J.H.S. 118 William W. Niles

ELA proficiency at 47.5% edges above the district 10 average of about 45%, and the school has lifted meaningfully from 37.9% back in 2016. Math tells a different story: 38.1% proficiency sits clearly below the district average of roughly 43.5%, and math scores have hovered between 35% and 41% for nearly a decade without sustained improvement. Science proficiency at 46.4% is solid. The school's overall rating of 1.71 out of 4 is essentially at the district 10 norm of 1.77, and grade-level scores are tightly clustered, suggesting the academic experience is fairly consistent across cohorts.

Parents speak highly of this school — 93% report satisfaction and trust in both teachers (95%) and the principal (93%) sits well above district averages. Teachers are more divided: 87% rate instruction quality positively, but only 64% say they trust the principal, noticeably lower than the district norm and worth asking about on a tour. The discipline picture has shifted in a direction families should know about — suspensions went from 7 in 2021–22 to 10 to 22 over three school years, more than tripling, even as the wider district remains low-suspension overall.

The student body is 59% Hispanic, 18% Black, 17% Asian, 5% White, and 2% Native American, with 19% of students classified as IEP and a dedicated ELL support program for English learners. The economic need index of 91.5 — among the highest in the district — mirrors the surrounding Tremont census, where the poverty rate is about 36% and the median household income sits around $32,000. The school draws a broader mix than its immediate census tract suggests, including a meaningful Asian population whose presence in the school outpaces the surrounding neighborhood.

Tremont is a working-class Bronx neighborhood where roughly 36% of households live below the poverty line and the median household income is in the low $30,000s. Homeownership is rare — under 8% — and most families rent, though the median home value sits around $443,000 reflecting the broader borough market. About 13% of households include children, and roughly 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, a useful backdrop for families thinking about college-going support at the middle-school level.

Subway access takes planning — the closest stations are 182–183 Sts (B and D) and Tremont Av (B and D), each about a 14-minute walk, with 174 St (2 and 5) roughly 17 minutes on foot.