The International High School was founded by Eric Nadelstern in 1985 as a joint project between LaGuardia Community College and the NYC school system. Only those who have been in America less than four years, and score below the 20th percentile on an English proficiency exam were admitted. By 1994, 43 countries and 36 languages were spoken within the student body. While this was an alternative high school, attendance was over 90% and its entire first class went on to college which was an anomaly