P.S./M.S. 029 Melrose School

ELA proficiency at 39.3% and math at 38% are both roughly 11–12 points below the District 7 averages of 51.3% and 49%, and science proficiency sits at 25.7%. But the year-over-year story is striking: in 2016, only 13% of students were proficient in ELA and just 8.6% in math — meaning ELA has nearly tripled and math has more than quadrupled in less than a decade, with the steepest jump in the most recent year. Performance varies sharply by grade — third graders are well above district norms (54.2% ELA, 62% math), while sixth-grade math lags at 20%, suggesting the transition into the upper grades needs real attention.

The trust numbers inside this building are some of the strongest in the district: 97% parent-teacher trust, 92% parent-principal trust, 100% of teachers reporting strong relationships, and 89% rating instruction quality positively — all at or above district averages. Discipline is mild — just four suspensions all year, a 1% rate below the district norm. But two things stand out: chronic absenteeism is at 69.4%, meaning roughly seven in ten students miss enough school to genuinely affect learning, and teacher-reported safety sits at 76%, five points below the district average of 80.5%. The picture is a school where the adults trust each other and families feel heard, but where getting kids in the door consistently remains the single biggest obstacle to growth.

The 703 students are 62% Hispanic and 33% Black, with smaller shares of White, Asian, Multi-racial, and Native American students — closely mirroring the surrounding neighborhood. The economic need index of 93.9% is among the highest in the city, and 24% of students have IEPs, reflecting the depth of need this school takes on. Despite the poverty, families consistently report feeling respected and connected — 91% parent satisfaction and 97% parent-teacher trust suggest this isn't a school families attend by default.

Melrose is a densely populated, mostly renter South Bronx neighborhood where only about 10% of households own their homes, median household income sits around $30,000, and over a third of residents live below the poverty line. Roughly 16% of households include children, and just under 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree. The neighborhood is well-served by the 2 and 5 subway lines, which run right through the area and connect families to the rest of the borough and Manhattan.

Three stations are within a reasonable walk: the 2 and 5 at 3 Av–149 St (about 8 minutes), and the 2 and 5 at both Jackson Av and 149 St–Grand Concourse (about 12 minutes each).