On October 21, 2005, Columbia University announced that it would collaborate with the City of New York on the creation of a new public secondary school that would address the critical need to improve education in science, math, and engineering. The school was tentatively called the "Columbia Science, Math and Engineering Secondary School", though this name was later changed to "Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science, and Engineering". Beginning with a founding sixth grade class, the school added one grade per year until it reached its full enrollment of more than 700 students.
Academics
A wide range of Advanced Placement courses are offered at the school. Special programs offered in the school include the opportunity to take college courses at Columbia University as well as philosophy and engineering courses from 6th to 12th grade. Students are expected to go beyond the New York State graduation requirements of 44 credits and earn a total of 63 credits, successfully complete at least 1 Columbia University course, and successfully complete at least 150 community service hours in order to earn a diploma endorsed by the school.
Columbia University Partnership
CSS student benefits of the Columbia University partnership include, but are not limited to, the Columbia University/Columbia Secondary School High School Visiting Student Program, internship and job opportunity at the university, and admission preference into the Double Discovery Center program. All students at CSS are allowed to apply to the Columbia University/Columbia Secondary School High School Visiting Student Program and would be chosen for the program if they have maintained academic excellence and exceptional behavior throughout their time at CSS. This program allows students from CSS, and CSS only, to take a limited range of college classes for free. Additionally, textbook and course materials are supplied by CSS and the university.
Extracurricular Activities
Though there is a wide array of science and math oriented electives, electives also allow students also interested in the humanities to fulfill their interests in these fields. The school has also put on a musical each year since 2009. The school has also participated in the Future City Competition, and their 2013 team had won their New York Regional competition. In addition, CSS has several sports teams that compete in the Public Schools Athletic League.
Publications
The school's official newspaper, , has published a new issue seasonally since fall of 2012, and weekly since fall of 2018. It covers topics of student interest such as news within the school, giving recognition to those making a difference in the school's community, and personal opinions from students on current events. The newspaper is available for free in print and online. In 2014, the school released the inaugural issue of its philosophy journal, , which features students' essays, dialogues, roundtables, letters, stories, poems, and other writings on philosophical topics ranging from time to tyranny. The journal will be published annually; copies are available for purchase at the school, at events, and through the journal's website.
