At a Glance
A high-poverty Bronx elementary that's quietly outpaced its own past — and most of District 10.
Best suited for
Families zoned for the school who want above-average Bronx elementary academics, strong family-school communication, and a calm, suspension-free environment — and who can handle the 10-to-13-minute walks to the subway.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of NY State ELA + math proficiency, grades 3–8
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- One of the more dramatic academic turnarounds in District 10 — proficiency rates roughly doubled in nine years.
- Above-district proficiency in both ELA and math despite an economic need index near 90%.
- Zero suspensions last year and only one in the prior three — among the calmest discipline climates in the area.
- Rare parent engagement: 97% trust teachers, 96% trust the principal, with a 70% family survey response rate.
- Self-contained special education classes (SE) included in the grades served, making it a resource for families who need that programming in-zoned.
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 73.5% is high even in a post-pandemic city — when so many kids miss that much school, instructional momentum suffers.
- Only 12 teachers took the climate survey, so the glowing teacher numbers should be read with a small-sample asterisk.
- The walk to any subway is 10–13 minutes, which adds up for daily commutes, especially in winter.
- Class size of 22.9 matches the district average — don't expect the small-class feel of a gifted-and-talented program.
- The community is fairly homogeneous (mostly Hispanic and Black), which may or may not match what your family is looking for.
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 10
With an overall score of 2.16/4 against a District 10 average of 1.77/4, P.S. 226 sits clearly above its district peers and competes comfortably in the upper range of neighborhood elementary options in the area.
Academics
State proficiency hit 51.7% in ELA and 56.5% in math in 2025 — both meaningfully above the District 10 averages of about 45% and 44%. The trajectory is the more striking story: in 2016, only 22.6% of students met ELA standards and 18.9% met math standards, meaning both subjects have roughly doubled in nine years. Fifth-grade ELA is a particular bright spot at 71.4%, and the school's overall 2.16/4 score sits above the district's 1.77/4.
Culture
Families report feeling heard here — 97% trust the teachers, 96% trust the principal, and 92% say they're satisfied, with 70% of families responding to the survey. Teachers rate instruction quality at 98% (well above the district's 91%) and safety at 91%, though only 12 teachers answered — a small sample worth keeping in mind. Discipline is essentially a non-issue, with zero suspensions last year and just one in the previous three years combined. The one real flag is chronic absenteeism at 73.5%, very high even by post-pandemic standards.
Community
The student body is 78% Hispanic and 19% Black, with an economic need index of 89.9% — meaning nearly nine in ten students are considered economically disadvantaged. About 17% have IEPs, and the school runs self-contained special education classes alongside general education. With a diversity index of 34%, the community is relatively homogeneous rather than mixed, which can mean deeper cultural continuity but fewer daily cross-cultural interactions for kids.
Neighborhood
The University Heights (South)–Morris Heights area around the school has a median household income around $32,000, a 37% poverty rate, and only 14.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree. Just 6.5% of households own their homes, so most families in this neighborhood rent, and only about 14% of households have children under 18 — meaning the families who do live here are a minority of the population. The $590,000 median home value reflects the prevalence of multi-family buildings typical of the Bronx.
The 4 train at Burnside Av is about a 10-minute walk, the 4 at 176 St is about 12 minutes, and the 1 at 207 St is roughly 13 minutes — plan for a real walk in either direction.
Academic Performance
ELA Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State ELA exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Math Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Math exam.
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Historical Trends
The dashed line marks 2023, when New York changed its grades 3–8 state tests. Scores before and after it aren’t directly comparable.
2020–2021 data unavailable due to COVID-19
Source: NYC DOE School Quality Reports
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 214 families responded (70% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Pre-K
P.S. 226 also has Pre-K classes. They're a separate application from kindergarten, made on MySchools.
Pre-K application
Applications typically open in the winter and close in the spring, with offers in late spring; the city announces exact dates each year.
Kindergarten
P.S. 226 has an attendance zone. At elementary level, in-zone students get a guaranteed seat. Every family still applies on MySchools: the application confirms the zoned seat, and ranking other schools doesn't cost you it.
Kindergarten application
- Opens
- Wed, Dec 9
- Closes
- Fri, Jan 22
- Offers
- Tue, Mar 30
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Check that your address is inside the zone — zones change, so confirm it before you sign a lease.
- 2Apply during the kindergarten application, even with a zoned seat.
- 3Rank this school along with any others you'd take, in true preference order.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
Make this school part of your plan
Everything on this page is yours to read. An account keeps your research in one place.
No credit card required
Compare head-to-head
Explore nearby
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is P.S. 226 a good school?
- On Motley, P.S. 226 earns an overall rating of 54/100 — the average of the school's New York State ELA and math proficiency, grades 3–8, shown out of 100. Its state test results run above the District 10 average.
- What grades does P.S. 226 serve?
- P.S. 226 serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into P.S. 226?
- P.S. 226 admits by zone — children who live in its attendance zone get a guaranteed seat.
- Is P.S. 226 public, charter, or private?
- P.S. 226 is a public school in NYC Community School District 10.
- What neighborhood is P.S. 226 in?
- P.S. 226 is in University Heights (South)-Morris Heights, Bronx.