Bronx High School for Medical Science

The school's ELA proficiency (37.5%) falls below the district average of 44.75%, and math proficiency (19.4%) is dramatically below the district average of 44.7%. Looking at the trend, math scores have been volatile — they peaked at 39.4% in 2017, dropped to 18.9% in 2022, recovered to 38.4% in 2023, then plummeted to 19.4% in 2025. This inconsistency is concerning. The 8th grade performs notably better (48.8% ELA, 23.9% Math) compared to 6th grade (30% ELA, 7.1% Math), suggesting older students may be getting more support or the younger grades face greater challenges. The overall quality score of 1.14/4 places this school significantly below the district average of 1.79.

There's a notable disconnect here. Survey data shows strong trust between families and staff: 90% parent satisfaction, 93% parent-teacher trust, and 88% teacher-principal trust. Teachers rate instruction quality at 90%. The school has zero suspensions, which is a positive. However, chronic absenteeism is extraordinarily high at 77.6% — nearly 8 out of 10 students are missing too much school. This affects boys (82.6% chronic) more than girls (73.1%), and Hispanic students (77.9%) more than Black students (70.4%). With a 92.5% attendance rate that barely exceeds the district average despite the high chronic absence rate, the day-to-day experience suggests a school where the climate is positive for those present, but where getting students through the door consistently remains a significant challenge.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic (68%) and Black (24%), with small Asian (5%) and White (2%) populations. The diversity index is 49%. With 91.2% economic need and 30% IEP students, this is a high-needs population. The neighborhood reflects this: median household income of $45,405, 32.3% poverty rate, and only 16.2% of adults holding a bachelor's degree. The 14% family survey response rate is low, though 49 families did participate. Despite modest PTA fundraising ($1 per student, totaling $278), families clearly value this school enough to apply in droves — the medical science program received 1,441 applications for 65 seats.

Mount Eden-Claremont is a densely populated, family-oriented Bronx neighborhood (family density score: 94.64) with strong transit access (83.52). However, it faces real challenges: only 4.4% homeownership, high poverty (32.3%), and low education attainment (16.2% BA+). The crime density is elevated, and asthma rates are notably high (75.5 per 1,000). Families should know the neighborhood has limited green space but solid public transit connections — this is a working-class area where families are navigating real economic pressures.

The neighborhood has strong transit access (83.52), making public transportation a viable option. Families without cars can rely on bus and subway connections, though the area's walkability is moderate given the urban environment.