P.S. 134 George F. Bristow

Test scores at P.S. 134 are substantially below the District 12 averages — ELA proficiency sits at 25.5% versus the district's 44.6%, and math at 25.9% versus 43.3%. The school's overall quality score of 1.03 out of 4 places it well below the district average of 1.76. However, there's a mixed trend: scores dipped in 2022 (ELA 21.2%, Math 12.9%) and 2024 (ELA 21.5%), then rebounded in 2025. Grade 3 shows the strongest math performance at 33.9%, while Grade 4 leads in ELA at 30%. The school is not showing clear upward momentum — scores have fluctuated without establishing a consistent improvement pattern.

Here's where P.S. 134 tells a surprising story. Parent satisfaction stands at 97%, parent-teacher trust at 98%, and parent-principal trust at an exceptional 99%. Teachers rate instruction quality at 97%, and 96% report strong relationships with families. Yet chronic absenteeism is extraordinarily high at 57.4%, reaching 68.1% for Black students and 62% for females — suggesting significant barriers to attendance that aren't about school climate. Teacher-reported safety (80%) and teacher-principal trust (82%) are solid though not as glowing. Discipline is notable: zero suspensions, a pattern that's held for three of the past four years. The day-to-day feel appears relational and trusting, though chronic absenteeism signals that many families face external challenges affecting school participation.

The student body is 53% Hispanic, 42% Black, 2% White, and 1% each Asian and Native American, with a diversity index of 50%. Twenty percent of students have IEPs, and the economic need index of 91.9% reflects deep poverty. This closely mirrors the Crotona Park East neighborhood, which has a 28.5% poverty rate, only 14.7% of adults with BA+ education, and 9.6% homeownership. The school serves a community where families are dealing with substantial economic stress, and that context shapes everything from attendance patterns to what students bring to the classroom.

Crotona Park East is a densely family-oriented neighborhood in the Bronx (family density score: 84.29) but faces significant challenges. Safety scores are very low at 12.64 percentile, and the area has high crime density and elevated environmental health concerns (asthma rates are notably high at 75.5 per 1,000). Transit access is decent at 67.43, but education orientation is low at 23.37. Median household income is $41,412, and only 9.6% of residents own homes. The neighborhood has Crotona Park itself, which provides green space, but families here navigate real safety and resource constraints.

Walkability in the area is typical for a Bronx neighborhood — many families walk to school given the relatively compact blocks and limited car ownership, though safety concerns affect how children move through the streets