Children's Aid College Preparatory Charter School

Let's be direct about what's happening here: this school went through a rough stretch between 2016-2019 when test scores dropped significantly, hitting bottom at 41% ELA and 34% math in 2019. Then something shifted. Year over year since 2022, scores have climbed steadily — from 50% to 68% in ELA, and from 37% to 67% in math. That's not a fluke; that's a trend. The school now outperforms the District 12 average by roughly 23 percentage points in ELA and 24 points in math. Science is a particular strength at 84%. But there's a notable gap: Grade 6 scores (41% ELA, 30% math) lag significantly behind other grades, while Grade 8 is blowing it out with 77% ELA and 92% math.

The survey data tells a somewhat paradoxical story. Parents love this school — 94% satisfied, 94% trusting teachers, and an almost unheard-of 98% trusting the principal. That's exceptional. Teachers give a more muted assessment of instruction quality at 71%, though it's worth noting only 4 teachers responded to the survey, so take that with a grain of salt. Attendance is a real challenge: 87.6% overall and a troubling 62.9% chronic absenteeism rate, with female students and Black students missing more school than their peers. The school is operating in a high-need community where transportation, housing instability, and health issues all factor into attendance — this isn't a discipline problem so much as a poverty problem.

With 581 students in a K-8 building, this is a mid-sized charter. The demographics are predominantly Hispanic (58%) and Black (38%), with virtually no Asian or white students — reflecting the neighborhood's composition. A striking 21% of students have IEPs, and 89% are economically disadvantaged. The diversity index sits at 46%, which is moderate. This is a school that serves families at the economic margins — the neighborhood's median household income is just $32,000 and only 7.5% of residents own homes. Yet those families are engaged: 113 families responded to the survey, and the satisfaction numbers are among the highest in the district.

Tremont is a densely populated, family-oriented Bronx neighborhood with significant challenges. The median income of $32,000 and 36% poverty rate tell the story of a working-class community where many families are stretching to get by. Only 7.5% of residents own homes — this is a rental neighborhood. The safety score of just 5/100 is concerning (though crime density metrics are moderate), while transit access is decent at the 60th percentile. What Tremont does have is family density: 81st percentile, meaning lots of kids in the neighborhood. Education orientation is lower at 35th percentile, which actually makes a school that's performing this well even more notable — it's punching above its neighborhood's weight in terms of academic ambition.

The school is accessible by several bus lines and near the Tremont Avenue subway station on the B/D line. Many families walk from within the neighborhood, which is densely populated. Parking is challenging during drop-off and pickup.