Leaders of Excellence, Advocacy and Discovery

ELA proficiency of 98.9% and math proficiency of 94.4% are extraordinary when set against the District 7 averages of roughly 51% and 49% — essentially double. By grade, 3rd graders hit 100% in both subjects, 4th graders hit 100% ELA and 95.8% math, and 5th graders hit 100% ELA and 88.5% math. The school's overall rating of 3.87/4 sits well above the district average of about 2.0/4. The historical trend, though, tells a more textured story: scores dipped noticeably in 2019 and again in 2022 (math fell to 54.2%), but the school has rebounded sharply, hitting nearly perfect marks in 2024 and 2025.

Family-side survey results are as positive as you'll find in any NYC public school — 97% parent satisfaction, 97% trust in both teachers and the principal, and a perfect 100% on strong relationships, with an unusually high 88% family response rate. Teachers also report very high confidence in instruction quality (96%) and in their principal (100%) and in one another (98%). The one soft spot is teacher-reported safety at 71%, meaningfully below the district average of about 80.5%; this is worth asking about, especially since the broader chronic absenteeism figure provided (92.9%) is unusually high relative to a 97.6% attendance rate and may reflect a data anomaly. Discipline is a clear strength: zero suspensions in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24.

The 246-student body is 70% Hispanic and 27% Black, closely mirroring the Melrose neighborhood around it, which has a 38.1% poverty rate and median household income around $30,236. Twenty-one percent of students have IEPs, and the economic need index of 83.4 confirms a deeply working-class population. The PTA raised just $3 per student last year — far below the district average of about $10 — which usually reflects tight family budgets rather than disengagement, especially given the 88% family survey response rate.

Melrose is a predominantly renter neighborhood in the South Bronx where about 15.7% of households have children, median household income sits near $30,236, and roughly 38% of residents live below the poverty line. Bachelor's-degree attainment is 13.9%, well below city norms, and only about 10% of housing is owner-occupied. For families considering this school, the picture is one of a tight-knit, working-class community where school choice matters a great deal.

Three subway options within roughly 5 to 11 minutes: Jackson Avenue (2 and 5 trains) is about a 5-minute walk, 3 Avenue-149 Street (2 and 5) about 7 minutes, and East 149 Street (6 train) about 11 minutes.