Ps 290

What Ps 290 does

PS 290 Manhattan New School (MNS) is a zoned public elementary school operated by the New York City Department of Education, serving District 2 on Manhattan's Upper East Side at 311 East 82nd Street. Founded in 1991 by Shelley Harwayne (former Co-Director of the Columbia Teachers College Writing Project) as the Manhattan New School and officially designated Public School 290 in 1994, the institution enrolls over 600 students from 3-K through 5th grade with 36 teachers and a student body representing more than 20 home languages. The school delivers core academic programs using research-based curricula including The Creative Curriculum for early childhood, Heggerty and Fundations for phonics, Wit & Wisdom for ELA, and Eureka Squared for mathematics, alongside grade-specific enrichment (NYC Ballet in 1st grade, swimming at Asphalt Green in 2nd grade, Carnegie Hall Music Link Up and National Dance Institute in 3rd grade), specialty subjects (Science, Music, Art, PE), related services (speech, occupational, physical therapy, ENL, counseling), and a fee-based afterschool program run by the Imogen Foundation from 2:45-5:30pm.

The school's underlying technology is described as standard NYC DOE infrastructure, with the SOLE-arium (Self-Organized Learning Environment) maker space as the principal differentiated facility. Instructional delivery follows an Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) model in which every grade has at least one classroom co-taught by general and special education teachers, serving up to 40% students with IEPs. The school is established as a national professional development site for literacy instruction, hosting student teachers from Bank Street College of Education, Columbia Teachers College, NYU, and Fordham University.

PS 290's business model is that of a public school rather than a commercial enterprise. There is no tuition; all students receive free breakfast and lunch. Core funding is allocated by the NYC DOE based on enrollment and operational need. Ancillary revenue streams include PTA annual appeal donations (covering teaching assistants, music/arts programs, and science supplies not funded by DOE) and fee-based afterschool programming. Customer acquisition occurs through NYC DOE enrollment channels (MySchools.nyc) and direct contact for grades 1-5, with zoned families receiving enrollment priority. The institution does not generate commercial revenue, has no private shareholders or investors, and operates under the governance of Principal Amy O'Brien, Assistant Principal Leah Savage, and the School Leadership Team.

Name

Ps 290

Legal name

PS 290 Manhattan New School

Website

https://ps290.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PS 290 Manhattan New School is a zoned NYC public elementary school in District 2 serving over 600 students from 3-K through 5th grade on Manhattan's Upper East Side. It is funded by the NYC DOE with no tuition, supplemented by PTA donations and a fee-based afterschool program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Elementary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI)

Keywords

• Public elementary education
• Early childhood programs
• Integrated co-teaching
• Afterschool enrichment
• Literacy instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. NYC Department of Education Funding: Public school funded by NYC DOE government appropriations based on enrollment and operational needs
2. PTA Annual Appeal Fundraising: Annual PTA fundraiser covering school expenditures not paid by DOE, including teaching assistants, music/arts programs, and science supplies. Additional donations via mnspta.org/donate
3. Afterschool Program Fees: Fee-based afterschool program run by Imogen Foundation for Pre-K through 5th grade, offering courses from 2:45-5:30pm. Fall term September-January, Spring term February-June

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PS 290 Manhattan New School is a NYC Department of Education public elementary school that delivers free, zoned education to students from 3-K through 5th grade. The school provides core academic instruction aligned with Next Generation Learning Standards, Integrated Co-Teaching classrooms, specialty subjects (science, music, art, PE), related student support services, and a fee-based afterschool enrichment program operated by the Imogen Foundation.

