Bronx Design and Construction Academy

At Bronx Design & Construction Academy (BxCDA) students get hands-on training in architecture or building trades: plumbing, carpentry, electrical engineering or HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning).

In the architecture program, students learn manual drafting, computer drafting, 3-D computer drafting and the architectural design software, Revit. They participate in the annual Skills USA competitions.

Students in the building trades program take a survey course in 9th grade, then specialize in one trade in grades 10 to 12.

Ninth-graders participate in small group advisories to ease their transition to high school. Each incoming 9th-grader is assigned a counselor who keeps tabs on that student’s academic and social-emotional progress throughout all four years of high school.

Despite the supports for students, challenges persist. The BxCDA’s graduation and daily attendance rates are low; many students are chronically absent, meaning they miss more than 18 days of school each year. Teachers and students expressed concerns over order and safety at the school based on their responses to the NYC School Survey.

BxCDA shares a building with Alfred E. Smith High School, and Bronx Haven. The three schools share a cafeteria, small library, auditorium, gym and an outdoor turf-coated football/soccer field. Students from all schools in the building may participate in variety of campus-wide sports.  

SPECIAL EDUCATION:  The school offers self-contained and ICT (integrated co-teaching) classes. BxCDA also uses the co-teaching model in English and Social Studies classes for English language learners, where students are taught by two teachers, one certified in English-as-a-new-language and the other certified in the content area, according to the school's annual Comprehensive Educational Plan. There are also dedicated classes for beginning English speakers.

ADMISSIONS:  Priority to Bronx students or residents. Admissions is based on the educational option formula, which is designed to admit a mix of low-, average- and high-achieving students. (Laura Zingmond, web reports, December 2018)