Kappa

Test scores here tell a complicated story. Math proficiency at 43.9% matches the District 9 average, but ELA at 28.8% falls well below the district's 44.8%. The 2024 school year showed a bright spot — ELA hit 41.9% and math reached 45.8% — but 2025 saw a sharp ELA drop while math held steady. Grade-level data shows 8th graders excelling in math (47.8%) while 6th and 8th grade ELA both sit at 26.7%. The school earned a 1.45 overall score on the city's 4-point scale, below the district average of 1.79. Given that this is a screened school, families should know the academic trajectory has been inconsistent — there's strength in math, but ELA remediation appears ongoing.

The survey data reveals a school where families feel heard and valued, but teachers show more caution. Parent trust metrics are striking: 95% satisfaction, 94% parent-teacher trust, and 95% trust in the principal. Instruction quality from the teacher perspective scores 85%, below the district average of 90%. Teacher-principal trust sits at 73%, notably lower than parent trust — a gap worth noting. Attendance is a concern: while the overall rate of 92.5% slightly exceeds the district average, chronic absenteeism is extraordinarily high at 76.4%, with Black students (81.8%) and males (79.1%) missing the most school. Suspensions have crept up from 2 in 2021-22 to 4 in 2023-24, though the 2% rate remains relatively low. The day-to-day feel seems to be one of strong family-school relationships, but with persistent attendance challenges and some tension between staff and leadership.

With 282 students in grades 6-8 plus special education, Kappa is a small-to-mid-sized middle school. The student body is 55% Black and 43% Hispanic, reflecting the neighborhood's demographics. Notably, 28% of students have IEPs (individualized education programs), a high proportion suggesting robust special education services. The diversity index sits at 46%, and notably there is virtually no white or Asian enrollment. This is a predominantly Black and Latino school serving a community where the median household income is just $30,475 and homeownership is nearly nonexistent at 2.7%.

Claremont Village in the South Bronx is a high-poverty, high-density neighborhood with significant challenges. Safety scores a low 11.5 percentile — families should know the neighborhood has elevated crime density and collision rates. However, transit access is strong at the 75th percentile, making commutes manageable. The education orientation score of just 23% reflects the low BA+ rate among residents (11.4%), meaning most families here haven't navigated the city's selective admissions process themselves. There are parks and community resources in the broader area, but this is not a neighborhood where families move for the school — families here are rooted in the community.

Transit access is strong (75th percentile), so many families arrive by bus or subway. The area is walkable but in a dense urban setting — families should factor in the neighborhood's safety scores when planning commutes.