Bronx Park Middle School

Test scores here have climbed steadily — ELA jumped from 19.7% in 2016 to 52.3% in 2025, and math more than doubled from 14.7% to 42.4% over the same period. That's real progress, not a blip. But here's the nuance: 52.3% ELA proficiency sits below the district average of 56.7%, and math at 42.4% is notably below the district's 55.6%. The grade-level breakdown reveals an interesting pattern — 8th graders are strong in ELA (70.5%) but lag in math (34.1%), while 7th graders show the opposite: strong math (57.1%) but lower ELA (46.6%). The 1.89 overall score on the 4-point scale reflects that the school is still climbing toward district averages, even as its trajectory points upward.

This is where the school shines in ways that test scores don't capture. Teachers rate instruction quality at 99% — nearly perfect — and parent trust metrics are equally strong: 93% satisfaction, 95% parent-teacher trust, 94% parent-principal trust. Teachers trust their leadership too (91-98% across dimensions). The discipline record is modest: 3 suspensions last year, down from 7 in 2021-22. The catch is attendance — chronic absenteeism sits at 53.8%, well above the district average, suggesting that getting kids to school consistently remains a struggle. The day-to-day feel appears positive based on survey data, but chronic absenteeism is a real structural challenge.

The school population is predominantly Hispanic (65%), with Black students (16%), White students (12%), and a small Asian population (6%). With 85.7% economic need index and 21% IEP students, this serves a high-need population. The diversity index of 58% reflects a fairly homogeneous student body typical of this Bronx neighborhood. Compared to the Allerton neighborhood — which has low homeownership (15.9%) and only 20.6% of adults with bachelor's degrees — the school mirrors its community's demographics and serves families navigating economic constraints.

Allerton is a stable, working-class Bronx neighborhood with a strong family presence (72.8 percentile for family density) but limited educational resources around it (education orientation score of 41). Safety concerns are notable — the safety score of 11.88 is low, and environmental health indicators (asthma rates, lead exposure) suggest challenges. Transit access is moderate (55.94). The community has high stability (83.91) but low educational attainment among adults, meaning families here are rooted but may not have extensive educational support networks at home.

Many families walk to school given the neighborhood's density and low car ownership rates, though the area's safety concerns mean parents of younger children often accompany them