School History

The IDEAL School was founded in 2005 and we welcomed children into our kindergarten and 1st/2nd Grade homerooms in September 2006.  Now in our fourth academic year, the student population includes children in Pre-K through 5th grade.  Our expansion plan includes adding an elementary class per year and our goal is to become a Pre-K through 8th Grade program with total projected enrollment between 150 and 200 students.

The school was the vision of three families who have children with special needs. Since birth, their children were immersed in their communities and led lives overwhelmingly similar to those of their siblings and typical peers. Educated in preschool alongside their peers, the children flourished academically, socially, and emotionally.  As kindergarten approached, however, the founding families were unable to find local elementary school options that included children both with and without special needs and understood how to teach to children of differing abilities in small, individualized class settings similar to the inclusive preschools that had been so successful for their children.

Thus, The IDEAL School of Manhattan was born. The IDEAL School makes it possible for all types of learners to benefit from the smaller class sizes, individualized instruction, and wide variety of specialty and enrichment programs that are the hallmarks of an independent school education.