Product overview

PS 290 Manhattan New School is a zoned public elementary school serving students from 3-K through 5th grade. The school operates as a single unified educational institution offering core academic programs (3-K, Pre-K, K-5) alongside enrichment programs, afterschool activities, specialty subjects (Science, Music, Art, Physical Education), and related support services (speech therapy, counseling, ENL instruction). The school uses research-based curricula including The Creative Curriculum for early childhood, Fundations for phonics, Eureka Squared for mathematics, and Wit & Wisdom for English Language Arts. Enrichment by grade includes specialized activities such as swimming at Asphalt Green, NYC Ballet visits, Carnegie Hall Music Link Up!, and Constitution Works programs. The school also maintains a SOLE-arium maker space and partners with Imogen Foundation for its afterschool program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3-K Program Early childhood education for children turning 3 in the calendar year, with three classrooms of 15 students each, featuring certified head teachers, assistant teachers, and a play-based curriculum including exploratory centers, circle times, outdoor play, lunch, rest time, and specialist visits.
• Pre-Kindergarten Program Early childhood education for children turning 4 in the calendar year, with three full-sized classrooms of up to 18 students each, utilizing The Creative Curriculum research-based approach, with dedicated bathrooms and nut-free meals.
• Kindergarten through 5th Grade Program Elementary school grades offering rigorous academics aligned with Next Generation Learning Standards, including literacy (Heggerty, Fundations, Wit & Wisdom), mathematics (Eureka Squared), social studies (Passport to Social Studies), science, arts, music, and Integrated Co-Teaching classrooms.
• Afterschool Program Fee-based after-school enrichment program operated by Imogen Foundation, offering courses for Pre-K through 5th grade from 2:45-5:30pm, featuring a variety of activities taught by professional instructors including nut-free snacks and a calm café transition period.
• Enrichment Programs by Grade Grade-specific enrichment activities including Carl Schurz Park visits and Chess for Kindergarten; NYC Ballet for 1st grade; Swimming at Asphalt Green and Center for Architecture for 2nd grade; Carnegie Hall Music Link Up! and National Dance Institute for 3rd grade; Band and Ashokan Trip for 4th grade; Band, Chorus, Philadelphia day trip, Rocking Horse Ranch day trip, and Constitution Works for 5th grade.
• Specialty Subjects Specialist-led classes including Science, Music, Lower Grade Music, Art, and Physical Education taught by dedicated specialty teachers for students across all grades.
• Related Services Full team of school-based service providers including Guidance Counselor, Speech Therapist, English as a New Language (ENL) Teacher, Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Physical Therapist, Social Worker, and School Psychologist.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Imogen FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImogen Foundation runs the PS 290 Afterschool Program, offering fee-based courses for Pre-K through 5th grade from 2:45-5:30pm. The foundation provides professional instructors for various activities including arts, STEM, music, and sports. Contact: [email protected]
• Bank Street College of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing student teachers for professional development site. PS 290 serves as a national professional development site for best practices in literacy instruction.
• Columbia University Teachers CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical founding connection - school was started by teachers from Teachers College Writing Project in 1991. Continues to host student teachers.
• New York UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing student teachers for professional development site.
• Fordham UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing student teachers for professional development site.
• Asphalt GreenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 2nd grade swimming instruction at Asphalt Green facility.
• NYC BalletminorStrategic or Co-development Partner1st grade enrichment program partnership with NYC Ballet.
• Carnegie HallminorStrategic or Co-development Partner3rd grade Music Link Up program partnership with Carnegie Hall.
• National Dance InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner3rd grade enrichment program partnership with National Dance Institute.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• P.S. 234 Independence School: A Tribeca-based District 2 public elementary school that ranks alongside PS 290 in top NY State elementary rankings. Comparable as a high-performing NYC public school serving zoned families with selective demand and strong academic outcomes.
• P.S. 77 Lower Lab School: A zoned District 2 Manhattan public elementary school that consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in New York State. Directly comparable to PS 290 on geography, grade span (K-5 with gifted program), and the NYC public school operating model within the same district.
• P.S. 150 Tribeca Learning Center: A District 2 Manhattan public elementary school serving zoned Lower Manhattan families. Comparable to PS 290 in district placement, public K-5 operating model, and competition for the same parent demographic in Manhattan.
• Anderson School (P.S. 334): A highly selective NYC public elementary school for gifted and talented students. Comparable to PS 290 as a top-performing public magnet within the same citywide competitive set, drawing families willing to apply beyond their zoned school.
• Hunter College Elementary School: A publicly funded NYC K-6 school for gifted students affiliated with Hunter College. Comparable to PS 290 as a selective public elementary option competing for the same high-engagement Manhattan families seeking rigorous academics.
• NEST+m (M366): A citywide K-12 NYC public gifted-and-talented school offering integrated STEM/arts curriculum. Comparable to PS 290 as a high-performing public option competing for academically-oriented NYC families seeking enriched elementary programming.

Emerging players

• KIPP NYC Charter Schools: A NYC charter network operating multiple K-8 campuses across boroughs. Comparable to PS 290 as a tuition-free public elementary option in NYC, competing for the same family demographic via DOE common application processes.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: A large NYC charter network known for top-ranked elementary outcomes across the city. Comparable to PS 290 as a high-performing K-5 alternative for NYC families, drawing from the same applicant pool via the MySchools lottery.

Others

• Imogen Foundation (Afterschool Partner): The 501(c)(3) operating PS 290's fee-based afterschool program. Directly comparable as the revenue-generating enrichment partner embedded in PS 290's operating model, providing the school's primary discretionary income stream.

Regional players

• P.S. 8 Robert Fulton School: A Brooklyn Heights public elementary school also recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. Comparable to PS 290 in public K-5 operating model, Blue Ribbon recognition, and focus on diverse learners, though serving a different borough.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/groups/manhattannewschool
• Instagraminstagram.com/mnspta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ps-290

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ps 290