	1373	8.0%
2014	10.93	1338^th	1401	4.5%
2015	11.08	1338^th	1407	4.9%
2016	12.73	1325^th	1429	7.3%
2017	15.77	1310^th	1455	10.0%
2018	24.83	1136^th	1438	21.0%
2019	14.38	1313^th	1439	8.8%
2021	35.15	826^th	1242	33.5%
2022	10.66	1416^th	1479	4.3%
2023	12.01	1407^th	1500	6.2%
2024	13.89	1399^th	1504	7.0%

See the entire list of New York Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	53.63	148^th	503	70.6%
2019	49.32	166^th	473	64.9%
2022	29.51	474^th	581	18.4%
2023	21.76	579^th	591	2.0%
2024	24.00	581^st	615	5.5%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	33.88	830^th	1170	29.1%
2019	32.96	790^th	1139	30.6%
2022	34.20	883^rd	1283	31.2%
2023	31.41	943^rd	1307	27.9%
2024	35.38	831^st	1303	36.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	18.17	1188^th	1306	9.0%
2023	10.91	1244^th	1288	3.4%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Homeless students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	41.99	245^th	457	46.4%
2019	38.71	247^th	392	37.0%
2022	28.90	381^st	487	21.8%
2023	40.21	336^th	543	38.1%
2024	23.29	506^th	594	14.8%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	29.40	1021^st	1353	24.5%
2019	19.55	1185^th	1370	13.5%
2022	9.14	1414^th	1454	2.8%
2023	10.98	1388^th	1463	5.1%
2024	16.42	1333^rd	1465	9.0%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	22.56	1128^th	1352	16.6%
2019	12.77	1289^th	1366	5.6%
2022	15.15	1347^th	1455	7.4%
2023	15.09	1345^th	1464	8.1%
2024	14.96	1345^th	1464	8.1%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	40.14	384^th	663	42.1%
2019	20.92	572^nd	653	12.4%
2022	16.62	646^th	706	8.5%
2023	28.62	534^th	696	23.3%
2024	26.41	560^th	705	20.6%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2019	28.24	627^th	826	24.1%
2022	14.59	859^th	914	6.0%
2023	17.60	857^th	943	9.1%
2024	20.70	837^th	953	12.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: NY State Education Department, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: NY State Education Department

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Enrollment information for Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	2	802	2	81	0	n/a	n/a	887
1990	0	904	2	89	1	n/a	n/a	996
1991	1	878	0	101	0	n/a	n/a	980
1992	2	931	4	119	0	n/a	n/a	1056
1993	5	917	5	120	2	n/a	n/a	1049
1994	3	832	5	116	0	n/a	n/a	956
1995	2	823	4	152	1	n/a	n/a	982
1996	2	823	4	152	1	n/a	n/a	982
1997	3	821	3	178	4	n/a	n/a	1009
1998	3	806	4	190	2	n/a	n/a	1005
1999	8	776	3	187	0	n/a	n/a	974
2000	6	726	2	214	0	n/a	n/a	948
2001	9	737	3	204	2	n/a	n/a	955
2002	9	729	6	231	3	n/a	n/a	978
2003	9	729	6	231	3	n/a	n/a	978
2004	4	597	4	218	4	n/a	n/a	827
2005	3	556	6	201	3	n/a	n/a	769
2006	6	470	6	171	1	n/a	n/a	654
2007	6	418	3	179	1	n/a	n/a	607
2008	5	389	2	193	2	n/a	n/a	591
2009	5	351	2	193	1	n/a	n/a	552
2010	7	405	9	198	3	n/a	n/a	622
2011	10	438	10	237	19	0	0	714
2012	18	407	7	236	7	0	1	676
2013	17	393	9	264	6	1	1	691
2014	15	350	9	210	6	0	1	591
2015	16	309	8	218	8	0	1	560
2016	24	296	9	227	6	0	1	563
2017	20	254	2	228	4	3	1	512
2018	20	247	6	193	9	1	1	477
2019	17	233	8	192	10	2	1	463
2020	14	218	9	188	8	0	3	440
2021	14	201	6	175	8	0	5	409
2022	11	210	6	178	9	2	4	420
2023	12	205	11	157	9	1	4	399
2024	17	178	2	188	4	1	1	391

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	887	45.0	19.7	n/a
1990	996	44.0	22.6	n/a
1991	980	54.0	18.1	n/a
1992	1056	53.0	19.9	n/a
1993	1049	48.0	21.9	n/a
1994	956	53.1	18.0	n/a
1995	982	50.0	19.6	n/a
1996	982	50.0	19.6	n/a
1997	1009	50.0	20.2	80.2
1998	1005	57.0	17.6	80.5
1999	974	56.0	17.4	83.1
2000	948	55.0	17.2	83.6
2001	955	65.0	14.7	82.9
2002	978	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	978	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	827	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	769	45.4	16.9	0
2006	654	51.0	12.8	78.3
2007	607	49.5	12.3	84.3
2008	591	36.0	16.4	84.3
2009	552	36.0	15.3	86.8
2010	622	39.0	15.9	n/a
2011	714	49.1	14.5	63.6
2012	676	46.0	14.6	63.2
2013	691	39.5	17.4	91.8
2014	591	45.0	13.1	83.2
2015	560	43.0	13.0	85.5
2016	563	46.0	12.2	88.1
2017	512	48.6	10.5	89.6
2018	477	45.0	10.6	95.4
2019	463	45.0	10.2	94.4
2020	440	41.0	10.7	95.5
2021	409	39.0	10.4	96.6
2022	420	38.0	11.0	94.8
2023	399	37.3	10.6	95.7
2024	391	38.0	10.2	95.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ps 123 Mahalia Jackson

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	887	45.0	19.7	n/a
1990	996	44.0	22.6	n/a
1991	980	54.0	18.1	n/a
1992	1056	53.0	19.9	n/a
1993	1049	48.0	21.9	n/a
1994	956	53.1	18.0	n/a
1995	982	50.0	19.6	n/a
1996	982	50.0	19.6	n/a
1997	1009	50.0	20.2	80.2
1998	1005	57.0	17.6	80.5
1999	974	56.0	17.4	83.1
2000	948	55.0	17.2	83.6
2001	955	65.0	14.7	82.9
2002	978	n/a	n/a	n/a
2003	978	n/a	n/a	n/a
2004	827	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	769	45.4	16.9	0
2006	654	51.0	12.8	78.3
2007	607	49.5	12.3	84.3
2008	591	36.0	16.4	84.3
2009	552	36.0	15.3	86.8
2010	622	39.0	15.9	n/a
2011	714	49.1	14.5	63.6
2012	676	46.0	14.6	63.2
2013	691	39.5	17.4	91.8
2014	591	45.0	13.1	83.2
2015	560	43.0	13.0	85.5
2016	563	46.0	12.2	88.1
2017	512	48.6	10.5	89.6
2018	477	45.0	10.6	95.4
2019	463	45.0	10.2	94.4
2020	440	41.0	10.7	95.5
2021	409	39.0	10.4	96.6
2022	420	38.0	11.0	94.8
2023	399	37.3	10.6	95.7
2024	391	38.0	10.2	95.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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