Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science

ELA proficiency is 34.7%, compared to the District 7 average of 51.3%, and math is 32.6% against a district average of 49.0% — both meaningfully below. The school's overall quality score of 1.35 out of 4 also sits below the district's 2.01. The longer arc tells a more complicated story: Hostos-Lincoln climbed dramatically from a 2016 floor of 14.8% ELA and 7.1% math, peaked in 2018-2019, and has eased back since. Science proficiency comes in at 24.1% — a notable figure for a school that has 'Science' in its name. By grade, 7th and 8th graders outperform 6th graders in math, hinting that students ramp up after the first year.

This school's climate numbers are genuinely eye-catching. There were zero suspensions across the entire school — exceptionally rare for a school of this size and economic profile. Parent-principal trust is 98%, parent-teacher trust is 95%, and teacher-reported trust in leadership and in colleagues both land at 94-95%. Teacher-reported instruction quality is 91%, beating the district's 88.4%. The honest caveat: parent surveys are based on a 20% family response rate and teacher surveys on just 38 responses — these are enthusiastic, self-selected voices, not the full picture. Day-to-day, expect a place where staff and families feel like they're on the same team.

Roughly 72% Hispanic and 25% Black, the student body mirrors Melrose's demographics almost exactly. The economic need index of 89.6% — among the highest in the city — means the vast majority of students come from low-income households, and 23% have IEPs. Because the school is screened, families who land here are often the ones who've prepped their kids and navigated a tight admissions process, which shapes the parent culture.

Melrose is a tightly packed, working-class South Bronx pocket with a median household income of about $30,236, a poverty rate of 38.1%, and just 10% of households owning their homes. About 15.7% of households have children, and only 13.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. Median home value sits around $365,899, modest by NYC standards, and the area has been changing quietly as new construction and the Bronx Terminal Market ripple outward — but it's still very much a low-income, renter-heavy neighborhood.

Three subway options sit within a 10-minute walk: Jackson Av on the 2 and 5 lines (about 5 minutes), 3 Av-149 St on the 2 and 5 (about 7 minutes), and E 143 St-St Mary's St on the 6 (about 10 minutes). Solid 2/5 access keeps commutes manageable from much of the Bronx and into Manhattan.