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Our Insights

What’s Special

Free college courses, tiny class size, and lots of help for kids learning English

The Downside

Some students feel unsafe in neighborhood outside school

Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Sciences, a small school serving grades 6-12, offers students the chance to take free college courses at nearby Hostos Community College. Most students arrive in 6th grade with poor academic skills and many are still learning English, but the school does a good job helping them catch up and nearly half graduate with a two-year-college degree.

Free college tuition is a game changer in the South Bronx community where the median income is about $20,000, says long-time Principal Nicholas Paarlberg. “I tell our parents that when they start out with us that they start with $16,000,” the value of the two-year associate’s degree, he says. “Every time your child is late or misses homework, deduct $1.”

Two strategies have proven useful, particularly for the Latino students who are still learning English. First, a seasoned English teacher works individually with every student at some point, whether they are in his Advanced Placement English or in his class for English Language Learners.  “Kids have had bad experiences with reading,” says the teacher, T. C. Niemann, who goes by his initials T.C. “They learned that they were failures. We work on reverting the trauma and focus on high interest stories,” books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid or articles such as “Should People be Allowed to Sell Their Kidneys?”  

Second, juniors and seniors spend their afternoon in one-on-one tutoring sessions with the middle school students. “It is great when the older classmen connects with the material and the student,” Niemann says. “It is common to hear them say, ‘This part was hard for me too when I was doing this.’”

Small class size in middle school means kids get lots of attention. The school takes part in the Middle School Quality Initiative (MSQI), the city’s program designed to boost reading levels with intense instruction and a longer school day. Students also get small-group instruction in math. Hostos is addressing the very low math skills of incoming middle school students by creating “math teams” to ensure they know math basics.

On the day of our visit, 8th grade drama students received feedback on monologues they wrote themselves and had performed the day before. Seventh graders discussed Finding Someplace, the story of a 13-year-old fashion designer from New Orleans. In 6th grade, students built simple machines.

High school students interested in science may do research with college professors. The school’s science team has won awards at DNA barcoding competitions, which supports teens doing biological research

Some graduates have gone on to four year CUNY colleges like Hunter and Baruch as well as private colleges like Vanderbilt and Dickinson. Some have gone into nursing; others to get advanced degrees.

The full-time college advisor shared the story of a student with epilepsy and a love for theater who is now at SUNY Potsdam. The advisor worked to gain the trust of the student’s family to persuade them to permit the student to leave the Bronx for college. 

Hostos-Lincoln shares a building with University Prep Charter.

A downside: although students feel safe inside, about one-third of the students responding to school surveys say they don’t feel safe outside the school building.

SPECIAL EDUCATION:  About 20 percent of students receive special education services. All of the 8th grade classes are team-taught and students with Individual Education Plans may take Regents exams in 8th grade. Hostos also creates empathy in students by reading books like Out of My Mind, the story of a disabled girl who overcomes challenges. “It is better to create intrinsic empathy instead of preaching empathy,” says Paarlberg. 

(Jacquie Wayans, Oct 2017)

 

 

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average
Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Is this school safe and well-run?

From the 2022-2023 NYC School Survey

How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
90%
81% Citywide Average
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
41%
52% Citywide Average
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
93%
78% Citywide Average
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
89%
77% Citywide Average

From the 2019-20 NY State Report Card

How many students were suspended?
0%
1% Citywide Average

From this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Are teachers effective?

From 2023 End-of-year Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism Report

How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
85%
79% Citywide Average
Years of principal experience at this school
19.1

How do students perform academically?

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
28%
42% Citywide Average
How many middle school students scored 3-4 on the state reading exam?
40%
51% Citywide Average

From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide

How many 8th-graders earn high school credit?
96%
92% Citywide Average
How many students graduate in 4 years?
95%
91% Citywide Average

Who does this school serve?

From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Enrollment
485
Asian
1%
Black
26%
Hispanic
72%
White
1%
Other
1%
Free or reduced priced lunch
89%
Students with disabilities
25%
English language learners
7%

From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide

Average daily attendance
88%
88% Citywide Average
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
34%
39% Citywide Average

How does this school serve special populations?

From 2023 End-of-year Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism Report

How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
70%
85% Citywide Average

From the New York State 2022-2023 Assessment Database

How many English language learners scored 3-4 on the state math exam?
0%
7% Citywide Average
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science (X14J)

Admissions Method: Screened

Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science D75 Inclusion Program (X14U)

Admissions Method: D75 Special Education Inclusive Services

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, Arts (College Course [Credited]), Calculus (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Econ/Gov (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), Science (College Course [Credited]), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), US History (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (College Course [Credited])

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball, Cross Country, Outdoor Track

Girls PSAL teams

Cross Country, Outdoor Track, Volleyball

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

600 Saint Ann'S Avenue
Bronx NY 10455

Trains: 2 Line, 5 Line to Jackson Av; 6 Line to East 149th St

Buses: Bx15, Bx17, Bx19, Bx2, Bx21, Bx4, Bx41, Bx41-SBS, M125


Contact

Principal: Nicholas Paarlberg

Parent Coordinator: Basilica Sanchez

Phone: 718-402-5640

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the building with I.S. 584 and University Prep Charter HS

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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