Bedford Park Elementary School

Test scores at Bedford Park have made a genuine recovery from pandemic lows — both ELA and math roughly doubled from 2022 to 2025 (ELA from 24% to 38.5%, math from 16% to 36.2%). However, the school still trails District 10 averages (ELA 45%, math 43.5%), meaning students are catching up but not yet meeting where the district broadly stands. The overall quality rating of 1.49 out of 4 reflects this gap. Grade-level data shows Grade 5 performing strongest in both subjects (ELA 44.6%, math 48.3%), suggesting upper-grade instruction may be more aligned with student needs.

The climate data tells a story of a school that has built deep trust with families even as academic challenges persist. Parent satisfaction (95%), parent-teacher trust (98%), and parent-principal trust (97%) all exceed district averages — remarkable for a school with below-average test scores. Teacher-reported safety (87%) matches the district average. The trade-off: chronic absenteeism is very high at 58.8%, compared to a district average in the low teens for chronic absence, and teacher collegial trust (75%) and teacher-principal trust (81%) are notably lower than parent trust. The discipline record is spotless — zero suspensions for three consecutive years — which parents often value deeply.

Bedford Park serves 501 students in a demographically homogeneous community: 68% Hispanic, 15% Asian, 9% White, 7% Black, 1% Native American. The diversity index of 57% reflects moderate internal diversity within a largely Hispanic population. With an economic need index of 85.3% — meaning most families meet poverty indicators — this is a high-need school in every sense. Sixteen percent of students have IEPs. PTA fundraising ($44 per student) runs below the district average of $74, suggesting fewer discretionary dollars for enrichment programs but also reflecting the neighborhood's economic constraints.

Norwood is a dense, transit-rich Bronx neighborhood where families make up a huge share of the population (83.91 percentile for family density) but higher education rates are low (22.8% BA or above). Homeownership is nearly nonexistent at 4.5%, meaning most families rent. The median home value of $460,427 reflects the broader Bronx market. Safety scores are low (8.43 out of 100), which parents should factor in. Transit access is strong (73.95 percentile), making the school reachable without a car. The neighborhood has a high stability score (80.08), meaning many families stay long-term — consistent with the school's role as a true neighborhood zoned school.

Norwood is highly walkable and well-served by subway and bus lines. Families from the immediate neighborhood can easily walk. For those coming from farther away, good transit options exist, though the low safety score suggests evening arrivals may warrant extra attention.