Fiorello H Laguardia High School

Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts is a public magnet, high school specializing in teaching visual arts and performing arts, located near Lincoln Center in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of the Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York City, in the U.S. state of New York. Located at 100 Amsterdam Avenue between West 64th and 65th Streets, the school is operated by the New York City Department of Education, and resulted from the merger of the High School of Music & Art and the School of Performing Arts. The school has a dual mission of arts and academics, preparing students for a career in the arts or conservatory study as well as a pursuit of higher education.

Informally known as LaGuardia Arts, LaG, School of the Arts, or LaGuardia High School, the school is the only one among the nine specialized high schools in New York City that receives special funding from the New York State legislature through the Hecht Calandra Act, as well as the only specialized high school that does not use the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT) as admissions criteria.

 LaGuardia Arts is a NYCDOE specialized high school.   We are the only DOE specialized high school in the arts. Our dual-mission is at the core of our values.  


Its mission is to focus on professional preparation in conservatory arts and college preparatory academics.

In 1936, New York City Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia established the High School of Music & Art (M&A).  Mayor LaGuardia's vision was to provide a place where NYC's most gifted public school students could pursue their talents in art or music while completing a full academic program.

In 1948, the School of Performing Arts (PA) was established.  PA provided performance training for those preparing for professional careers in dance, drama, or music.

In 1961, the two schools became one organization.  This was in anticipation of both schools consolidating into one building. 

In 1969, the Board of Education honored Mayor LaGuardia by naming the new building after him.  

High School of Performing Arts In 1972, the New York State Legislature established specialized high schools.  LaGuardia Arts is one of the original four receiving this designation.  The other are Bronx Science, Brooklyn Technical High School, and Stuyvesant. Every borough now has at least one specialized high school.  The Calandra-Hecht Bill provides for the “establishment and maintenance” of our school. The bill also established our admission criteria.  Candidates for admission to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and the Arts and other schools which may be established with similar programs in the arts, shall be required to pass competitive examinations in music and/or the arts in addition to presenting evidence of satisfactory achievement.

In 1984, Music & Art and Performing Arts began the school year in their new facility at Lincoln Center.  This marked the opening of The Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts opened.  We are a tribute to our two legacy schools.

The Fiorello H Laguardia High School is a Public university located in New York.
The Fiorello H Laguardia High School was founded in 1961.
The current president of Fiorello H Laguardia High School is Yeou-Jey Vasconcelos.

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