P.S. 103 Hector Fontanez

This is a school on a sharp upward arc. In 2016, only about a quarter of students met ELA standards and fewer than one in five hit math proficiency. By 2025, those numbers jumped to 61.5% in ELA and 65.5% in math — both meaningfully above the District 11 averages of roughly 57% and 56%. The grade-by-grade breakdown tells a more nuanced story: third-graders post very strong results (over 82% ELA, nearly 85% math), while fourth- and fifth-graders sit closer to 51-58%. The school's overall quality score of 2.54 out of 4 is above the district average of 2.25, and a striking 28 percentage-point gain in ELA proficiency since 2022 stands out as one of the bigger turnarounds in the borough.

The day-to-day feel here is unusually calm. There have been zero suspensions in each of the last three reported years — a rare pattern that suggests the school resolves behavior issues without formal discipline. Survey data reinforces that picture: 97% of parents say they trust their child's teacher, 98% trust the principal, and 95% say the school builds strong relationships with families. Teachers are largely aligned with leadership too (93% trust the principal, 94% rate instruction quality positively). Teacher-reported safety sits at 92% — solid, but a few points below the district average of 95%. Worth flagging: 35% of families responded to the satisfaction survey, a healthy turnout that gives those numbers real weight.

The student body is majority Hispanic (52%) and Black (39%), with smaller groups of White (3%), Asian (2%), and Native American (2%) students. An economic need index of 88.3% sets the tone: this is largely a Title I school serving families who qualify for free lunch. About 24% of students have IEPs, higher than the citywide average and reflecting the school's special education cluster, which means families seeking inclusion in a zoned setting have a real option here.

Wakefield-Woodlawn is one of the more homeowner-friendly pockets of the Bronx. Median household income is about $73,320, and roughly 44% of residents own their homes — a notably high rate for the borough. About 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 15.5% of households include children. Schools in the area tend to serve multigenerational families with deep neighborhood ties.

The commute is straightforward on the 2/5 line. The 233 St station is about a 5-minute walk, 225 St is roughly 7 minutes away, and 219 St is around 12 minutes on foot.