The top reported proficiency rate is 65% in English language arts. The lowest is 52% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Brilla Pax Charter School
Brilla Pax is a kindergarten-through-third-grade charter school in the Bronx, located in the University Heights neighborhood. It is part of the Brilla College Preparatory Charter Schools network, a network authorized to serve students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The school was renewed through the 2029-30 school year as of August 2025, giving families long-term operating certainty. Eighth-grade graduates from the Brilla network have a guaranteed pathway with returning-student preference to Vertex Partnership Academies, a tuition-free Bronx charter high school that offers International Baccalaureate programs.
The school serves a neighborhood population with substantial economic need. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black, Asian, and multiracial students. Enrollment sits at a small size typical for an elementary school serving these grades. The school maintains high attendance at state testing; nearly all eligible students in grades three and four participated in the New York State math and English language arts assessments in 2024-25.
Academic performance is mixed. In English language arts, third graders achieved proficiency at a moderate rate, while fourth graders performed somewhat higher. Math proficiency is lower: third and fourth graders both showed proficiency rates near the midpoint between zero and full mastery, suggesting many students are still building foundational skills. Across tested subjects and grades, Brilla Pax's overall proficiency sits in the top quartile relative to other districts serving Bronx County, a meaningful position, though this reflects the distribution among a limited number of tested grade levels and subjects at an elementary school.
The Bronx is in a strong growth phase. The borough absorbed a large share of the city's new housing units in 2023, with major affordable housing projects underway or recently completed in neighborhoods including Melrose, Mott Haven, and Clason Point. Health care, centered on Montefiore Medical Center (the borough's largest employer), anchors the local economy. The neighborhood is walkable and served by subway and bus; the Bronx Library Center sits a short distance away, and parkland including Bronx Park is nearby. Citywide zoning changes adopted in late 2024 have opened paths for denser and more affordable development.
A parent considering Brilla Pax should understand that the school is small and serves early elementary grades only; high school is not offered. State test data was not available prior to 2024-25, so year-to-year trend information is absent. The school's proficiency rates, particularly in math, are modest and worth discussing directly with the school regarding curriculum, instructional approach, and student support. That said, the network's expansion to grades six through eight and the guaranteed pathway to an IB high school create a stable, extended educational pathway for families who enter in kindergarten. Enrollment data for special populations such as English learners and students with IEPs was not available; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these services and how they are delivered.
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