At a Glance
A large Pelham Bay K-8 where math scores have climbed well past the district average and suspensions have flatlined at zero.
Best suited for
Families who want a large, well-programmed K-8 with strong academics, minimal discipline friction, and a 6-train commute — and who can be intentional about daily attendance.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Math proficiency more than 12 points above the District 8 average, with sixth graders hitting 75%
- Zero suspensions three years running in a school of 1,263 students
- 100/100 program richness, including Mock Trial, Debate, NJHS, Specialized High School prep, and Chess
- Parent-engagement signals are unusually strong — 52% family survey response and 94% parent-principal trust
- Teacher-reported safety at 94%, well above the district's 89%
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 65% is high — worth asking the school what specifically it's doing about it
- With 1,263 students, this is a large school; families looking for a small-school feel should visit before deciding
- Average class size of 22.6 is right at the district average, not particularly small
- The school's demographics differ from the immediate neighborhood, which can mean longer commutes for some families
- ELL and IEP supports are in place, but parents of kids with significant needs should ask for specifics on staffing and caseloads
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 8
At 2.31/4 overall, P.S. 071 sits above the District 8 average of 1.88 and outperforms most of its non-charter peers in the area, including P.S. 304, P.S. 583, and P.S. 75. Local charter schools (Success Academy and Icahn) score higher overall, but P.S. 071 is a strong option for families who prefer a traditional zoned school.
Academics
Math is the clear strength: at 60.4% proficiency, the school is more than 12 points above the District 8 average of 48%, with sixth graders hitting 75%. ELA proficiency of 55% also outpaces the 46% district average. The trajectory is upward — ELA climbed from 41.5% in 2016 to 55% in 2025, and math recovered from a 2022 dip at 36% to its current 60%+. A dip in ELA in 2024 was followed by a strong rebound, suggesting real instructional momentum rather than test-year noise.
Culture
Parents give the school strong marks — 94% parent-principal trust and 93% parent satisfaction — and teachers report high trust in leadership (93%) and high safety (94%, well above the district's 89%). Discipline data backs that up: zero suspensions for three years running in a school of 1,263 students. The one flag is chronic absenteeism at 65.1% — two-thirds of students are missing 10% or more of school days — even though the overall attendance rate of 91% is slightly above the district average.
Community
The student body is 62% Hispanic, 21% White, 11% Asian, and 5% Black, with an economic need index of 65.9 — meaning most students qualify for free or reduced lunch. That sits against a neighborhood where the median household income is about $84,669 and homeownership is 45%, suggesting the school draws from both the immediate area and other parts of the Bronx. About 19% of students have IEPs, and ELL support is available for the students who need it.
Neighborhood
Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island is one of the more suburban-feeling corners of the Bronx — 18% of households have kids, the median home value sits around $600K, and 45% of residents own their homes. The 35% college-educated rate puts the area comfortably above the borough average. The neighborhood includes Pelham Bay Park itself, one of the city's largest green spaces, and a stretch of the East Shore that has more of a small-town feel than most of the Bronx.
Buhre Av on the 6 is about a four-minute walk; Middletown Rd (6) is eight minutes away, and Pelham Bay Park (6), the line's terminal, is about ten minutes on foot.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Science Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Science exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 556 families responded (52% rate)
Programs & Activities
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Kindergarten
P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala has an attendance zone. At elementary level, in-zone students get a guaranteed seat. Every family still applies on MySchools: the application confirms the zoned seat, and ranking other schools doesn't cost you it.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Check that your address is inside the zone — zones change, so confirm it before you sign a lease.
- 2Apply during the kindergarten application, even with a zoned seat.
- 3Rank this school along with any others you'd take, in true preference order.
Middle school (6th grade)
Middle school is one citywide application, made in 5th grade. P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:
- Rose E. Scala (P.S. 71)Unscreened143 seats
Middle school application
- Opened
- Wed, Oct 14
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 11
- Offers
- Wed, Apr 7
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the middle school application, in 5th grade.
- 2Unscreened programs fill by random lottery among the families who rank them.
- 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala a good school?
- On Motley, P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala earns an overall rating of 58/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 8 average.
- What grades does P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala serve?
- P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala serves grades K to 8.
- How do students get into P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala?
- P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala admits by application through a random lottery, with no academic screen.
- Is P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala public, charter, or private?
- P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala is a public school in NYC Community School District 8.
- What neighborhood is P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala in?
- P.S. 071 Rose E. Scala is in Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island, Bronx.