M.S. 131 is located at 100 Hester St., New York, NY 10002, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. The school serves grades 6 through 8 under the New York City Department of Education. Enrollment is approximately 291 students based on recent school data records. The student–teacher ratio is around 7:1 across instructional programs. The student population is about 45% female and 55% male. State testing shows around 40% proficiency in math and roughly 47% proficiency in reading among students. The school operates as a neighborhood public middle school serving families from nearby Lower Manhattan communities. Its local enrollment design keeps much of the student population connected to surrounding residential streets and feeder elementary schools. Classrooms are generally structured in smaller academic clusters, with students moving through core subjects during the day. Market activity near campus reflects pricing near $1.6 million for many apartments and condominium units in the Lower East Side area. The neighborhood includes a mix of older walk-up buildings and newer residential developments close to transit lines. M.S. 131 is sometimes mentioned in downtown Manhattan conversations about the best middle school in New York.