At a Glance
A K-7 charter in Tremont where students post math and ELA scores roughly double the District 9 average
Best suited for
Families who want a structured, high-expectations charter environment and are comfortable entering a lottery, and who don't mind an 11- to 15-minute walk from the subway
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Math proficiency of 92.4%, roughly double the district average
- ELA scores climbed from 48% to 88% over four years — one of the steepest turnarounds in the data set
- 100% teacher-principal trust, paired with 95% parent-teacher trust
- Small charter of 249 students, K-7, with consistent year-over-year academic gains across every tested grade
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 77.3% is unusually high even for high-need communities — parents should ask the school what is being done to address it
- Admissions are by charter lottery, so there is no guaranteed seat
- The nearest subway is an 11-minute walk, which matters in winter or with small children
- With 249 students the school can't offer the breadth of electives, sports, or activities a larger middle school can
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 9
Among the strongest performers in District 9, alongside Icahn Charter School 1, Success Academy - Bronx 2, and P.S./M.S. 4 Crotona Park West. The school's overall score of 3.61/4 sits well above the district average of 1.79/4, and its academic results outpace nearly every traditional district school in the area.
Academics
ELA proficiency at 88.2% and math proficiency at 92.4% are both roughly double the District 9 averages of about 45% in each subject. The trajectory is the most striking thing: in 2022 the school posted 48.3% ELA and 72.4% math, and every year since has moved up. By 2025, all tested grades clear 81% proficiency in both subjects, with fourth-graders hitting 97.5% in math and 90% in ELA.
Culture
Survey responses paint a picture of unusually strong internal culture: 100% of teachers say they trust the principal, 95% of parents say they trust their child's teacher, and 90% of teachers describe the school as safe. That kind of alignment between staff and families is rare. The tension is with attendance — chronic absenteeism is reported at 77.3%, high even after accounting for the school's high economic need. Day to day, this reads as a place where adults are deeply committed to the work and most engaged families feel heard, but getting every student through the door consistently is an ongoing battle.
Community
The student body is 68% Hispanic and 28% Black, closely tracking Tremont and the surrounding South Bronx. An economic need index of 85.6 means most students arrive from households under real financial strain, and 19% of students have an IEP — roughly one in five. The school is small, with 249 students across K-7 and an average class size of about 21.
Neighborhood
Tremont is a low-income, transit-dependent neighborhood where the median household income sits around $32,000, only about 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, and homeownership is under 8%. Roughly 13% of households include children, which means the school likely draws families from a wider swath of the South Bronx rather than a tight walk zone.
No subway is right at the door. The closest options are Tremont Av on the B and D lines about 11 minutes on foot, 182-183 Sts (B, D) around 13 minutes, and Burnside Av on the 4 line roughly 15 minutes away
Enrollment & applying
Enrollment availability is tracked from the school's published listings and refreshed daily. Confirm cycle dates on the school's own site before applying.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 282 families responded (92% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 a good school?
- On Motley, Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 earns an overall rating of 90/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 9 average.
- What grades does Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 serve?
- Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 serves grades K to 7.
- How do students get into Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5?
- Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 is a charter school — it admits through a free public lottery, with no test or attendance zone.
- Is Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 public, charter, or private?
- Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 is a public charter school in NYC Community School District 9.
- What neighborhood is Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 in?
- Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 is in Tremont, Bronx.