Metropolitan High School (the), Bronx NY

Original Research by School Decision on Metropolitan High School (the)

The Metropolitan High School sits in a small, economically stressed school of about the size typical for a high school serving a concentrated grade band, located on Rev J A Polite Avenue in the South Bronx. The enrollment is notably skewed toward ninth grade, with substantially fewer students in tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, which typically reflects either a small feeder base, attrition, or a structured cohort model. The student composition is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller Black population and very few students of other races. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, placing this among the most economically vulnerable student populations in the city.

State testing data, graduation rates, and academic performance metrics were not available, so we cannot assess this school's proficiency, college-readiness pipeline, or completion rates against benchmarks. The data does not indicate whether missing assessments reflect the school's age, grade configuration, or another reason. A parent seeking to understand whether this school leads students to graduation and what academic preparation it offers would need to request that information directly from the school or district.

The school operates within New York City Geographic District 12, which covers schools in parts of the South and East Bronx. The district is in the midst of significant, city-mandated curriculum changes. Beginning in September 2023, all elementary schools in District 12 adopted the "Into Reading" phonics-based literacy program, replacing the previous school-by-school choice model. In fall 2024, middle schools began using Illustrative Mathematics, a conceptual, problem-based math approach, with all high schools required to adopt it for Algebra 1. Starting fall 2026, elementary schools in District 12 will shift to Illustrative Mathematics as well. These shifts represent lasting changes to how students in the district learn reading and math; if Metropolitan High serves students advancing from District 12 elementary and middle schools, they will encounter students who learned under this new, structured curriculum model.

The Bronx neighborhood context is one of strong housing growth and investment. Home values in the area are holding steady, and the borough is in a major development phase, with substantial new affordable housing under construction across multiple neighborhoods. Commercial and civic life in the South Bronx centers on neighborhood hubs and transit corridors rather than a single downtown. Walkability is moderate to high in urban corridors; daily errands and school access are generally car-optional.

The school's small enrollment and steep grade-to-grade decline suggest a school that serves a limited, highly vulnerable population. Without graduation rates, proficiency data, or program offerings, a parent or resident seeking to understand this school's academic trajectory and college or career pathways should contact the school directly to discuss course offerings, support services, graduation outcomes, and how the school works to help students progress through all four grades.

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Academic performance

How students graduate and prepare for what comes next.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

70-74%Cohort of 90 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

1,253 schools plotted. 14 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

New York Regents Exams

4 courses 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
Ela	147	47.0%
Math	141	35.0%
Science	81	12.0%
Social Studies	50	42.0%

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.