Shabazz is known for its informal atmosphere (students refer to teachers and the principal by their first names[2]) and emphasis on individuality and social and political activism.

[3] According to former a social studies teacher, Gene Delcourt, "Shabazz was designed to be an alternative school for the sake of it being an alternative school, rather than it being a last chance for diploma completion or the last chance for kids who were falling through the cracks.

It offers a varied selection of courses, including The First Amendment (social studies), science of global warming, rap as poetry (English), and American Sign Language.

[4] Shabazz is a National Demonstration Site for Service Learning[6] and is considered a "leader school" in the service-learning movement.

[7] Service-learning projects are incorporated into courses such as Project Green Teen, "an environmental service learning class that addresses authentic environmental needs in multiple communities",[8] and Road to Indian Country, a social studies class on contemporary Native Americans that involves a week-long service trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.