P.S. 059 The Community School of Technology

Test scores at P.S. 059 sit roughly half the District 10 average — 21.9% ELA versus 45% district-wide, and 20% Math versus 43.5%. The school's overall score of 0.84/4 places it far below the district average of 1.77. Looking at the trend, scores dropped sharply in 2022 (ELA fell to 8.6%, Math to 9.5%) but have since recovered to their highest ELA level on record at 21.9%. Math improved to 20% in 2025, though it remains volatile. Grade-level data shows Grade 5 students performing strongest in ELA (26.9%) but struggling most in Math (12.7%), while Grade 4 leads in Math at 26.1%. The pattern suggests strong literacy instruction but inconsistent math outcomes — something parents should monitor closely.

This is where the story gets interesting. Despite the academic challenges, the school's climate data is remarkably strong. Parent satisfaction sits at 92%, parent-teacher trust at 96%, and parent-principal trust at 95%. Every single parent surveyed (100%) reported "strong relationships" — an extraordinary figure. Teachers echo this: 94% rate instruction quality as strong, 93% trust the principal, and 95% trust their colleagues. Teacher-reported safety is 88%, slightly above the district average. The attendance picture is tougher — the school logs an 88.8% attendance rate with a troubling 57.7% chronic absenteeism rate (significantly higher than district averages), indicating many students are missing significant instructional time. Discipline is minimal, with just one suspension over the past three years and a 0% suspension rate. The disconnect between strong relational climate and poor attendance suggests the school has built trust, but external factors — transportation, health, housing instability — may be keeping kids away.

The student body is 62% Hispanic, 35% Black, 2% White, and 1% Native American — reflecting the demographics of the surrounding Tremont neighborhood, which is predominantly low-income and working-class. One in four students (26%) has an IEP, suggesting robust special education services. The diversity index is 44%, relatively low given the student population. Class sizes average 22.9, matching the district average exactly. The neighborhood has very few households with children (only 13.1%), which is unusual for an elementary school zone — indicating many families may be renting rather than raising children in the area, or that the neighborhood is transitioning.

Tremont is a high-poverty neighborhood in the central Bronx characterized by low household incomes ($32,208 median), high poverty rates (36.2%), and very low homeownership (just 7.5%). The area scores poorly on safety (4.98/100, very low) and has elevated environmental health concerns, including elevated lead rates and high asthma-related emergency department visits. Transit access is decent (59.77 percentile), and family density is high (81.23), meaning there are many families in the area. However, only 13.1% of households have children — suggesting a significant population of single adults or older residents. Education orientation is low (35.25), meaning the neighborhood doesn't have the institutional educational resources or college-going culture seen in more affluent areas. For families, this means navigating a neighborhood with real challenges but also strong community roots.

Tremont is walkable and well-served by bus routes; families in the zoned area can typically walk to school. The area has moderate transit access for those commuting from other parts of the Bronx.