The Studio School
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Overview
Educational philosophy
Progressive / Play BasedPrograms offered
Infant · 2s · Pre-K · K+
Annual tuition
$10K – $59K / yr
School continues
Through Grade 8
Student-teacher ratio
6:1
Total students
~110
Financial aid
Aid: $Sibling & legacy
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The Studio School is an independent, coeducational progressive school on Manhattan's Upper West Side, founded in 1971 and serving roughly 105 students from age two through Grade 8. Its signature 'Studio School Approach' educates 'from the inside out,' pairing a pioneering social-emotional 'How-To-Learn' curriculum with academic rigor, a play-based early childhood program, and a small-by-design community (16-student average class, 6:1 ratio, 22 languages spoken). The purpose-built schoolhouse includes a science lab, art room with kiln, gymnasium, music room, teaching kitchen, greenhouse, and an outdoor yard. Tuition for 2026-27 ranges from $10,000 for the part-time infant/toddler Beginnings class up to $59,000 for Middle School, with 35% of students receiving need- and merit-based aid via the Virginia O'Hanlon Scholarship Fund. At Grade 8, graduates place into top independent, boarding, parochial, and selective public high schools including Horace Mann, Fieldston, Friends Seminary, Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and LaGuardia.
Programs & Schedule
| Schedule option | Tuition / yr |
|---|---|
| 2 mornings per week · 9:15am–11:15am | $10,000 |
| 3 mornings per week · 9:15am–11:15am | $15,000 |
| Schedule option | Tuition / yr |
|---|---|
| 5 half days per week | $39,500 |
| 5 full days per week | $49,500 |
Schedule
Monday – Friday
Extended hours
Yes
Tuition
$55,500 / yr
| Schedule option | Tuition / yr |
|---|---|
| Full-Day | $57,000 |
| Full-Day | $59,000 |
This school continues through Grade 8. Enrolled students progress without reapplying.
Admissions
Leadership
Janet C. Rotter
Head of School; has led The Studio School for 39 years. Formal degrees not published on crawled pages
Ex-missions
Children continue at The Studio School through Grade 8; here “ex-missions” refers to placing graduates into their next schools (for example, high school). The school guides families through school visits, testing, and applications.
Where graduates go
Independent high schools
23 schoolsBoarding high schools
10 schoolsPublic high schools
30 schoolsSee the full list of schools graduates go on to — with counts and sources.
Culture & Community
Independent, nonsectarian, coeducational progressive school on the Upper West Side, founded in 1971 and serving children from age two through Grade 8. The distinctive 'Studio School Approach' educates 'from the inside out,' integrating an understanding of child development with a working knowledge of how children learn and emotionally connective teacher-student relationships. The pioneering 'How-To-Learn' curriculum foregrounds social-emotional intelligence alongside academic rigor, cultivating inquisitive, confident, self-evaluative original thinkers. Early childhood centers on play as a child's work and a signature 'Work Period'; elementary and middle divisions emphasize open-ended problem-solving, seminar-style discussion, interdisciplinary study, and awareness of social justice and sustainability.
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