Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy Iii, Bronx NY

Original Research by School Decision on Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy Iii

Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy III is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in the Bronx, located in a neighborhood that is part of New York City Geographic District 12. The school has a small enrollment for its grade band, with roughly equal numbers of students in each grade. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a small number of Asian, American Indian, and white students.

The school's state testing results show uneven proficiency across grade levels and subjects. In mathematics, sixth graders struggle markedly, with fewer than one in five students reaching proficiency. Performance improves substantially in seventh and eighth grade, where roughly half of students meet the standard. In English language arts, sixth-grade results are similarly weak, with about one in four students proficient. Seventh and eighth graders perform better, with proficiency rates climbing to roughly half the population by eighth grade. Science results at the eighth-grade level, the only grade tested, show just under half of students meeting the standard. Across the most recent tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency sits in the top quartile among middle schools in Bronx County, a meaningful strength even though absolute proficiency levels are modest. Participation rates are strong across all tests, above nine in ten students taking the assessments.

The pattern of results suggests a school where younger students arrive with significant gaps in foundational skills in reading and mathematics, but where instruction during middle school narrows those gaps considerably. This is typical of schools serving populations with high poverty rates and limited early academic exposure. A parent considering this school may want to ask directly about sixth-grade support structures, remediation approaches, and how the school works to accelerate learning in students entering with low baseline proficiency. The proficiency gains between sixth and eighth grade indicate that something is working, and understanding the mechanics of that progression could be important for a student entering at the lowest grade.

District 12 recently adopted two major, binding curriculum changes that directly affect this school. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, all elementary schools shifted to the "Into Reading" program, a phonics-based approach mandated by the city. Starting in the 2024-25 school year, the district's middle schools, including this one, switched to Illustrative Mathematics, a conceptually driven curriculum emphasizing problem-solving and deep understanding over procedure. These changes are permanent and widespread; they represent the city's effort to standardize literacy and math instruction. For families considering the school, this means the school is operating under a mandated, structured curriculum rather than one chosen independently.

The broader Bronx housing market is moderately priced relative to the state, and the neighborhood itself is in a strong development phase, with substantial affordable-housing investment and new transit infrastructure planned, including new Metro-North stations. The Bronx has walkable commercial corridors, multiple large parks including the Bronx Zoo and Botanical Garden, and extensive subway and bus service. This context matters for families considering whether the Bronx is the right place to live while their children attend school here.

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Academic performance

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

New York Regents Exams

1 course reported · 2024-25

End-of-course exams required for a New York Regents diploma. Each row shows the cohort size and the share of students scoring at the proficient level or higher.

Course	Students tested	% proficient
Science	38	39.0%

Math

Grade 620%

School 20% · District 25% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 36% · ▲ 11 pts above district

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

Grade 848%

School 48% · District 38% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 11 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 626%

School 26% · District 31% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 36% · ▲ 11 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 36% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Science

Grade 847%

School 47% · District 28% · ▲ 19 pts above district

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 859%

School 59% · district not reported

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

This schoolNEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT #12, 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.