The Bronx High School of Science

School-level proficiency data isn't reported in this dataset, but the academic signals are unmistakable. Admission is gated by the SHSAT, the same exam that gates Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech — meaning every student here has already cleared a serious academic bar before walking in the door. The school stacks on AP coursework, dedicated STEM programming, and an unusually rich language department that includes Japanese, Latin, Italian, and Mandarin alongside the usual French and Spanish. With an average class size of about 23 (right at the district average), the academic experience is rigorous but not small. PTA fundraising of $143 per student — nearly double the district average of $74 — suggests families are actively investing in enrichment.

The climate numbers here are exceptional for a school of nearly 3,000 students. Zero suspensions in the most recent reporting year is the headline: most large high schools carry double-digit suspension counts, so a clean discipline record at this scale signals strong structures and clear expectations. Parent satisfaction is 95% (matching the district average of 94%), parent-teacher trust sits at 93%, and parent-principal trust is 97% — families clearly feel heard. Teachers rate instruction quality at 95% (well above the district's 91%) and report 89% collegial trust. The family survey response rate of 35% with over 1,000 responses indicates an unusually engaged parent body. School-specific attendance isn't reported in this dataset, so day-to-day attendance patterns can't be compared.

The student body looks nothing like the surrounding neighborhood, and that's by design. The school is 63% Asian, 22% White, 8% Hispanic, 4% Black, 3% multiracial, and 1% Native American — a profile shaped by SHSAT outcomes and reflecting the demographics of families who seek out specialized high-school admissions citywide. The economic need index of 40.6 is moderate, and only 2% of students have IEPs — both notably lower than what you'd see in a typical Bronx high school. By contrast, Bedford Park itself has a median household income around $44,000 and a 26% poverty rate, so most students commute in from elsewhere. This is a destination school, not a catchment school.

Bedford Park is a dense, renter-heavy pocket of the Bronx with a median household income around $44,000, a 25.6% poverty rate, and just 7% homeownership — typical of a neighborhood dominated by multi-family apartment buildings. Only 14% of households have children, and 17.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, suggesting many families here are working-class and multi-generational. Median home values are surprisingly high at $558,000, reflecting the small-building stock rather than single-family wealth. Despite the modest incomes, the area is well-served by transit, which is what makes it workable as the home for a citywide magnet school.

Families and students reach the school via the 4 train at Mosholu Parkway (about a 5-minute walk) or Bedford Park Blvd–Lehman College (about a 10-minute walk), and the B and D lines at Bedford Park Blvd (about a 10-minute walk). Most students, however, commute from across the city rather than walking in from the surrounding blocks.