Mott Haven Academy Charter School, Bronx NY

Original Research by School Decision on Mott Haven Academy Charter School

Mott Haven Academy Charter School is a publicly funded charter school serving PreK through eighth grade in the South Bronx, with enrollment drawn almost entirely from the surrounding neighborhood. The school's student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial share of Black students, and a very high proportion qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic conditions of the area. Two-thirds of enrollment consists of students in foster care or receiving preventive services, which shapes the school's entire operational identity.

That foundation matters because the school's defining feature is its integration of wraparound support. Students receive on-site mental health counseling, medical and dental care, speech and occupational therapy, and family support services, all delivered through a partnership with the New York Foundling. The school is designed as a trauma-informed environment where children can remain in a single stable community from preschool through the end of middle school, rather than transitioning between schools at common breaks. This continuity and the presence of comprehensive services are what distinguish enrollment here from a standard public school.

The school has also undergone a significant pedagogical shift. It has converted to a personalized learning model paired with knowledge-based literacy instruction that emphasizes cumulative vocabulary and conceptual building. Students in grades where this model has rolled out experience flexible learning with choice over tasks, and technology is integrated throughout. Social-emotional learning is woven across the curriculum. This represents a whole-school approach rather than a pilot, and the model was documented in late 2024 through research by the Canopy Project, suggesting it is now a lasting direction for the school.

On state assessment results, the school shows a mixed and grade-dependent picture in math and English language arts. In grades three and four, math proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range. By grade five, proficiency dips further. Grade six performance is similar, and grade eight falls noticeably lower. English language arts results are similarly varied: grade three is low, grade four improves, and grade five shows stronger proficiency. Grades six and seven are moderate, while grade eight sits at about half. In science, the school has results only for grade five, which shows proficiency well below the tested grade levels in math and ELA. Grade eight science results were not provided, likely indicating the school did not administer or report that assessment.

When placed among the county's districts, the school's overall proficiency index sits well above the median, which may reflect strong performance in particular grades or subjects but does not smooth out the uneven trajectory. A parent weighing this school should recognize that performance varies significantly by grade and subject, with eighth grade showing particular softness in math.

The school is situated in Mott Haven, a dense, walkable neighborhood in the South Bronx with significant commercial activity and rapid residential development. The area is experiencing active growth in affordable housing, with major projects underway and new transit infrastructure planned. The neighborhood is served by subway lines and bus routes, and the school itself is located on Brown Place in the heart of the community. Housing values in the zip code have been rising, though the neighborhood remains among the most economically stressed in the city.

Data on the school's special education enrollment and English learner population was not available. A parent seeking to understand how the school serves students with identified disabilities or those learning English would want to ask the school directly about these populations and the resources available.

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Academic performance

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

New York Regents Exams

2 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
Science	36	39.0%
Math	15	33.0%

Math

Grade 364%

School 64% · district not reported

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

Grade 462%

School 62% · district not reported

▲ 4 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 556%

School 56% · district not reported

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 655%

School 55% · district not reported

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 780%

School 80% · district not reported

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 31 pts above county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 339%

School 39% · district not reported

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

Grade 455%

School 55% · district not reported

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 574%

School 74% · district not reported

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 658%

School 58% · district not reported

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · district not reported

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

Grade 850%

School 50% · district not reported

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

Science

Grade 527%

School 27% · district not reported

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

Grade 80%

School 0% · district not reported

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

This schoolDistrict average, 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 6Lower-income56%Higher-income80%24 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income57%Higher-income40%17 pp gap