P.S. 091 Bronx

Both ELA (30.8%) and math (28.5%) proficiency run well below the District 10 averages of 45% and 43.5% respectively, putting this school squarely in catch-up territory. The good news is the trend: math proficiency roughly doubled from a pandemic low of 14.6% in 2022 to 34.7% in 2024, and ELA rebounded from 18.6% to 30.8% over the same span. One thing worth flagging is the wide gap between grade levels — Grade 3 students test at about 20% in both subjects, while Grade 4 students jump to 39% in ELA and 45% in math, suggesting the younger cohort may need extra support.

The day-to-day feel here is shaped by an unusually strong family-school relationship: 97% of parents are satisfied and 98% trust their child's teacher, both well above the district average. Teacher views are more mixed — only 71% of teachers trust the principal (well below the district norm) and just 74% report feeling safe, which is a meaningful gap worth asking about. Chronic absenteeism is high at 56% (with Asian students at 68.8% standing out), though the school reported zero suspensions in 2023-24, holding a clean discipline record for the third straight year.

The student body is 80% Hispanic and 14% Black, reflecting the surrounding working-class Bronx neighborhood, with about 26% of students identified as having IEPs — a notably inclusive share. With a diversity index of 41%, the school is more homogeneous than the citywide norm, but the high IEP enrollment and broad family participation in surveys suggest a community that shows up. The school's demographics closely mirror the neighborhood around it, which has a poverty rate above 37% and a median household income under $33,000.

University Heights–Morris Heights is a working-class residential pocket of the Bronx where about 14% of households include children and only 6.5% of homes are owner-occupied, indicating a largely renter community. With a college-degree rate under 15% and a median home value of roughly $590,000, the area reflects deep economic pressure alongside committed families who prioritize their kids' schooling. Three subway lines within an eight-minute walk give families real commuting flexibility.

The school is a roughly 4-minute walk from the 183 St station on the 4 line, about 7 minutes from Burnside Av on the 4, and about 8 minutes from 182-183 Sts on the B and D lines.