The Bronx Mathematics Preparatory School

Test scores are well below district averages — 29.2% ELA proficiency versus the district's 46.2%, and just 17.8% in math against a district average of 48%. The overall quality score of 0.94 out of 4 is roughly half the district's 1.88. That said, the historical trend tells a very different story than the current snapshot. In 2016, the school posted 12% ELA and 4.9% math — essentially floor numbers. By 2023, math had climbed to 28.8% and ELA to 34.2%, showing genuine, years-long growth. The 2025 dip back to 17.8% math and 29.2% ELA is a real setback worth watching. One bright spot: 8th graders perform notably better than 6th graders (34.1% math vs. 11.5%), suggesting students who stick with the school make meaningful gains over time.

The day-to-day feel here is split. On the staff side, teachers report a remarkably healthy environment — 98% rate instruction quality positively and 96% trust their colleagues, both well above district averages. Teacher-principal trust at 93% is also strong. Families are less enthusiastic: parent satisfaction sits at 85%, eight points below the district's 93%, though parent-teacher and parent-principal trust (both 88%) are solid. The big shadow over everything is chronic absenteeism: 52.3% of students are chronically absent, meaning more than half miss enough school to be considered at risk. Attendance overall (87.4%) is below the district's 89.4%. Discipline is light in volume — just 5 suspensions — but the rate (3%) is higher than the district average of 0.6%.

The student body is 57% Hispanic and 33% Black, with smaller shares of Asian, White, and Native American students. The economic need index of 92.6% means nearly every student comes from a low-income household, which tracks with the neighborhood's 21.8% poverty rate. Twenty-nine percent of students have IEPs, and the school offers ELL support, reflecting the linguistic and learning diversity of its families. The school is small enough that teachers likely know every student by name.

Soundview-Clason Point is a working-class, largely renter neighborhood where about 14% of households have children and nearly a quarter of adults hold a bachelor's degree. The median home value sits just over $513,000 but homeownership is low at 28%, suggesting most families rent. Median household income of $64,402 and a 21.8% poverty rate place the area below citywide norms. It's a family-rooted community, but one where resources can be tight.

There are no subway stations within a 20-minute walk of the school, so families will likely depend on local and express buses to get here. This is a real commute consideration, especially during winter.