P.S. 306

The most striking thing about P.S. 306's academic story isn't where scores sit today — it's the trajectory. ELA proficiency went from 16.8% in 2016 to 39% in 2025, and math from 16.5% to 38.4%, more than doubling over nine years. But the school is still below district averages of 45% ELA and 43.5% math, so the work isn't finished. The 2022 dip reflects pandemic-era disruption that hit many schools hard, and the rebound since has been steady. Grade 5 ELA hits 43.6% and Grade 4 math reaches 54.2%, showing that students who stick with the school tend to do meaningfully better by upper elementary.

This is a school where families show up, both literally and figuratively. Parent-teacher and parent-principal trust both land at 97%, well above typical levels, and parent satisfaction is 94% (matching the district average). The 27% family survey response rate is meaningful given the high economic need of the community. The discipline picture is striking: zero suspensions over three consecutive years, far better than the district's typical rate of about 0.3%. The flip side is that 69.5% of students are chronically absent — a serious issue — and teacher-reported safety (82%) and teacher instruction quality (87%) sit below district averages, suggesting room to grow on the staff and attendance side.

P.S. 306's student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (71%) and Black (27%), closely mirroring the surrounding University Heights-Morris Heights neighborhood, where median household income is just over $32,000 and more than a third of residents live below the poverty line. The economic need index of 92.7% (out of 100) means almost every student comes from a low-income household, and 20% of students have IEPs. This is not a demographically mixed school in the way some NYC schools are — it reflects its neighborhood with unusual consistency.

The school sits in the University Heights-Morris Heights area of the Bronx, where median household income runs around $32,393 and 37.3% of residents live in poverty. The BA-or-higher education rate is 14.9%, and homeownership is just 6.5% — this is overwhelmingly a renter neighborhood, mostly in multi-family buildings. Households with children make up about 14.1% of the area. Despite economic challenges, the median home value sits around $590,000, reflecting broader Bronx market dynamics. Families here are working-class and predominantly Hispanic.

Three subway options within about a seven-minute walk: the 4 train at 176 St (about 4 minutes) and Burnside Av (about 6 minutes), plus the B and D trains at 174-175 Sts (about 7 minutes)