Bronx Dance Academy School

Bronx Dance Academy's ELA proficiency of 64.3% lands well above the District 10 middle-school average of about 45%, and math proficiency of 48% edges out the district average of roughly 43.5%. The growth story is the real headline: ELA proficiency has nearly doubled since 2019 (from about 45% to 64%), and math has more than doubled from its 2022 low of 9.1% to 48% in 2025. Eighth graders outperform their younger peers on both subjects, with 70% ELA proficiency and 55% math proficiency — a pattern that suggests students build real skills as they move through the school.

The climate data is mostly reassuring but with one notable flag. Every teacher survey respondent rated instruction quality at 100% — notably higher than the district's 91.4% average — and teacher collegial trust sits at 90%. Parent satisfaction is high at 94% (matching the district average), and parent-principal trust is even higher at 96%, suggesting families feel heard by leadership. There were zero suspensions in 2023-24, essentially unheard of for a middle school and a clear sign of a calm environment. The one concern is chronic absenteeism at 57.8% — meaning roughly three out of five students miss 10% or more of the school year — which is higher than parents typically want to see and suggests families should ask how the school follows up on attendance.

The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (77%), with Black students making up 18% and smaller Asian, white, and multiracial shares. That composition mirrors the working-class, family-oriented character of the surrounding Norwood neighborhood, where more than a quarter of households live below the poverty line and most residents are renters. A quarter of students have IEPs and 87.5% qualify for the economic need index, making this a school that serves a high-needs population with notable academic success.

Norwood is a residential pocket of the central Bronx with a working-class character — median household income sits around $47,000, about a quarter of residents live in poverty, and homeownership is rare at under 5%. Households with children make up roughly 18% of the area, and just under a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The neighborhood is built for families who rely on public transit, and the school's immediate surroundings are dense with apartments and small businesses.

Getting here by subway is genuinely easy — Woodlawn (4) is about a 2-minute walk, Mosholu Parkway (4) is about 11 minutes, and Norwood-205 St (D) is roughly 15 minutes on foot