P.S. 163 Arthur A. Schomburg

ELA proficiency of 38.1% and math of 39% both trail the District 9 averages of roughly 45% in each subject, and the overall quality score of 1.54/4 sits below the district's 1.79/4. But the trajectory is the more interesting story here — after bottoming out around 14-22% in math and ELA during 2022 and 2024, the 2025 numbers represent the school's strongest year on file, with math more than doubling since its 2022 low. A real warning sign sits in the grade-level breakdown: 3rd graders post 57.6% in ELA and 54.1% in math, but 4th and 5th graders score 20-30 points lower, meaning something is being lost as students age up through the building.

Daily attendance of 91.9% is a touch above the district average, yet chronic absenteeism stands at 66.5% — meaning more than two-thirds of students are missing so many days it's affecting their learning, with Black students hit hardest at 89.3%. The family-facing picture is genuinely strong: 100% of surveyed families report strong relationships with the school, and parent-teacher and parent-principal trust both sit at 94%. The disconnect is inside the building — only 52% of teachers say they trust the principal, a notable gap even though 91% rate the instruction quality positively and 88% feel safe. Three consecutive years with zero suspensions is remarkable for a District 9 school and suggests a climate approach that keeps students in class.

The student body is 59% Hispanic and 38% Black, with 94.2% of students classified as economically disadvantaged and 26% receiving special education services — a school serving the kinds of families who most need a public option that works. The 44% diversity index reflects a fairly homogeneous population, since Hispanic and Black students together account for nearly the entire enrollment. The school mirrors its Mount Hope surroundings: a neighborhood where median household income is $41,487, the poverty rate is 31.4%, and just 13.1% of households have children at home.

Mount Hope is a working-class, predominantly renter neighborhood — homeownership sits at just 3.9% — with a median home value of $361,597 and only 15% of adults holding a bachelor's degree. The relatively low share of households with children (13.1%) suggests many families here are non-traditional, multigenerational, or transitory. P.S. 163 sits within easy reach of two B and D line stops and the 4 train, which is the lifeline most families use to connect this part of the Bronx to the rest of the city.

The 182-183 Sts (B D) and Tremont Av (B D) stops are both about a 7-minute walk, and the 183 St (4) station is roughly 11 minutes on foot.