P.S. 053 Basheer Quisim

This school's academic trajectory is unusual and worth understanding. Test scores cratered during the pandemic — ELA fell from 38.1% in 2019 to just 25.2% in 2024 — but then jumped dramatically to 44.9% in 2025, matching the district average of 44.8%. Math followed a similar pattern, reaching 47.9% in 2025, slightly above the district's 44.7%. The overall score of 1.86/4 sits slightly above the district average of 1.79. Grade-level data shows stronger performance in younger grades (3rd grade math at 55.1%) than in upper grades (5th grade math at 39.1%), suggesting the rebuilding is further along in early grades.

The survey data here is striking. Parents report 98% satisfaction, and virtually every parent (99%) trusts teachers and the principal. Teachers themselves rate instruction quality at 96% and report 100% feeling safe at work — notably higher than the district average of 83%. Every family surveyed said the school builds strong relationships. However, there's a tension: chronic absenteeism sits at 60.7%, well above district norms, suggesting that even when families feel positive about the school, getting kids there consistently is a challenge. The discipline record is spotless with zero suspensions for three consecutive years.

With 719 students in grades pre-K through 5, this is a mid-sized elementary school in a neighborhood that is predominantly working-class and Hispanic. The student body is 70% Hispanic, 27% Black, with very low Asian and white enrollment. The diversity index of 41% reflects a relatively homogeneous community. Thirteen percent of students have IEPs, indicating standard special education services. The community is young families — Concourse has a high family density score of 77 — but households with children are only 13.7% of the neighborhood, suggesting many residents are single adults or seniors.

Concourse-Concourse Village in the Bronx is a dense, urban neighborhood where many families are dealing with the financial pressures of a median household income just over $40,000 and a 34% poverty rate. Only 11% of residents own homes. The area scores very low on safety (2.68 out of 100) but high on family density and transit access (67th percentile). Education orientation is low (32%), meaning this isn't a neighborhood where most adults have college degrees — only 16% hold bachelor's degrees. Environmental health indicators show elevated lead rates (15.2%) and high asthma-related ER visits, which are things families should factor in.

The neighborhood is highly walkable with strong transit access (67th percentile), making it feasible for families to walk or take buses to school without relying on cars