P.S. 138 Samuel Randall

Test scores at P.S. 138 have climbed meaningfully from pandemic-era lows — ELA rose from 25.7% in 2022 to 40.4% in 2025, while math jumped from 18.7% to 41.4% over the same period. However, both subjects remain below the District 8 averages (46.2% ELA, 48% math), placing this school in the lower half of the district academically. The 4th grade cohort is the strongest, posting 54.5% math proficiency, while 5th grade math dipped to 32.8%. With an overall quality score of 1.64 out of 4, this is a school where students are making progress but catching up, not accelerating ahead.

The survey data tells a striking story: families love this school. Parent satisfaction sits at 94%, with 97% trusting teachers and 98% trusting the principal. Every single parent surveyed (100%) reported strong relationships — a rare finding. Teachers echo this, with 90% rating instruction quality high and 97% feeling safe. Yet attendance is a real challenge: only 87.7% show up regularly, and nearly half of students are chronically absent. The chronic absenteeism rate (47.6%) is notably high, particularly for Asian students (62.9%) and male students (50.2%). Discipline is excellent — zero suspensions for three consecutive years — suggesting a restorative, relationship-based approach works here.

With 529 students, P.S. 138 is a mid-sized elementary school. The student body is predominantly Hispanic (70%) with significant Black enrollment (22%), reflecting the neighborhood's demographics. Twenty percent of students have IEPs, and the economic need index of 86.1% places this among the highest-need schools in the district. PTA fundraising is minimal at just $1,343 total (about $3 per student), far below the district average of $16.64 per student — a signal that families here have limited discretionary income, not limited interest.

Castle Hill-Unionport in the Bronx is a working-class neighborhood with a 22.5% poverty rate and only 17.6% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home values are $591,133, suggesting the area has seen some real estate activity, but household income averages just $53,555. The neighborhood scores poorly on education orientation (28.74 percentile) and safety (34.48 percentile), though it rates high on stability (85.82 percentile). Families here are dealing with real urban challenges — lead exposure rates and asthma rates are elevated — but it's also a community where many families have lived for years.

This is a zoned neighborhood school, so most families walk or use short bus rides. The area has moderate transit access (41 percentile) and is car-adjacent, though parking can be tight during drop-off and pickup times.