Bronx Charter School for Excellence 4, Bronx NY

Original Research by School Decision on Bronx Charter School for Excellence 4

Bronx Charter School for Excellence 4 is a free public charter school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in the Wakefield and Williamsbridge neighborhoods of the Bronx. The school is small, with an enrollment distributed evenly across its grade bands, and serves a student population that is predominantly Black, with the largest share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. A substantial portion of the school's student body qualifies for this support, reflecting the economic profile of the neighborhoods it serves.

The school's academic performance is a meaningful strength. In math, third graders show very high proficiency, while students in grades four through six show solid proficiency around the mid-to-high range. English language arts results follow a similar pattern: third graders show strong proficiency, fourth and fifth graders sustain strong performance, sixth graders show good results, and seventh graders show very strong performance. Science proficiency data is available only for fifth grade, where proficiency sits in the mid-range. Across tested subjects and grade levels, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Bronx County, making this a substantive academic advantage for families choosing among Bronx schools.

The school is at an important inflection point. It began with kindergarten and first grade and has been adding a grade each year. This year it is completing its planned grade build-out, becoming a full K-8 school and preparing to graduate its first eighth-grade class in the spring. For families, this means a child can remain at the school through middle school without needing to transfer, and the transition serves as the school's frame for high school preparation.

The school recently navigated a co-location dispute with the New York City Department of Education over space as it expands. The State Education Commissioner sustained the school's appeal after the Department of Education failed to offer a required co-location site. For parents, this signals a period of ongoing space uncertainty as enrollment grows toward full K-8 capacity, which can affect where different grades are housed from year to year. The school's charter was renewed through July 2024, a continuity marker that matters to families choosing charter schools.

The Bronx neighborhoods where the school sits are in a period of substantial housing growth and public investment. The borough is adding large numbers of affordable units, with major projects like Fordham Landing South and the La Central phase in nearby Melrose planned to bring hundreds of new affordable homes. Development is concentrated around transit hubs and commercial corridors, including the Fordham Plaza area with its library center and transit connections. The housing market shows strength, with property values and rental costs both rising, though affordability remains a challenge for many families.

The school offers no reported enrichment programs or career pathways in the data provided, a limitation that leaves open whether the school pursues specialized programming beyond its core academics. Attendance and chronic absenteeism data were not available, as were details on special education or English learner supports. A parent may want to look into these dimensions directly with the school. The school's environment and staffing information was similarly not in the available data.

For families seeking a charter school with demonstrably strong academic results in a walkable Bronx neighborhood with growing housing stock and transit access, this school represents a solid option, particularly for families committing to the full K-8 arc. The on-ground logistics of expansion remain a factor to understand in detail before enrolling.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 398%

School 98% · district not reported

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Grade 476%

School 76% · district not reported

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 576%

School 76% · district not reported

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 679%

School 79% · district not reported

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Grade 767%

School 67% · district not reported

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

English language arts

Grade 390%

School 90% · district not reported

▲ 38 pts above state median · ▲ 41 pts above county median

Grade 480%

School 80% · district not reported

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

Grade 582%

School 82% · district not reported

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 674%

School 74% · district not reported

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 33 pts above county median

Grade 787%

School 87% · district not reported

▲ 40 pts above state median · ▲ 40 pts above county median

Science

Grade 566%

School 66% · district not reported

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above 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 3Lower-income90%Higher-income90%0 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income83%Higher-income63%20 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income81%Higher-income83%2 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income76%Higher-income64%13 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income86%Higher-income91%5 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income98%Higher-income100%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income79%Higher-income63%16 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income74%Higher-income83%9 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income81%Higher-income73%8 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income65%Higher-income73%8 pp gap