Enrollment
476
New York · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · New York, NY
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman
Federal NCES profile for Ps 42 Benjamin Altman, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 360007702187
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median.
- #48 of 164
- schools in New York · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- students per teacher
- 56.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman has class sizes near the New York median. Computed live against every New York school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 42 Benjamin Altman ranks #48 of 164 schools in New York, NY.
School address
District: New York City Geographic District # 2 · New York
NCES ID 360007702187 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
44.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 11.8:1 New York avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.2%
vs 56.2% New York avg
+0% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ps 42 Benjamin Altman compares with New York and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ps 42 Benjamin Altman
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in New York, New York, enrolling 476 students.
At 10.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the New York median, within a few percentage points of the 11.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.2% lands close to the New York typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 476 students, its enrollment sits close to the New York median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 4,801 scored New York schools.
Against 767 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #300.
Its student body is led by Asian (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 53/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
New York City Geographic District # 2 also operates Stuyvesant High School (3,261 students) and High School for Health Professions & Human Services (1,728 students) alongside Ps 42 Benjamin Altman.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Ps 42 Benjamin Altman compares
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman on the metrics families compare, against New York and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New York | New York avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 8% | 11.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.2% | ▼ 0% | 56.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 476 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
476
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% above the New York average of 56.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 42% in New York - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Asian 66.0%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
White 9.9%
African American 3.8%
Two or More 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Asian at 66.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.5, Ps 42 Benjamin Altman is more mixed than the New York school average of 45.5.
How Ps 42 Benjamin Altman Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuyvesant High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| High School for Health Professions & Human Services | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Art and Design High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| High School of Fashion Industries (the) | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Jhs 104 Simon Baruch | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ps 42 Benjamin Altman's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,261
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,728
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,485
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,455
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,023
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New York, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~476 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ps 42 Benjamin Altman's federal record.
- Compare Ps 42 Benjamin Altman against another school. Compare schools
- New York City Geographic District # 2's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Ps 42 Benjamin Altman
How many students attend Ps 42 Benjamin Altman?
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman has 476 students enrolled. It is a public school in New York, NY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ps 42 Benjamin Altman?
The student-teacher ratio at Ps 42 Benjamin Altman is 10.8:1, which is 8% lower than the New York average of 11.8:1 and 31% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ps 42 Benjamin Altman?
56.2% of students at Ps 42 Benjamin Altman are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New York average of 56.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ps 42 Benjamin Altman?
The largest demographic group at Ps 42 Benjamin Altman is Asian at 66.0% of enrollment, in New York, NY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ps 42 Benjamin Altman?
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ps 42 Benjamin Altman rank among schools in New York?
By Resource Investment Index, Ps 42 Benjamin Altman ranks #48 of 164 schools in New York, NY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in New York on the city page.
Is Ps 42 Benjamin Altman a good school?
Ps 42 Benjamin Altman earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New York median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in New York City Geographic District # 2?
Besides Ps 42 Benjamin Altman, New York City Geographic District # 2 also operates Stuyvesant High School (3,261 students), High School for Health Professions & Human Services (1,728 students), and Art and Design High School (1,485 students). See the New York City Geographic District # 2 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.