P.S. 211

P.S. 211 has undergone a dramatic academic turnaround. In 2016, only 16.7% of students were proficient in ELA and 19.7% in math — today, those numbers sit at 59.7% and 62.5% respectively, both well above the district averages of 45% and 43%. Grade 3 performance is exceptional (92% ELA, 96% math), suggesting strong early literacy and math instruction is taking hold. The overall quality score of 2.44 out of 4 places the school solidly above the district average of 1.76. However, proficiency drops notably in grades 4 and 5, indicating that the school may need to strengthen instruction in the upper elementary years to sustain these gains.

The survey data tells a compelling story of strong family-school partnerships: 100% of responding parents say they're satisfied, 98% trust teachers, and 93% report strong relationships at the school. Teachers report excellent collegial trust (96%) and high instruction quality (91%), though teacher-principal trust lags at 75%. Teacher-reported safety is solid at 85%, slightly above the district average. Discipline is a bright spot — zero suspensions for three straight years, indicating a restorative or supportive approach to behavior. However, only 8 teachers completed the survey, so these numbers should be interpreted with some caution.

P.S. 211 reflects the demographics of its neighborhood: 80% Hispanic, 16% Black, with very small Asian and white populations. The diversity index of 34% is moderate. With an economic need index of 93.5% — meaning nearly all students qualify for free or reduced lunch — this is a school serving a predominantly low-income community. Twenty percent of students have IEPs, slightly above typical. The school offers an unusually rich program array for its size, including marching band, visual arts, vocal music, basketball, and extensive extracurriculars from peer mediation to urban arts.

Tremont is a high-need Bronx neighborhood with significant challenges. Median household income is just $32,208, and 36% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 13% of households have children, and just 15% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher. The neighborhood scores poorly on safety (4.98 out of 100), with high crime density and elevated asthma rates (75.5 per 1,000). Transit access is moderate (60th percentile), and family density is high (81st percentile). Despite these challenges, the neighborhood has moderate stability (64%) and some family-oriented infrastructure.

Tremont is generally walkable, and the neighborhood's high family density means many students live within walking distance. For families coming from further afield, transit access is decent but not exceptional.