The Bronx STEM and Arts Academy

This school's test scores tell a dramatic story. After years of struggling (ELA dropped as low as 18.5% in 2022), the 2025 scores jumped to 43.9% ELA and 34.1% math — nearly doubling from 2024. That's a real rebound, though it's still slightly below the district averages of 45% ELA and 43.5% math. The overall score of 1.56/4 is below the district average of 1.77. However, the Grade 3 scores are troubling — only 6.7% in ELA and 20% in math — suggesting the youngest students are still catching up from pandemic-era disruptions.

The climate data reveals a stark split between family and teacher perspectives. Parents are overwhelmingly positive: 92% satisfaction, 94% parent-teacher trust, 97% report strong relationships. Teachers, however, rate instruction quality at only 76% (versus 91% district average) and teacher-principal trust at 79%. Attendance is a real concern — overall at 89.2% (below 90.76% district average), but chronic absenteeism is a alarming 60.2%, with female students missing significantly more (74%) than males (47.2%). On the positive side, there have been zero suspensions for three consecutive years, and 89% of teachers report feeling safe.

This is a predominantly Hispanic school (71%) in a neighborhood that matches that profile. With 87.2% economic need index and 14% IEP students, the population faces substantial challenges. The diversity index of 42% reflects the primarily Black (24%) and Hispanic (71%) enrollment. Families are engaged — 128 responded to the family survey (a 90% response rate), indicating strong parental involvement despite limited PTA fundraising ($16/student versus $74 district average).

Belmont is a working-class Bronx neighborhood with a family density ranking in the 56th percentile. The area has significant safety concerns (ranked in the 2.3rd percentile) and low education orientation (22nd percentile), though transit access is decent (59th percentile). With median household income of just $32,956 and 37.7% poverty, families here are dealing with real economic stress. The neighborhood has elevated asthma rates and lead exposure risks that parents should be aware of.

The area is walkable, and families from the surrounding Belmont blocks likely walk. However, the low homeownership (3.8%) and economic conditions suggest many families may rely on public transit or school busing.