Public schools in Albany, NY

34 open public schools with an address in Albany, operated by 12 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.

Public schools

NCES preliminary directory 2025–26

Reported students

18,008

34 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25

Median student–teacher ratio

13.3:1

New York median 11.1:1

Charter schools

3 magnet · 0 virtual

An overview of Albany public schools

The federal directory lists 34 public schools in Albany, NY: 22 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. The 34 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 18,008 students, an average of 530 per school. The largest campus is Albany High School (2,937 students), and the largest elementary school is KIPP Tech Valley Charter School (840).

Albany City School District operates the most schools here (16), and 3 regular districts have at least one Albany campus, plus 9 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.

Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 13.3:1, higher than the statewide school median of 11.1:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.

School choice options include 7 charter schools, 3 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.

Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.

State operated agency

1 school in Albany

Elementary schools in Albany

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Albany School of Humanities Albany City School District · Magnet	PK–05	378	13.2:1
Arbor Hill Elementary School Albany City School District	PK–05	301	10.7:1
Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys · Charter	KG–05	240	11:1
Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls · Charter	KG–05	316	11.3:1
Delaware Community School Albany City School District	PK–05	276	13.7:1
Dual Language Program at Albany International Academy Albany City School District	PK–05	213	5.2:1
Eagle Point Elementary School Albany City School District	PK–05	279	13.7:1
Forest Park Elementary School South Colonie Central School District	PK–04	311	10.8:1
Giffen Memorial Elementary School Albany City School District	PK–05	387	12.4:1
Henry Johnson Charter School Henry Johnson Charter School · Charter	KG–04	346	26.6:1
KIPP Tech Valley Charter School KIPP Tech Valley Charter School · Charter	KG–08	840	19.1:1
Montessori Magnet School Albany City School District · Magnet	PK–05	322	13.7:1
New Scotland Elementary School Albany City School District	PK–05	451	15.2:1
Pine Hills Elementary School Albany City School District	PK–05	363	14.3:1
Roessleville School South Colonie Central School District	PK–04	368	14:1
Roots Academy at West Hill Albany City School District	PK–05	283	16:1
Saddlewood Elementary School South Colonie Central School District	PK–04	351	15.1:1
Shaker Road Elementary School South Colonie Central School District	PK–04	354	13.9:1
Sheridan Preparatory Academy Albany City School District	PK–05	284	15.9:1
Thomas S O'Brien Academy of Science & Technology Albany City School District · Magnet	PK–05	262	12.6:1
Veeder Elementary School South Colonie Central School District	PK–04	503	14.9:1
Westmere Elementary School Guilderland Central School District	KG–05	528	11:1

Middle schools in Albany

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Lisha Kill Middle School South Colonie Central School District	05–08	640	11.9:1
North Albany Academy Middle School Albany City School District	06–08	588	9:1
Sand Creek Middle School South Colonie Central School District	05–08	873	10.9:1
Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School Albany City School District	06–08	570	8.3:1
William S Hackett Middle School Albany City School District	06–08	615	9.4:1

High schools in Albany

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Albany High School Albany City School District	09–12	2,937	15.2:1
Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls · Charter	06–12	383	—
Colonie Central High School South Colonie Central School District	09–12	1,640	13.3:1
Green Tech High Charter School Green Tech High Charter School · Charter	06–12	450	12.7:1

Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Albany

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Albany-Schoharie-Schenectady-Saratoga BOCES Albany-Schoharie-Schenectady-Saratoga BOCES · Special Education School	KG–12	294	2.5:1
KIPP Albany Community Charter School KIPP Albany Community Charter School · Charter	KG–12	688	21.5:1
Nys Dept of Corrections Placement New York State Department of Corrections · Alternative School	UG–UG	374	—

Student demographics

Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment

White27.2%
Hispanic19.1%
Black35.4%
Asian10.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
Multiracial6.8%

Enrollment-weighted across 34 Albany schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (18,008 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.

Questions about public schools in Albany

How many public schools are in Albany, NY?

The current NCES directory lists 34 open public schools with a location address in Albany: 22 elementary, 5 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 18,008 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.

Which school districts serve Albany?

Schools with an address in Albany belong to 12 education agencies, led by Albany City School District (16 schools), South Colonie Central School District (8 schools), Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.

What is the largest public high school in Albany?

Albany High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Albany, with 2,937 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.

Are there charter schools in Albany?

Yes. 7 of the 34 public schools in Albany are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls, Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys, Brighter Choice Charter School for Girls. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.

What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Albany schools?

The median reported student–teacher ratio across Albany public schools is 13.3:1, higher than the New York school median of 11.1:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.

Does living in Albany guarantee a seat at a specific school?

No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.

Nearby New York cities

Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All New York cities