South Bronx Preparatory: A College Board School

Test scores here sit below the District 7 average — 36.9% ELA versus 51.3% district-wide, and 31.7% math versus 49% — but the story has nuance. The 8th grade cohort shows stronger performance (54.2% ELA, 34.3% math), suggesting the middle school years may deliver more solid preparation than the aggregate indicates. However, the long-term trend is concerning: ELA peaked at 46.7% in 2022 and has declined since, while math has seesawed wildly (from 20.7% in 2022 to 56.8% in 2023 back down to 26.5% in 2025). Science performance at 54.5% is a relative bright spot. The overall quality score of 1.37 out of 4 places this school in the lower tier of District 7.

The survey data tells a strikingly different story than the test scores. Parents report 90% satisfaction, 93% trust in teachers, and 94% trust in the principal — numbers that would make any school proud. Teachers rate instruction quality at 97% and trust in leadership at 86%, with collegial trust at 88%. Attendance sits at 92.1%, marginally above the district average. But here's the catch: chronic absenteeism is a staggering 76.4%, meaning roughly three-quarters of students are missing significant school time. The school has zero suspensions, suggesting a restorative or trauma-informed approach to discipline. The disconnect between what families say they value (the surveys) and whether kids actually show up is the central tension here.

This is a predominantly Hispanic (72%) and Black (25%) student body in one of the city's highest-poverty neighborhoods. With an economic need index of 92.8% and 24% of students receiving special education services, the population reflects the surrounding Mott Haven-Port Morris community where median household income is just $29,110 and only 12.2% of adults hold bachelor's degrees. The diversity index of 40% is modest but typical for this part of the Bronx. Despite the neighborhood's challenges, families clearly seek this school out — the applicant pool is oversubscribed by 55-to-1.

Mott Haven-Port Morris is a neighborhood of significant challenges and quiet resilience. Safety scores (16.86) are among the lowest in the city, and the area reports high rates of asthma-related emergency visits and environmental stressors. Transit access is moderate (48.28), and family density is low (23.75), reflecting a community that has seen population decline. Yet stability scores (66.67) suggest long-term residents, and the neighborhood has seen investment in recent years. Families considering this school should understand they're choosing a school in a high-poverty urban neighborhood — one that has seen both hardship and community strength.

The school is accessible by several bus lines and is near the 145th Street/Lenox Avenue station. Families from across the Bronx and into Upper Manhattan apply, meaning many students have significant commutes.