The High School for Teaching and the Professions, a small school in the Walton Educational Complex, has struggled with poor attendance and low levels of student achievement. A 2011 state audit found that students were often disengaged and disrespectful and that many teachers relied on textbooks and worksheets rather than more engaging forms of instruction. Students enter with very poor academic skills and a large number need special education services. On the positive side, the school has made progress in reducing chronic absenteeism.

Jason Maass, formerly an assistant principal and social studies teacher, became principal in 2012, when Gary Prince retired. He promised "to move the school forward in new and exciting ways," to introduce new teaching techniques and to incorporate technology, according to the school website. Teacher turnover is low and in 2012 there were no teachers with less than four years of experience.

The school opened in 2002 as an outgrowth of a pre-teaching program at Walton. However, despite the school's name, there is now no formal programming about the teaching profession at the school, although many of its extracurricular internship programs relate to teaching. The school offers Advanced Placement classes in English Literature and Composition, European History, Spanish Language and United States History, and has a College Now program with Lehman College.

Through Wake Up! NYC, celebrities like Tyra Banks call students in the morning to get them to go to school. Banks actually visited the school in 2011, as a reward for showing the most improvement in NYC high schools. The program reduced chronic absenteeism to 41 percent from 52 percent, according to the school’s website.

After school: There is tutoring every day. Teaching and the Professions has its own newspaper, flag football league, choir and percussion group. The school participates in BuildOn, and has sent students to Malawi to help build schools. Students may also participate in campus-wide sports teams and musical groups. After-school activities begin after the first marking period.

Special education: The school offers SETSS and has a "self-contained" class for students with special needs.

Admission: Priority given to students living in the Bronx and to those who attend an information session. (Aryn Bloodworth, DOE Statistics, November 2012)