Welcome to the City School District of Albany!
Guided by our vision, mission and goals, the City School District of Albany is an urban school district that serves a richly diverse student population of nearly 9,000 students and their families in New York’s state capital.

About our school district

• Albany’s public schools serve students from full-day prekindergarten through grade 12 in 18 schools and programs: 
  • 12 elementary schools, including four lottery-based magnet programs: Albany School of Humanities, the Dual Language Program, Montessori Magnet School and Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology
  • 3 comprehensive middle schools
  • 1 comprehensive high school with exceptional programming that includes AP, IB, University in the High School, JROTC and CTE opportunities
  • Alternative programs for students in grades 7-12
  • An optional transitional program for refugee and immigrant students in grades K-12
     
• We have more than 1,800 teachers, administrators and support staff who support our students and families each day.
   
• Our community consistently has supported our schools through positive budget votes and approval of critical capital projects. 
  • At least 72% of voters have supported our annual budget for six consecutive years, and our voters have supported major facilities projects over the past two decades that have rebuilt, renovated or expanded our schools.
     
• Our 2022-23 budget of $288.2 million also supports about 2,300 Albany students attending charter schools.

Points of distinction

• Our vision, mission and goals are underpinned by a district-wide commitment to equity. 
  • The Board of Education unanimously approved the district’s first Equity in Education Policy in 2019, and the policy has been the driving force behind our work to promote culturally responsive teaching and learning, and remove barriers to success for all students. 
     
• The diversity of our students and our community is our greatest strength. 
  • Our 8,800 students are: 45% Black, 19% Hispanic/Latinx, 19% White, 9% Asian/Pacific Islander and 7% Multiracial 
  • About two-thirds of our students are economically disadvantaged. 15% receive Special Education services and 11% are English-language learners
  • Albany is one of only 34 communities nationwide designated as a resettlement community in the U.S. Committee for Refugee and Immigrants’ Reception and Placement Program. 
  • More than 50 countries are represented in our student population, and our students speak 40 different languages, bringing a vibrant world view to our classrooms and our community

• We offer full-day prekindergarten for 3- and 4-year-olds, with more than 1,000 total seats available at all 12 elementary schools and at community-based locations. 
   
• We are in the first year of a three-year phase-in of a new equitable middle school enrollment pattern developed during the 2021-22 school year, and nearing completion on a $28.5 million capital project ensuring that our third middle school has facilities on par with our two established middle schools, creating three equitable schools for students in grades 6-8 for the first time.

• Albany High School is in the midst of a transformational $179.9 million capital project to create a state-of-the-art campus that provides rich and diverse opportunities for all of our students. 
  • Albany High has approximately 2,400 students enrolled in four themed academies with an extraordinary array of programming made possible by our large student body
  • Albany High offers its own career and technical education programs, providing college-and-career pathways in areas such as health sciences, human services, cosmetology, culinary arts, automotive technology, business and pre-engineering, and allowing our students to take advantage of both CTE and college-bound programming on the same campus
  • Albany High is a regional leader in advanced academic opportunities, offering the prestigious International Baccalaureate program and an extensive menu of Advanced Placement and University in the High School courses
  • Albany High also offers a robust set of extracurricular and athletic opportunities

Welcome to Albany and New York’s Capital Region!
First settled in 1609 on the Hudson River, Albany is the nation’s oldest continuously chartered city. The capital of New York state, Albany and the Capital Region combine that rich history with a leading role in New York’s rapidly emerging technology economy. The city and region also are home to leading colleges and universities, including one of the world’s foremost nanoscience research facilities.

Highlights from our city and region:

• With a downtown that features theaters, museums, restaurants, shops, nightlife and the MVP Center, Albany is home to a variety of sports events, concerts and family activities year-round.
   
• A vibrant urban setting with many walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, ready access to public transportation, and car-share and bike-share programs
   
• Connections to important American history, including the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence, home to the local Underground Railroad History Project, as well as extraordinary community assets such as the New York State Capitol, the New York State Museum, the Empire State Plaza and its award-winning art collection, the Empire State Performing Arts Center and its unique egg-shaped performance center, the Albany Institute of History and Art, and more.
   
• A committed community with active Black and Hispanic chambers of commerce, as well as many vibrant religious and fraternal organizations.
   
• More than 20 colleges and universities, including:
  • The University at Albany, a major campus of the State University of New York
  • The Albany campus of the SUNY's Polytechnic Institute and the Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering
  • The College of St. Rose
  • Maria College
  • Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
  • Albany Law School
  • Albany Medical College
  • Nationally recognized Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Siena College, Skidmore College and Union College all are nearby, among many others
     
• The Port of Albany is in the midst of a major project to establish the first offshore wind tower manufacturing facility in the United States. This transformative project will create hundreds of jobs, bolster our economic growth, enhance our rapidly growing tech resume and position Albany and New York as leaders in clean energy. 
   
• World-class architecture, including the New York State Education Building, the State Capitol, the Empire State Plaza, the SUNY headquarters facility (originally the Delaware and Hudson Railroad headquarters), Albany's historic  City Hall and magnificent Washington Park, which incorporates many of the philosophical ideals used by Frederick Law Olmstead when he designed New York City's Central Park.
   
• Quick and easy access by car, rail or air to three of North America’s most prominent cities: New York City, Boston and Montreal.
   
• Convenient outdoors activities for all tastes, from boatig on the Hudson River to kayaking, hiking and skiing in the world-famous Adirondack Mountains to the north, the Catskill Mountains to the south, Massachusetts’ Berkshires and Vermont’s Green Mountains to the east, as well as four seasons of tourism in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region to the west.

To learn more about our city and region, we invite you to explore the Discover Albany and City of Albany websites.