P.S. 199X - The Shakespeare School

Test scores here are climbing fast. ELA proficiency has gone from 18.2% in 2016 to 47.4% in 2025 — nearly a tripling — and math has risen from 19.4% to 47.8%. Both now sit modestly above district averages (around 45% for ELA and math). Grade 3 leads the way (50% ELA, 60% math), Grade 4 dips notably (35.7% ELA, 31% math), and Grade 5 lands in between at roughly 56% ELA and 52% math. The gains over the last two years especially are hard to miss.

Survey data paints a strikingly positive picture of the adults in this building: parent-teacher trust at 95%, teacher-principal trust at 100%, teacher-reported safety at 98%, teacher instruction quality at 98%, and 100% of teachers report strong collegial relationships. Parent satisfaction sits at 93%, basically even with the district average, and the school has recorded zero suspensions for three consecutive years. The catch is attendance: while the daily attendance rate of 91.3% is slightly above the district average, the chronic absenteeism rate of 68.4% means roughly two-thirds of students missed 10% or more of the school year. Day-to-day, this looks like a calm, trusting staff culture — but one where getting kids in the door consistently is a real, persistent challenge.

The student body is 533 kids, with Hispanic students making up 66% and Black students 26%, plus a smaller-than-typical Asian (2%) and White (1%) population and a notable 5% Native American enrollment. The economic need index of 93.7% is among the highest in the city — nearly every student qualifies as low-income — and 22% of students have IEPs. The surrounding neighborhood mirrors the school population: high poverty, low homeownership, and a working-class demographic profile that aligns closely with the families walking through the doors.

Mount Eden-Claremont (West) is a working-class stretch of the west Bronx where median household income is around $45,000, about a third of residents live below the poverty line, and just 4% of housing is owner-occupied. Only 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, and roughly 19% of households include children — meaning the local elementary school is a real anchor for families with young kids in the area. The 4 train cuts right through the neighborhood, putting three stations within an easy walk of the building.

Three 4-train stations serve the school — 170 St (about a 6-minute walk), Mt Eden Av (about 7 minutes), and 167 St (about 11 minutes).