At a Glance
A small, tight-knit high school with exceptional family trust and zero suspensions, serving a high-need neighborhood with extensive programming
Families who prioritize a small-school feel with strong family-school relationships, zero-tolerance discipline approaches, and rich extracurricular programming over benchmark test scores. Particularly well-suited for families with students who have IEPs (30% of enrollment) or who thrive in environments with extensive arts, sports, and STEM offerings. Families should be comfortable navigating a neighborhood with lower safety scores and should value the strong community engagement over traditional academic metrics.
- Zero suspensions — a rare achievement in any district
- 99% parent satisfaction with perfect trust scores in family-school relationships
- 91% family survey response rate shows exceptional engagement
- 100/100 program richness score with extensive STEM, arts, athletics, and clubs
- 30% of students have IEPs, indicating strong special education services
- Small class sizes averaging 21.9 students
- Computer Science and Technology program with 405 applicants for 86 seats shows strong demand
- No academic proficiency data available — families cannot benchmark standardized test performance
- Low education orientation in the neighborhood (23rd percentile) may affect peer academic culture
- Safety scores in the neighborhood are low (13th percentile)
- Teacher collegial trust is moderate at 63% — possible staff dynamics to monitor
- Very high economic need (93%) means many families face systemic challenges that can affect school involvement despite strong engagement metrics
- Limited unscreened admissions means some families may not get in
Based on 2024-2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 12
Among peer schools in District 12, Explorations Academy doesn't have a quality review score to compare directly. Nearby schools like South Bronx Classical (96/100) and Bold Charter (88/100) have strong academic reputations, but those are charter schools with different admissions models. Within the district's zoned and limited unscreened options, this school's exceptional family engagement and discipline record would make it stand out — though the lack of academic data makes direct comparison difficult.
Academic proficiency data is not available for this school, so direct comparison to the district average of 45% ELA and 43% math is not possible. The school offers AP courses and STEM programming, and its program richness score of 100/100 indicates robust academic offerings beyond test scores.
This is where the school truly stands out. Parent satisfaction hits 99%, with perfect 100% scores on parent-teacher and parent-principal trust. Teachers rate instruction quality at 91%, and teacher-principal trust sits at 87%. The school has zero suspensions — a remarkable record in a district averaging 0.4%. With a 91% family survey response rate, families are actively engaged. Teacher collegial trust is lower at 63%, which could indicate some workplace friction among staff, but this doesn't appear to impact the family-facing experience.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic (71%) and Black (26%), reflecting the neighborhood's demographics. With 92.9% economic need and 30% of students having IEPs, this serves a high-need population. The diversity index of 40% is moderate — mostly representing the two largest groups. Nine percent homeownership in the area suggests most families rent, and the area scores very high on family density (84th percentile), meaning lots of children in the neighborhood.
Crotona Park East is a family-dense neighborhood in the Bronx with significant challenges. The median household income of $41,412 and 28.5% poverty rate reflect economic hardship, while the low education orientation score (23rd percentile) suggests fewer college-going norms than in other parts of the city. Safety scores are low (13th percentile), which is a reality families should factor in. Transit access is decent (67th percentile), and Crotona Park provides green space. Only 15% of households have children, and homeownership is just 10%.
The area is walkable with moderate transit access, though safety concerns during certain times may lead families to prefer escorting children to and from school
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 220 families responded (91% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
Students in our four-year computer science major will develop the skills needed in high demand 21st century careers. Our computer science coursework is rooted in the Art, English, mathematics and Technology, and Business. As part of this program, students will be expected to complete internship hours and will graduate with a High School computer science endorsed diploma. Computer science is a top paying college degree and computer programming jobs are growing at twice the national average.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Explorations Academy H.S. a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for Explorations Academy H.S. yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades 9 to 12 in Crotona Park East.
- What grades does Explorations Academy H.S. serve?
- Explorations Academy H.S. serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into Explorations Academy H.S.?
- Explorations Academy H.S. admits mostly by lottery, with a modest preference for students who show interest (a tour or info session).
- Is Explorations Academy H.S. public, charter, or private?
- Explorations Academy H.S. is a public school in NYC Community School District 12.
- What neighborhood is Explorations Academy H.S. in?
- Explorations Academy H.S. is in Crotona Park East, Bronx.
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