Ps 103 Hector Fontanez, Bronx NY

Original Research by School Decision on Ps 103 Hector Fontanez

PS 103 Hector Fontanez is a Pre-K through fifth-grade public school in the Bronx serving a student population that is economically challenged and drawn primarily from the immediate neighborhood. The school enrolls students across its grade band, with its largest classes in the early elementary years. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with smaller numbers of American Indian and Alaska Native students and other populations.

The school's recent state testing results show a mixed profile. In third grade, proficiency in both English language arts and math runs high, around the four-out-of-five range. Performance drops noticeably in fourth and fifth grade. In fourth grade, proficiency in English language arts and math both fall to about halfway. In fifth grade, proficiency in math stays near that level while English language arts proficiency is similarly at about half. Science proficiency in fifth grade is substantially lower, falling to about one in three. State test participation rates are generally moderate, below two-thirds across subjects and grades, which a parent may want to look into further with the school to understand what accounts for the gaps. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades ranks in the top quartile when compared to other schools within the county.

The neighborhood context is one of active investment and growth. The Bronx is in a substantial development phase, with major affordable housing projects breaking ground and the borough receiving a large share of the city's new residential units in recent years. Transit is robust, with subway service and expanding Metro-North access. Parks, libraries, and institutional anchors such as the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden are accessible. Housing values in the area have appreciated, though rents remain moderate compared to citywide benchmarks.

At the district level, PS 103 operates within the framework of New York City's recent curriculum mandates. All elementary schools, including this one, are now required to use one of three city-approved, phonics-based reading curriculums under the NYC Reads initiative, a standardization that took effect across the city. District 11 schools are also implementing new city-approved reading intervention programs starting in the 2025-26 school year to support struggling readers. These shifts represent substantial changes in how literacy is taught and supported in the classroom. For families considering PS 103, understanding how the school has integrated these mandates and what reading instruction looks like in practice would be worth exploring directly with school leadership.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 384%

School 84% · District 57% · ▲ 27 pts above district

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

Grade 459%

School 59% · District 54% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 49% · ▲ 5 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 384%

School 84% · District 50% · ▲ 34 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 35 pts above county median

Grade 452%

School 52% · District 50% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 55% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Science

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 34% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 563%

School 63% · district not reported

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

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #11, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income51%Higher-income50%1 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income85%Higher-income80%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income55%Higher-income50%5 pp gap