P.S. 066 School of Higher Expectations

The numbers tell a remarkable story. In 2016, just 17.9% of students were proficient in ELA and 19.7% in math — both far below district averages. By 2025, those figures had climbed to 78.4% in ELA and 85.4% in math, putting the school roughly 34 points above the district ELA average (44.6%) and about 42 points above the district math average (43.3%). The trajectory has been steady rather than spiky: each year since 2019 has shown meaningful gains, with the steepest jump coming between 2023 and 2024. Grade-level results are strong across the board, though Grade 3 ELA at 63% lags the 4th- and 5th-grade results, suggesting that early elementary literacy is the area to watch. The overall quality score of 3.28/4 is nearly double the district average of 1.76.

The day-to-day feel here is shaped by unusually strong family engagement: 96% of parents report satisfaction, 97% say they trust their child's teacher, and 96% trust the principal. The family survey response rate of 61% is high for a public school, suggesting these aren't just numbers from a handful of voices. Teachers are more measured — instruction quality sits at 84%, below the district average of 88.4%, and teacher-principal trust is at 82%, noticeably lower than the parent-principal trust score. Discipline is essentially a non-issue: zero suspensions across three consecutive years, compared to a district suspension rate of about 0.4%. The one climate flag is chronic absenteeism at 68.3%, well above typical levels, meaning most students are missing enough school to be flagged even though the overall attendance rate (92%) edges out the district average.

P.S. 066's enrollment of 487 students reflects the neighborhood around it: 70% Hispanic and 27% Black, with Asian, white, and multiracial students each making up about 1%. The economic need index of 92.6% means nearly every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, mirroring Crotona Park East's median household income of around $41,000 and poverty rate of 28.5%. Eighteen percent of students have IEPs, in line with district norms. The diversity index of 41% is on the lower end, reflecting a community that is predominantly Latino and African American rather than a mix of many backgrounds.

Crotona Park East is a densely populated, working-class stretch of the Bronx where most households rent (homeownership is just 9.6%) and roughly 15% of households include children. Median household income hovers around $41,000 and about 28% of residents live below the poverty line. The neighborhood is family-oriented even though the BA+ education rate of 14.7% is well below the city average — parents here are working hard to give their kids options, and P.S. 066 appears to be delivering on that hope.

Families have three subway options within roughly a 10-minute walk: the 6 line at Whitlock Avenue (about 7 minutes), and the 2 and 5 lines at either Freeman Street (about 6 minutes) or 174th Street (about 9 minutes). The 2/5 express at Freeman is the fastest ride for families coming from other parts of the Bronx or commuting to Manhattan.