Little Red School House
and Elisabeth Irwin High School

A Pre-K-12 Progressive Education

We Are LREI

Welcome to LREI

Welcome to LREI. We are so glad you’re here.

At LREI (Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School) we understand that students learn best when they are engaged. That’s why our 14-year progressive program is rooted in a fundamental love of learning and a connection to the real world. Our teachers, experts in their fields, encourage children to use their curiosity, compassion and imagination to think deeply and to participate in finding solutions to real problems.

As our founder Elisabeth Irwin put it,

"above all things, the progressive schools believe that childhood is a part of life and not just a preface to something more important, and that at every age children should have a chance to respond to the romance and adventure of the world around them.” Almost a century later, we’re committed to keeping her progressive ideals alive.

We understand that the world around us — particularly our ever-vibrant home, New York City — is the best place to learn. You’ll find our students asking questions about green design at the High Line, filming a documentary on Coney Island’s boardwalk and volunteering at the local food pantry we’ve partnered with for years.