M.S. 302 Luisa Dessus Cruz

ELA proficiency at 41.3% trails the district average of 46.2%, but the trajectory tells you more than the snapshot — proficiency has nearly tripled since 2016 and roughly doubled since 2022. Math is still further behind at 35.9% (vs. 48% district), though it's also climbing fast, jumping 14 points in a single year between 2023 and 2024. One thing parents should know: 8th-grade math proficiency sits at 18.8%, a sharp drop from 50% in 7th grade that may reflect a smaller cohort or the harder 8th-grade exam, but is worth asking the school about. Science proficiency at 44.7% is the school's strongest measure. Overall, this is a below-average school by the district's scorecard (1.54 vs. 1.88), but on the right side of a clear upward line.

The day-to-day feel here leans warm and connected. Parents return surveys at an 81% clip — exceptionally high — and nearly all of them say they trust their child's teacher (100%) and the principal (99%). Teachers report strong instructional quality (97% vs. 88% district) and high trust in leadership (98%); teacher collegial trust at 83% is more modest, though it's based on a small sample of just 25 teacher responses. Discipline is light: a single suspension last year, down from five the year before and two the year before that. Attendance is slightly above the district average at 90.4%, but chronic absenteeism is the real concern at 67.4% — meaning roughly two-thirds of students miss enough school to be flagged. The school reads as a calm, trusted place for kids to land, with engagement to spare, but attendance is the work still ahead.

M.S. 302's student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (81%) and Black (18%), with a 93.7% economic need index meaning nearly every student comes from a low-income household. About 36% of students have IEPs — a notably high share — and an ELL support program reflects the linguistic needs of the community. The school's demographic profile mirrors its Longwood surroundings closely, where the median household income is below $37,000 and most residents rent.

Longwood is a working-class, transit-accessible stretch of the South Bronx with a median household income of about $36,500, a 33% poverty rate, and just 12.7% homeownership — most families rent. About 15% of adult residents hold a bachelor's degree, and households with children make up 14.3% of the area. The school is a clear community hub for local families navigating middle-school choices in the zoned area.

Three subway stations serve the area: Prospect Av on the 2 and 5 lines (about a 5-minute walk), Longwood Av on the 6 (about 6 minutes), and E 149 St on the 6 (about 7 minutes).