Mott Hall V

Test scores at Mott Hall V tell a volatile story. The school has swung from a low of 9.8% math proficiency in 2017 to a high of 43% in 2023, and currently sits at 37% ELA and 41% math. Both figures fall below the District 12 averages (44.6% ELA, 43.3% math), placing the school in the lower tier academically. That said, 8th grade is performing notably stronger — 45.2% ELA and 42.9% math — suggesting some grade levels are doing better than others. The overall quality score of 1.56 out of 4 also trails the district average of 1.76.

Here's where Mott Hall V tells a more hopeful story. Parents love this school — 97% report satisfaction, and 95% trust both teachers and the principal. Teacher instruction quality scores 85%, slightly below the district average but still solid. However, there's a notable gap in how staff feel about leadership: only 72% of teachers trust the principal, compared to 95% of parents. This could signal tension behind the scenes that parents don't see. Attendance is slightly better than district average (92.8% vs 90.1%), but chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at 73.2% — meaning roughly three-quarters of students are missing significant school time. Discipline is excellent with just 2 suspensions last year and a 0% suspension rate.

Mott Hall V serves a predominantly Hispanic student body (80%), with 14% Black, 4% Asian, and 1% each White and Native American. This mirrors the surrounding Soundview-Bruckner neighborhood, which is mostly working-class and Hispanic/Latino. The economic need index of 91.3% means nearly all students qualify for free lunch — this is a high-poverty school in a high-poverty neighborhood. About 27% of students have IEPs. The diversity index is 37%, relatively low, reflecting the neighborhood's homogeneous makeup.

The Soundview-Bruckner-Bronx River area is a working-class Bronx neighborhood with significant challenges. Median household income is just $41,359, and 31.6% of residents live in poverty. Only 15.3% have a bachelor's degree. The area scores very low on safety (15th percentile) and education orientation (28th percentile), though it scores high on family density (71st percentile) and stability (83rd percentile). Transit access is moderate (49th percentile). The crime density and asthma rates are notable concerns. This is a neighborhood where families are navigating real economic pressure.

Families travel from across the Bronx to attend this school, given its limited unscreened admissions. Most students likely take buses or the subway, as the neighborhood's transit score is moderate and car ownership is low given economic conditions.