At a Glance
A high-trust KIPP charter in Tremont posting well above district averages — with an absenteeism rate parents should know about
Best suited for
Bronx families drawn to a structured, high-expectations charter who can prioritize daily attendance and want a school where parents consistently report feeling heard.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- ELA proficiency has nearly doubled over six years, from 31.2% to 60.9%, a striking trajectory.
- Parent trust at near-universal levels: 96% trust the principal, 95% trust the teacher.
- Both ELA and math run comfortably above District 12 averages.
- K–4 and 6–8 grade structure with no grade 5, reflecting the KIPP network's elementary/middle split.
- Part of the KIPP network, known for extended learning time and a structured, high-expectations approach.
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 67.7% is a serious flag — daily attendance matters as much as academic programming.
- Grade 8 math at 37.5% is a sharp outlier compared to other tested grades.
- Math scores have bounced year to year, including a recent dip from 69.5% to 55.3%.
- Only 3 teachers completed the climate survey, so the staff perspective is essentially missing from the data.
- No grade 5 means families will face a middle-school transition between K4 and K6.
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 12
In District 12, KIPP Freedom's overall score of 2.32/4 sits comfortably above the district average of 1.76/4. It trails the top local peer (South Bronx Classical Charter at 96) but outperforms several district schools like P.S. 044 and Children's Aid College Prep — a solid upper-middle placement among Bronx options.
Academics
ELA proficiency has nearly doubled since 2019, climbing from 31.2% to 60.9%, and now sits about 16 points above the district average of 44.6%. Math is a different story — 62.4% in 2019, a sharp drop to 35.1% in 2022, a recovery to 69.5% in 2024, then a slip to 55.3% this year, still well above the district's 43.3% but volatile. The grade-level breakdown is mostly strong (Grade 3 at 64% ELA and 64% math leads the way), but Grade 8 math at 37.5% is a real outlier worth asking the school about.
Culture
The school's overall attendance rate of 90.9% is essentially identical to the district average, but the chronic absenteeism figure tells a tougher story — at 67.7%, and the gap runs wider for boys (69%) than girls (66.6%). The family-side numbers are unusually strong: 95% of parents trust their child's teacher and 96% trust the principal, both meaningfully above district averages. One important caveat: only 3 teachers completed the survey, so staff-side climate data is essentially too thin to read.
Community
The student body is 62% Hispanic and 35% Black, closely mirroring the surrounding Tremont neighborhood. With an economic need index of 86.9% and 21% of students classified as IEP, this is a population carrying real weight, and average class size of 22.9 is slightly above the district norm of 21.9. The two-group demographic mix is consistent with the neighborhood's profile — most local families are Black or Hispanic, and income levels are well below the city median.
Neighborhood
Tremont sits in the central Bronx, with a median household income around $32,000, a poverty rate above 36%, and a 15% rate of residents with a bachelor's degree. Only about 13% of Tremont households include children, and homeownership is under 8% — this is a largely renter neighborhood where most adults don't have young kids at home. The school is reachable on foot from a few subway stops, though not on the doorstep.
The 174 St 2/5 station is about a 9-minute walk; West Farms Sq–E Tremont Av (also 2/5) is roughly 13 minutes, and Freeman St (2/5) is about 18 minutes away.
Enrollment & applying
Enrollment availability is tracked from the school's published listings and refreshed daily. Confirm cycle dates on the school's own site before applying.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Science Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Science exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 227 families responded (39% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is KIPP Freedom Charter School a good school?
- On Motley, KIPP Freedom Charter School earns an overall rating of 58/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 12 average.
- What grades does KIPP Freedom Charter School serve?
- KIPP Freedom Charter School serves grades K to 8.
- How do students get into KIPP Freedom Charter School?
- KIPP Freedom Charter School is a charter school — it admits through a free public lottery, with no test or attendance zone.
- Is KIPP Freedom Charter School public, charter, or private?
- KIPP Freedom Charter School is a public charter school in NYC Community School District 12.
- What neighborhood is KIPP Freedom Charter School in?
- KIPP Freedom Charter School is in Tremont, Bronx.