P.S. 061 Francisco Oller

The 2025 numbers tell a striking story. ELA proficiency jumped to 51.3% from 27.9% in 2024 — well above the District 12 average of 44.6%. Math sits at 48.1%, also above the district's 43.3%, though it dipped from a 2024 peak of 53.4%. Looking back further, both subjects have climbed dramatically from 2016 lows (15.4% ELA, 12.7% math). One pattern worth flagging: Grade 3 scores (28.6% in both subjects) lag significantly behind Grade 4 (57.7%/59.3%) and Grade 5 (62.1%/51.7%), suggesting students here often hit their stride in the upper elementary years.

The climate data here is unusually strong on nearly every dimension. 100% of teachers rate instruction quality positively (vs. a district average of 88%), and 93% of teachers say the school is safe — meaningfully above the 84.6% district norm. Parent satisfaction is 93%, parent-principal trust is 96%, and 94% report strong relationships with teachers. Discipline is essentially a non-issue: zero suspensions for three consecutive years, compared to a district average suspension rate of 0.4%. The one genuine concern is chronic absenteeism at 70.7% — even though the school's overall 92.5% attendance rate beats the district average, the share of students missing 10%+ of school days is high and worth taking seriously.

The student body is 81% Hispanic and 16% Black, closely mirroring the Crotona Park East neighborhood around it, where median household income is $41,412 and 28.5% of residents live in poverty. The school's economic need index of 94 means almost every student comes from a low-income household. About 15% of students have IEPs, and the school serves self-contained special education classrooms alongside general education — a fairly inclusive setup. With a diversity index of just 35%, most students share a similar cultural and linguistic background, which can be a strength for community cohesion but limits exposure to broader diversity.

Crotona Park East is a working-class, family-rooted Bronx neighborhood where most residents rent (homeownership is under 10%) and the median household income sits at $41,412. Only about 15% of households have children, and 14.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — both signals of a neighborhood that skews older and where college attainment is uncommon. Despite that, the area has the feel of a community where families have lived for generations. Subway access is workable: the 2 and 5 trains at 174 St are the closest option, and the Freeman St stop on the same lines is a short walk further.

Most commuters take the 2 or 5 train: 174 St is about a 6-minute walk, and Freeman St on the same lines is about 9 minutes. The 6 train at Whitlock Av is about a 16-minute walk.