History

In September 2003, 12 people decided to make a change in the South Bronx. Dr. Ramon Gonzalez, with the help of 11 others, decided that it was time to create a school from the interests of young people in the neighborhood.  Children from the neighborhood were given a survey to see what would interest them in a new school.  The themes of finance and technology repeatedly surfaced and the concept of the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology was born. The vision for MS 223 as a sustainable high quality educational institution was imagined and brought to life by a tight-knit group of intense, highly motivated, and deeply idealistic teachers and staff. 

We realized many years into our school history that there was a problem with lack of options for high schools in the neighborhood.  After ten years as one of the highest achieving and most popular middle schools in District 7, we expanded from a middle school to a secondary school in September 2013.  In June of 2017, we had our first graduating class, with a 92% graduation rate, and we have maintained over a 93% average graduation rate ever since, including a 98% graduation rate this year with the Class of 2025!