Welcome to
Central Park East 1

Welcome to Central Park East 1

In 1974, Central Park East became New York City’s first-ever progressive public school. More than fifty years later, our school is still special.

Our mission is to educate children to become thoughtful citizens of a democratic society by providing an education that is investigative and reflective, encourages choice and expects responsibility and discipline in all areas of learning and social behavior. Classrooms represent the developmental needs of every child as well as their interests, strengths, and passions. The community works collaboratively, supported by the contributions of parents, children, and professional educators to realize the potential of human capacity.

CPE1 offers rich learning experiences for children, in the classroom and outside in the world. The community traditions surrounding classrooms enrich that classroom learning.