At a Glance
A high-demand Bronx high school where zero suspensions and near-universal parent trust set a remarkably steady tone.
Best suited for
Families who want a structured, college-prep high school with strong adult relationships and a genuinely calm climate, and who are comfortable with a working-class, immigrant-rich Bronx neighborhood — ideally Allerton residents or families willing to commit to a longer commute for a hard-to-get seat.
Overall Rating
Rating = average of 4-year graduation, English Regents college-ready and Regents completion · DOE 2025 report
Bands are Motley's thresholds on a 0–100 scale, not New York State performance levels.
How this is scored→What stands out
- Zero suspensions in the survey year, against a district that averages roughly half a suspension per school
- Parent-principal trust at a near-perfect 100%
- 3.1% offer rate — fewer than 1 in 30 applicants gets in
- College-prep partnerships with Brown and Fordham through Gear Up
- A genuinely unusual arts lineup including jazz band, Opening Act improv, an AMNH partnership, and a Shakespeare & Songwriting program
- A sports menu that goes well beyond the standard — jiu-jitsu, bowling, gymnastics, lacrosse all on the list
- ELL Support built into a college-prep framework rather than tracked separately
Things to consider
- No ELA/Math proficiency scores were provided, so academic outcomes have to be inferred from program design rather than measured
- Demand is extreme — this is essentially a hard-to-enter lottery school, not an easy zoned fallback
- 26% of students have IEPs, which means strong special-ed services but also resource demands
- Economic need index of 76.8 means most families qualify for free/reduced lunch — solid supports but also limited PTA fundraising capacity
- Teacher survey response count is modest (35 teachers), so staff-level numbers should be read with that in mind
- Allerton is a working-class neighborhood — families coming from outside the area should expect a very different community than a more affluent feeder zone
Based on 2025 data
School SummaryDistrict 11
Among the peer schools listed, Pelham Prep sits in the upper tier of District 11 options, comparable to Icahn Charter School 4 and the Bronx Charter School for Excellence schools. Its culture/climate numbers (99% parent satisfaction, zero suspensions) stand out even against strong charter peers, while its public-school status and Ed. Opt pathway make it accessible without a separate enrollment process. It is one of the more sought-after traditional public high schools in the Bronx.
Academics
The data provided doesn't include school-level ELA/Math proficiency figures, so direct academic performance is hard to pin down. What we can see is that the school offers AP Courses, a dedicated Humanities track, and ELL Support alongside Spanish language programming — a curriculum designed to push college-bound students while still catching up newcomers. Average class size of 23.8 sits right at the district average, so your teen won't get unusually small pods but won't be lost in a crowd either. University partnerships through Gear Up with Brown and Fordham suggest a college-prep culture baked into the school day.
Culture
The climate numbers here are unusually strong. Teacher-reported trust in the principal sits at 89%, and parent trust in the principal is at a near-perfect 100%. Parent satisfaction is 99% versus a district average around 93%, and 95% of teachers rate their own instruction quality positively — slightly above the district norm. The standout figure is zero suspensions in the survey year, against a district average suspension rate near 0.5% — this is not a school where discipline is the daily backdrop. Attendance data wasn't provided, so it's harder to weigh that piece. The day-to-day feel is one of high adult alignment: teachers trust leadership, parents feel heard, and the building stays focused on instruction rather than behavior management.
Community
Pelham Prep's student body is roughly 53% Hispanic, 29% Black, 8% Asian, 7% White, with smaller shares of multiracial and Native American students — a diversity index of 66% that reflects the school's role as a neighborhood anchor. About a quarter of students have IEPs and the economic need index is 76.8, signaling a majority who qualify for free/reduced lunch. The Allerton census shows a working-class community: median household income around $46,600, a quarter of residents below the poverty line, and only about 21% of adults holding a bachelor's degree. Pelham Prep looks very much like its block — many families are first- or second-generation, working hard, and sending their kids to a school that takes college prep seriously.
Neighborhood
Allerton is a residential Bronx neighborhood where most people rent (only about 16% own), households with kids are relatively rare at 15.5%, and the typical household earns in the mid-$40Ks. The block around the school is dense with families who came up through local elementary and middle schools and often keep their teens close to home for high school. It's a transit-served area, with the 5 line running along Pelham Parkway and the 2 also accessible nearby.
Three nearby stations give families real options: Pelham Pkwy on the 5 line is about a 7-minute walk, Morris Park on the 5 is roughly 9 minutes, and Pelham Pkwy on the 2 and 5 is also around 9 minutes on foot.
Survey Results
NYC School Survey (2025) · 272 families responded (63% rate)
Programs & Activities
Admissions Demand
A High School with a College View, focusing on college preparatory experiences and high expectations for achievement. Promoting an intellectually-engaging learning environment, our teachers and staff work closely with students and families to support social and emotional learning, aligned to rigorous academic standards while cultivating literacy skills. Our partner, the University of Vermont, works closely with 9th graders by providing exposure to college applications and essay-writing process.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Economic Need & Special Populations
How to get in, step by step
High school (9th grade)
High school is one citywide application, made in 8th grade. Pelham Preparatory Academy admits through one program, and each one has its own admissions method:
- Pelham Preparatory AcademyEd. Opt.
High school application
- Opened
- Tue, Oct 6
- Closes
- Fri, Dec 4
- Offers
- Wed, Mar 3
The DOE’s published dates.
- 1Apply on MySchools during the high school application, in 8th grade.
- 2Educational Option programs fill in equal shares across three reading levels, half by the school's ranking and half by lottery.
- 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.
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 Pelham Preparatory Academy a good school?
- On Motley, Pelham Preparatory Academy earns an overall rating of 65/100 — the average of the school's four-year graduation rate, the share of its students scoring college-ready (70+) on the English Regents, and its Regents completion rate, shown out of 100.
- What grades does Pelham Preparatory Academy serve?
- Pelham Preparatory Academy serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into Pelham Preparatory Academy?
- Pelham Preparatory Academy uses the Educational Option (Ed-Opt) method, ranking applicants across performance levels so seats go to a mix of abilities.
- Is Pelham Preparatory Academy public, charter, or private?
- Pelham Preparatory Academy is a public school in NYC Community School District 11.
- What neighborhood is Pelham Preparatory Academy in?
- Pelham Preparatory Academy is in Allerton, Bronx.