Fannie Lou Hamer Middle School

Proficiency scores are below the District 12 average — 31.7% in ELA versus 44.6% district-wide, and 23.5% in Math versus 43.3% — meaning students are catching up, not leading. However, the trend line tells a story of steady improvement: ELA has more than doubled from 14.3% in 2016 to 31.7% in 2025, and Math climbed from single digits (6.2% in 2016) to 23.5% in 2025. Grade 7 outperforms peers with 37.5% ELA and 31.5% Math, while Grade 6 shows strong early ELA results (33.3%) but struggles in Math (13.1%). The overall score of 1.1/4 reflects the distance yet to travel, but the direction is clear.

The numbers reveal a school with strong family relationships but internal challenges. Parent satisfaction (95%) and trust in teachers and principal (both 96%) are exceptional — well above district averages. Teachers report 82% instruction quality and 79% collegial trust, but teacher-principal trust sits at only 61%, suggesting a gap between how families and staff experience leadership. Attendance is a concern: 87.9% overall and a striking 58.5% chronic absenteeism rate (63.4% for Hispanic students, 43.5% for Black students). However, discipline has dramatically improved — zero suspensions in 2023-24, down from 4 in 2021-22 — indicating a shift toward restorative practices.

With 267 students across grades 6-8, this is a small school. The student body is predominantly Hispanic (70%) and Black (24%), reflecting the neighborhood's demographics. Nearly a third of students (32%) have IEPs, and the economic need index is extremely high at 92.3% — meaning virtually all families face financial hardship. The diversity index of 46% is moderate, and the community is overwhelmingly rental (only 9.6% homeownership), suggesting many families are transient or temporarily housed.

Crotona Park East is a high-poverty, family-dense Bronx neighborhood with significant challenges. Safety perceptions are low (12.64 percentile), and the area has elevated environmental health concerns including lead exposure (15.2%) and high asthma rates (75.5 per 1,000). However, transit access is solid (67.43) and the neighborhood scores high on family density (84.29), meaning other families with kids do live here despite the low 15.1% household with children rate. Median income is just $41,412, and only 14.7% of adults have a bachelor's degree — parents here are working-class.

The neighborhood is walkable with moderate transit access, though families should expect to navigate an area with safety concerns and may rely on local bus routes or the subway