At a Glance
A K-8 turnaround story in Mount Hope, where families report near-total trust in school leadership and math scores have nearly tripled in a decade.
Best suited for
Families zoned for the school who value a K-8 with deep parent-school trust, a wide program menu, and proven academic gains, and who are ready to partner actively with the school on the daily-attendance challenge.
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
- Math proficiency of 55.6% runs more than 12 points above the District 10 average
- ELA proficiency has nearly tripled since 2016, the most pronounced improvement in any peer school listed
- Three consecutive years with zero suspensions and a 100% parent-principal trust rating
- A program richness score of 100/100 covering band, theater, chess, SHSAT prep, mindfulness, and more
- Grade 4 math proficiency of 71% and Grade 5 of 72.6% show what the school can do at its strongest
Things to consider
- Chronic absenteeism at 73.6% is the school's most pressing issue and undermines daily instruction
- Teacher-reported safety at 78% sits well below the district's 87%, a gap worth asking about
- PTA fundraising is essentially absent at about $2 per student, so enrichment depends on the school's own budget
- Middle school scores dip noticeably from the strong upper-elementary performance, particularly in Grade 6 ELA
- The student body is heavily concentrated in one demographic group, which some families may experience as less varied than other city schools
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 10
Within District 10, P.S. 279's overall score of 2.1/4 sits comfortably above the district average of 1.77, placing it in the middle tier — ahead of schools like P.S. 207 and Ampark Neighborhood but below the standout performers like P.S. 24 Spuyten Duyvil and P.S. 81 Robert J. Christen. Its recent trajectory puts it among the more improved schools in the district.
Academics
Test scores here have climbed steadily and substantially over the past decade. ELA proficiency moved from 17.9% in 2016 to 49.6% in 2025, while math jumped from 20.1% to 55.6% — both now meaningfully above District 10 averages of 45% and 43.5%. The upper elementary grades are the strongest, with Grade 4 hitting 66.7% ELA and 71% math, though scores dip in middle school (Grade 6 ELA is just 36.8%) before recovering in Grade 8.
Culture
The survey numbers describe an unusually tight family-school relationship: 98% of parents are satisfied, 100% trust the principal, and 99% trust their child's teacher — figures well above district averages. The school has logged zero suspensions for three straight years, suggesting a genuinely restorative culture. The two things parents should know about are chronic absenteeism, which sits at 73.6% (meaning most students miss 10% or more of the school year), and teacher-reported safety at 78%, which runs below the district's 87%.
Community
The student body closely reflects the surrounding Mount Hope community: 80% Hispanic, 15% Black, and 3% Asian, in a neighborhood where median household income is around $41,500 and roughly 31% of residents live in poverty. About 23% of students have IEPs, and the school runs ELL support, reflecting the linguistic and learning diversity of the area. The diversity index of 36% reflects one demographic group being heavily concentrated rather than a lack of cultural richness.
Neighborhood
Mount Hope is a working-class, predominantly renter neighborhood in the central Bronx, where only about 13% of households have children at home and just 3.9% of homes are owner-occupied. About 15% of neighborhood adults hold a bachelor's degree, and the area skews younger and lower-income compared to many parts of the city. The school sits among a mix of residential blocks typical of this part of the Bronx.
Three subway options sit within a short walk: Burnside Av on the 4 line (about 4 minutes) and 183 St on the 4 (about 6 minutes), with Tremont Av on the B and D also about 6 minutes away.
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
Science Proficiency
Students scoring proficient or above on the NY State Science 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) · 335 families responded (53% rate)
Programs & Activities
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
PTA Fundraising
Source: DOE Local Law 171 disclosure
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database (2023-24)
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
Kindergarten
P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. 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.
Middle school (6th grade)
Middle school is one citywide application, made in 5th grade. P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:
- The Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. School (P.S. 279)Zoned98 seats
Middle school application
- Opened
- Wed, Oct 14
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 11
- Offers
- Wed, Apr 7
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the middle school application, in 5th grade.
- 2Zoned programs give priority to students who live in the zone — a priority, not a guaranteed seat.
- 3Rank programs in true preference order — the match places your child in the highest-ranked one that offers a seat.
Open houses and tours
We haven’t seen open-house dates for this school yet.
From the MySchools admissions calendar, checked weekly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. a good school?
- On Motley, P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. earns an overall rating of 53/100 — 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. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. serve?
- P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. serves grades K to 8.
- How do students get into P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr.?
- P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. admits by zone. For elementary grades, children who live in its zone get a guaranteed seat; for the older grades, living in the zone gives priority, not a guaranteed seat.
- Is P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. public, charter, or private?
- P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. is a public school in NYC Community School District 10.
- What neighborhood is P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. in?
- P.S. 279 Captain Manuel Rivera, Jr. is in Mount Hope, Bronx.