Is 232, Bronx NY - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Is 232

IS 232 is a public middle school in the West Bronx serving grades 6 through 8. The school sits on Macombs Road in a dense urban neighborhood and draws almost exclusively from the surrounding area: virtually all of its roughly small-to-mid-sized enrollment is economically disadvantaged, with a nearly all-Hispanic and Black student body drawn from a neighborhood of tight apartment blocks and commercial streets.

The school's state test results reflect a student population with significant academic gaps. In math, proficiency rates across the three grades range from roughly one-third to just under half, with sixth graders showing the lowest performance. English language arts proficiency is lower still, spanning from about one-third to just under two-fifths across grades. Science, tested only in eighth grade, is the school's strongest subject at just over one-half of students meeting proficiency, and it is the only area where the school's performance sits above the midpoint for districts in Bronx County. The data shows real variation by subject and grade, which a parent may want to explore further with the school to understand where strengths lie and what supports are in place for struggling readers and writers in particular.

Participation rates in testing are generally solid, though eighth-grade ELA and science show some absences. Science achieved noticeably better results than math and ELA, which may point to how the curriculum is taught or which students engage there; a parent could ask the school directly what approach or context makes science different.

The school is a regular public school operating within New York City's District 9. Two major curriculum mandates now shape instruction here: the NYC Reads initiative requires all middle schools to use one of two approved reading curricula (EL Education or Wit and Wisdom), ending the autonomy schools once held in reading instruction, and the NYC Solves math mandate assigns District 9 middle schools to use EL Education for math. These are lasting, systemic changes adopted across the city that affect how literacy and numeracy are taught; a parent moving into or considering this school should understand that the reading and math approaches are now standardized.

The neighborhood around IS 232 is walkable and densely populated, part of a borough experiencing significant affordable housing development and infrastructure investment. The Bronx overall is in a strong growth phase, with major housing projects and improved transit connections planned. However, District 9 has experienced declining enrollment over the past several years, particularly at the middle and elementary levels, though enrollment has stabilized more recently. This enrollment pattern can affect school capacity, resource allocation, and the viability of programs over time.

Data on special education enrollment and English learner services were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school about the availability of these supports and the students they serve.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 635%

School 35% · District 28% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 42% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 844%

School 44% · District 45% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 7 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 633%

School 33% · District 32%

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

Grade 737%

School 37% · District 39% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Grade 840%

School 40% · District 41% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Science

Grade 855%

School 55% · District 38% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 816%

School 16% · district not reported

▼ 62 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 9, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.