P.S. 025 Bilingual School

P.S. 025 sits right at the district average on most metrics: its 51.7% ELA proficiency is essentially identical to the District 7 average of 51.3%, while 47.3% math proficiency lands just below the district's 49%. The bigger story is the trajectory — after scores bottomed out at 19% ELA and 17% math in 2022, the school has now climbed back to its highest point in nearly a decade. Math scores nearly doubled year-over-year (45.2% to 47.3%), and ELA jumped more than 13 percentage points. Fifth graders are the academic bright spot, posting 64.7% ELA proficiency — well above their younger peers — suggesting the school's bilingual model may be paying off as students mature.

The day-to-day feel at P.S. 025 leans warm and stable. Zero suspensions over three consecutive years is exceptional — the District 7 average suspension rate is 0.84%, and many comparable schools suspend students regularly. Parent satisfaction sits at 96% (above the district average of 94%), with parent-teacher trust and parent-principal trust both at 98%, which is striking for a school serving a high-poverty community. Teachers report strong collegial relationships (88%) and feel safer than at most district schools (86% vs. 80.5% average). The one major caveat is chronic absenteeism at 76.5% — extremely high and well above typical levels — meaning more than three out of four students are missing too much school. The overall attendance rate of 92.8% is decent, but the chronic figure suggests many families are struggling with consistent daily attendance.

The student body reflects the surrounding neighborhood almost exactly: 88% Hispanic and 10% Black, with an economic need index of 91.5% indicating most students come from low-income households. About 26% of students have IEPs, notably higher than typical. While the school is described as 'bilingual,' the demographic profile is fairly homogeneous, with a diversity index of just 25%. The PTA raised $21 per student last year — more than double the district average — even in a low-income community, suggesting engaged families who contribute what they can.

Melrose is a working-class South Bronx neighborhood where median household income hovers around $30,236 and more than a third of residents live below the poverty line. Just 10% of households own their homes, and only about 13.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. Roughly 15.7% of households have children, and the homeownership rate is among the lowest in the city. It's a neighborhood defined more by renters and multigenerational households than by middle-class stability, and the school sits at the heart of it.

Families have solid transit access — the 6 train at E 149 St is about a 3-minute walk, the 2/5 at Jackson Av is roughly 6 minutes, and the 6 at E 143 St–St Mary's St is about 7 minutes away. Several bus routes also serve the area.