Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science

Let's be direct: the proficiency scores are below district averages — 34.7% in ELA and 32.6% in Math compared to district averages of 51% and 49% respectively. The school has a 1.35 overall score versus the district's 2.01. However, context matters. The school showed strong growth from 2016 to 2019, nearly tripling ELA proficiency from 14.8% to nearly 50%, and math climbed from single digits to nearly 28%. COVID hit hard — math dropped to 10% in 2022 — but has since recovered to 32.6%, nearly matching its pre-pandemic peak. The school serves grades 6-12 with a screened admission process, meaning students were selected for academic potential. That 23% IEP population and 89.6% economic need index suggest the student body faces real challenges that go beyond what test scores capture.

This is where Hostos-Lincoln shines. Parent satisfaction sits at 93%, parent-teacher trust at 95%, and parent-principal trust nearly perfect at 98%. Teachers report 91% instruction quality and 94-95% trust in leadership and colleagues. Zero suspensions — not one — signals a discipline approach focused on relationship-building rather than removal. The attendance picture is more complicated: 88.7% daily attendance is below the 91% district average, and the 52.5% chronic absenteeism rate is notably high, particularly for female students (54.2%) and Hispanic students (54.4%). This suggests families may struggle with consistent morning routines or health challenges common in high-poverty neighborhoods. But those who do show up report feeling genuinely welcomed and trusted.

Nearly three-quarters of students identify as Hispanic (72%), with Black students comprising 25%. The student body reflects the Melrose neighborhood's demographics, which has a 38% poverty rate and where only 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. With 89.6% economic need index and nearly a quarter of students receiving IEP services, this is a school serving students with significant outside-of-school challenges. Yet families choose this school — 1,200+ applications for 65 seats — suggesting the community values what Hostos-Lincoln offers despite the academic numbers.

Melrose is a transit-rich but resource-tight neighborhood in the South Bronx. Families benefit from strong transit access (77.78 percentile) but face real environmental challenges: elevated lead rates (15.2%) and very high asthma emergency department rates (75.5 per 1,000) suggest chronic air quality issues. The safety score of 1.92 is among the lowest, reflecting the neighborhood's struggles with crime density. Median household income of $30,236 and 10% homeownership paint a picture of a community doing with less — yet the education orientation score of 29.5 and high program demand at Hostos-Lincoln suggest families are prioritizing schools despite these headwinds.

The school is accessible via local bus routes and is walkable from surrounding blocks in Melrose, though families from further afield rely on the strong transit connections that define this area of the Bronx