I.S. 181 Pablo Casals

Both ELA (66.4%) and math (59%) are above the District 11 averages of roughly 57% and 56%, and the year-over-year trend is genuinely upward in both subjects — math in particular has nearly closed its gap with ELA after years of trailing. Seventh grade is the standout cohort, with 72% math proficiency and 69% in ELA. Eighth grade math drops back to 43%, a dip worth asking the school about, but overall the picture is a middle school that has moved from below average to solidly above average in less than a decade.

The day-to-day feel here leans positive: only 1% of students were suspended last year (well below the district norm), and parents report 96% satisfaction with 97% trust in teachers and 96% trust in the principal — numbers that suggest families feel heard. The attendance rate of 91.9% is healthy, but chronic absenteeism of 68% means many kids miss enough school to count as chronically absent even though most show up most days; that's worth probing. Teachers rate their own instructional quality at 89% (below the district's 92%) and report lower trust in school leadership at 76%, a softer signal that the staff side of the relationship isn't as tight as the parent side.

About 57% of students are Black, 28% Hispanic, 8% Asian, and the rest spread among smaller groups — a body that reflects the Co-op City neighborhood it sits in, with substantial Black and Hispanic representation. The economic need index of 70% means a large share of students come from lower-income households, which makes the school's climbing proficiency numbers more notable. A quarter of students have IEPs, and ELL support is available, so this is a school that serves a genuinely mixed academic profile rather than screening out need.

Co-op City is a distinctive corner of the Bronx: a large planned co-op housing complex where most families rent their apartments (44% are owners, high for New York City), the median household income is around $58,500, and about 12% of households have kids at home. The neighborhood is more rooted and less transient than much of the city — people stay, they know their neighbors, and the school draws from that stable base. Only a quarter of adults have a bachelor's degree, but the community's middle-income, family-oriented character comes through in the survey numbers.

The school is a 10-minute walk from the Baychester Av 5 train, about 17 minutes from the Gun Hill Rd 5, and around 20 minutes from the Eastchester-Dyre Av 5 — so the 5 line is the subway option, but most families will rely on local buses or car commutes rather than the train.