Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5, Bronx NY

Original Research by School Decision on Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5

Bronx Charter School for Excellence 5 is a growing charter school in the Bathgate Avenue corridor that serves kindergarten through fifth grade, with plans to expand to eighth grade by 2026-27. The school is part of the Excellence Community Schools network, which operates under a structured, high-expectations academic model that emphasizes Singapore Math and extended instructional time. For families considering enrollment, the school delivers strong state test results and a predictable, coherent pedagogy, though the school's physical footprint and grade configuration are in transition.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a substantial majority of families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school enrolls a small population, roughly evenly distributed across its current grade bands. Special education enrollment data and English learner identification were not available, so a parent interested in how the school serves students with IEPs or emerging English speakers may want to look into those specifics with the school directly.

Mathematics proficiency across grades three through six sits well above the state midpoint, with high proficiency rates holding steady across the tested grades. English language arts proficiency is also strong in grades three and four but shows a measurable dip by grade five, where proficiency drops noticeably, then recovers somewhat by grade six. Science proficiency at grade five is the school's softest area, sitting well below performance in math and ELA. Across tested subjects and grades, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the county's districts.

The school's instructional day is longer than the standard public school day, and most classrooms have two teachers rather than one. The curriculum emphasizes Eureka Math in the elementary grades and is built on the same pedagogical framework that earned the Excellence network's flagship school a National Blue Ribbon designation. For families drawn to structured, skills-intensive instruction with high academic expectations and additional adult support in the classroom, this model is the school's defining feature. The approach is not a fit for all learning styles or family preferences; a parent should visit and speak with current families to gauge whether the philosophy aligns with their child's needs.

The school's grade structure is evolving. It opened with kindergarten and first grade and has been adding one grade per year, so a child entering early can stay through middle school starting in 2026-27, avoiding a mid-elementary transfer. Beginning in 2026-27, however, the elementary grades (K-4) will relocate to a separate building at Valentine Avenue, while grades 5 and above remain at Bathgate Avenue. For working families, commute and logistics may shift with this move, so a parent should confirm current transportation plans and building addresses before enrolling.

The neighborhood sits in a mixed-use section of the Bronx with apartment buildings, commercial corridors, and some residential blocks. The area is served by subway lines and bus routes. Housing values in the 10457 zip code are modest relative to citywide benchmarks, and monthly rents are in a similar range. The broader Bronx is experiencing substantial affordable housing development, which may affect long-term neighborhood character and commuting patterns.

The school is new enough in its trajectory that historical achievement data and trends are not yet available to study, so performance must be read as a snapshot. Parents seeking deeper context may want to visit, observe classrooms, and speak with families whose children attend or have recently graduated to the network's middle school locations.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 397%

School 97% · district not reported

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

Grade 4100%

School 100% · district not reported

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 47 pts above county median

Grade 593%

School 93% · district not reported

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▲ 47 pts above county median

Grade 694%

School 94% · district not reported

▲ 49 pts above state median · ▲ 54 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 397%

School 97% · district not reported

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 48 pts above county median

Grade 490%

School 90% · district not reported

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

Grade 582%

School 82% · district not reported

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

Grade 691%

School 91% · district not reported

▲ 45 pts above state median · ▲ 50 pts above county median

Science

Grade 571%

School 71% · district not reported

▲ 29 pts above state median · ▲ 39 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 5Lower-income84%Higher-income71%12 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income90%Higher-income100%10 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income95%Higher-income86%9 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income93%Higher-income100%7 pp gap