P.S. 095 Sheila Mencher

ELA proficiency of 40.5% is about 4.5 points below the district average of 45%, and math at 38.6% trails the district's 43.5%. But the trend line is the more useful story: ELA has climbed from 25.9% in 2016 to 40.5% in 2025, and math has nearly doubled from 20.4% to 38.6%. Grade-level results are uneven — 4th graders are hitting 55-67% proficiency, while 5th and 6th graders drop into the high 20s, suggesting the upper-elementary transition is a real weak point. Science proficiency at 7.3% is alarmingly low and worth asking about directly.

Parent trust numbers are exceptional — 99% satisfaction, 98% parent-teacher trust, 97% parent-principal trust, all well above district averages. But teacher responses tell a more complicated story: only 55% of teachers trust the principal, and just 65% say the school is safe, both notably below district averages. Zero suspensions last year (down from 4) is a genuine positive, especially given the school's size. The biggest red flag is chronic absenteeism at 56.9% — meaning more than half of students miss enough school to be flagged, and that figure rises to 77% for the small Asian subgroup, which warrants a closer look.

P.S. 095 is a predominantly Hispanic school (72%) with a significant Black population (16%) and smaller Asian, White, and multiracial groups. The diversity index sits at 52%, reflecting a school that is majority one group but not monolithic. With an economic need index of 88 and 22% of students in special education, this is a school serving a high-need population. The gap between parent satisfaction (99%) and PTA fundraising ($4 per student versus a $74 district average) tells you something about the families here: they're engaged and trusting, but don't have the disposable income to fundraise at peer-school levels.

Kingsbridge Heights-Van Cortlandt Village is a working- and middle-class residential area where median household income is around $55,000 and roughly one in five households lives below the poverty line. About a quarter of adults have a bachelor's degree, and most families rent rather than own, with homeownership at just 18%. The neighborhood is family-oriented in character, with households with children making up a meaningful share of the community. Getting around depends on the 1 and 4 trains, and most families walking to P.S. 095 will pass through residential blocks to reach the school.

The school is about a 9-minute walk from the Mosholu Parkway (4) station, a 10-minute walk from the 238 St (1) station, and a 12-minute walk from the Van Cortlandt Park-242 St (1) station.