Mott Hall Charter School

Mott Hall's 2025 results land above district averages on both ELA (47.2% vs. 44.75%) and math (50.9% vs. 44.7%), with the overall quality score of 1.96/4 outpacing the district's 1.79/4. The more compelling story is the trajectory: from single-digit proficiency in 2016-2017, the school has nearly tripled its ELA scores and more than tripled its math scores over the past decade. The 2025 jump is particularly sharp — ELA went from 32.1% to 47.2% and math from 19% to 50.9% in a single year, which is worth watching to see if it holds. By grade, 7th and 8th graders outperform 6th graders on both subjects, suggesting students build real skills as they move through the school rather than arriving proficient.

The day-to-day feel here is unusually trusting. Parents give 96% satisfaction and 99% trust in the principal — nearly every family feels heard. Teachers rate instruction quality at 99% and report 92% trust in both leadership and each other, which is rare. However, the attendance picture tells a harder story: 87.8% attendance falls below the district's 90.1% average, and 52.7% of students are chronically absent — meaning more than half miss enough school to be flagged. That gap between a small, confident school community and persistent attendance challenges is the central tension. The small teaching staff (18 survey responses) suggests tight professional relationships but also limited bench depth.

Mott Hall's student body — 45% Black, 51% Hispanic, with very small percentages of other groups — mirrors the surrounding Morrisania neighborhood closely. The economic need index of 92.8 means almost every student comes from a low-income household, and 19% have IEPs. With only 216 students across three grades, class sizes average about 21, comparable to the district. This is a school that draws from a community with limited resources but manages to build a culture of high trust and steady academic growth.

Morrisania is a working-class Bronx neighborhood where the median household income is around $33,000, the poverty rate sits near 35%, and just under 12% of households include children. Homeownership is rare — only about 9% of households own their homes — and only 15% of adults have a bachelor's degree. The neighborhood has a high renter population and a median home value over $500,000 that reflects the broader New York market more than local incomes. It's a community where families are stretched but rooted.

The school isn't right next to a subway — families mostly walk. The nearest options are Freeman St (2 5), Intervale Av (2 5), and Simpson St (2 5), each about an 11- to 14-minute walk from the building.