At a Glance
A culturally-rich South Bronx charter where early grades soar but middle-school math hits a wall
Best suited for
Families in Mott Haven who want a charter with a cultural mission and a strong elementary experience, and whose children can hold their own through a difficult middle-school transition.
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
- Third through fifth graders post 90%+ proficiency in both ELA and math — among the strongest elementary results in the district.
- Teacher-reported instruction quality is at 100% — a unanimous top rating from the 16 teachers who responded.
- An explicit arts-and-international-cultures mission gives the school a distinctive identity that stands out among local charters.
- Parent trust scores are exceptionally high across the board (92-94%), suggesting families feel genuinely connected to the school.
- ELA scores have climbed more than 20 percentage points over the past decade, a real upward trajectory.
Things to consider
- The drop-off from 5th to 6th grade is steep — middle-school math proficiency sits in the high 20s and low 30s, a real cliff.
- Chronic absenteeism at 62.6% is the most serious climate concern and may directly affect outcomes.
- Science proficiency at 11.1% is a clear weak spot across all grades.
- The diversity index of 28% means students won't encounter much racial or ethnic variety in their classrooms.
- Economic need at 89.9% means resources are stretched, even with strong parent engagement.
Based on 2024-25 data
School SummaryDistrict 7
Within District 7, this school's overall score of 2.62/4 puts it well above the district average of 2.01/4 and in the upper third of schools — but below the top peer charters like Success Academy Bronx 1 or South Bronx Classical Charter School II, which score in the 90s on their own scales.
Academics
ELA proficiency of 76.2% sits about 25 points above the District 7 average of 51%, and the trajectory is genuinely encouraging — ELA has climbed from 55% in 2016 to over 75% in recent years. Math proficiency at 54.7% is also above the district average of 49%, though it has dipped from a high of 67% in 2023. The grade-by-grade breakdown reveals the school's signature pattern: third through fifth graders post 90%+ proficiency in both ELA and math, while sixth through eighth graders fall off sharply — middle-school math drops into the high 20s and low 30s. Science proficiency at 11.1% is a clear weak spot across the board.
Culture
Survey responses paint a warm but attendance-troubled picture. Teacher-rated instruction quality hits 100% — every responding teacher gives it a top rating — and teacher-reported safety at 89% beats the district average of 80.5%. Parent satisfaction (92%), parent-teacher trust (94%), and parent-principal trust (93%) all signal a closely-knit community where families feel heard. But chronic absenteeism at 62.6% is a serious flag — more than six in ten students miss enough school to qualify as chronically absent — and overall attendance at 89.7% sits below the district average of 91.1%. The families and staff who engage are deeply engaged; the challenge is getting every student through the door consistently.
Community
The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic (85%) and Black (13%), with a diversity index of just 28% — a fairly homogeneous population that closely mirrors the surrounding Mott Haven-Port Morris neighborhood. Economic need is high: the school's economic need index of 89.9% means nearly all students come from low-income households. This isn't a mismatch between school and neighborhood — it reflects a school that draws almost entirely from its immediate community, where the median household income is around $29,000 and four in ten residents live below the poverty line.
Neighborhood
Mott Haven-Port Morris is one of the poorest neighborhoods in New York City, with a median household income around $29,000 and a poverty rate above 40%. Only about 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, and homeownership is rare at just 6% — most families rent. Households with children make up roughly 12% of the neighborhood, and the school serves the families who do call this part of the South Bronx home.
The 6 train is the only nearby option — Cypress Av is about a 6-minute walk, Brook Av about 7 minutes, and 3 Av-138 St around 14 minutes.
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) · 178 families responded (48% rate)
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts a good school?
- On Motley, South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts earns an overall rating of 66/100 — 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 7 average.
- How do students get into South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts?
- South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts is a charter school — it admits through a free public lottery, with no test or attendance zone.
- Is South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts public, charter, or private?
- South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts is a public charter school in NYC Community School District 7.
- What neighborhood is South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts in?
- South Bronx Charter School for International Cultures and the Arts is in Mott Haven-Port Morris, Bronx.