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Our Insights

What’s Special

Visual art and graphic design

The Downside

Issues with discipline, poor attendance

Founded in 2002, the Bronx High School for Visual Arts offers visual art (photography, sculpture, drawing, painting, art history) or graphic design (digital media, business skills), in addition to a regular Regents-prep curriculum. Some students have internships at organizations such the Bronx Museum and The Whitney Museum, and some study coding at Microsoft.

The school faces challenges, however. Many incoming students struggle with reading and writing and many have special needs. In a recent incoming class, two-thirds of the students entered with a level 1 score on the 8th grade state assessment in English Language Arts, and most of the remaining third were a level 2, according to the CEP (comprehensive educational plan). 

Attendance is poor, with roughly half the students missing a month or more of school. Most students say they feel safe in school, but nearly half the teachers say there are issues with order and discipline, according to school surveys. 

In an effort to improve, the school trains older students to mentor younger ones and trains students to help work out conflicts. The school partners with CUNY’s Creative Arts Program to embed drama into literacy. The number of students graduating on time is inching up but still has a long ways to go.

All students take four years of art each of the two arts programs. They participate in programs around the city, such as internships at the NYC School construction Authority or the Bronx Museum, according to the school website. Students have taken field trips to the Bronx Zoo to study habitat and exhibition design. 

Students may participate in the Christopher Columbus High School Sports teams. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, November 2018)

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School Stats

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

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
85%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
80%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
70%
Average daily attendance
 
84%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
50%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
89%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
100%
From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide and 2022-23 NYC School Survey

Students

414
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
86%
Students with disabilities
 
26%
Multilingual learners
 
9%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
0%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
92%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
24%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
15%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
79%
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
76%
8.2
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
221
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 191
How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
79%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey, 2022-23 School Quality Guide, 2021-22 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2023 Guidance Counselor Report, and this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Advanced Courses

Which students have access to advanced courses at this school? Learn more

Calculus

Not offered in 2021-21

Computer Science

 
51%

Physics

 
23%

Advanced Foreign Language

 
2%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
9%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
23%

Music

 
1%
From unpublished, anonymized data from the 2021-22 school year provided by the New York State Education Department, brought to you by

College Readiness

School
Citywide
How many students graduate with test scores high enough to enroll at CUNY without remedial help?
 
44%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
41%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
32%
From the 2020-21 and 2022-23 School Quality Guide

How many graduates who are eligible received Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funding to attend a NYS college?
 
36%
This shows how well this school supports low-income students to get funding for college.
How many of those TAP recipients made it through college? Learn more
From unpublished, anonymized student-level data for the class of 2016-17 provided by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) in coordination with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), brought to you by
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
60%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought to you by Visit Understanding FAFSA for help with the FAFSA and financial aid.
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

Visual Art (X35A)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

A program of study focused on the visual arts, including art history, painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, and mixed media. This curriculum helps students become prepared for advanced study and work in the visual arts.

Graphic Design (X35B)

Admissions Method: Ed. Opt.

Program Description:

A program of study focused on learning the elements, principles and process of design, and developing digital media and business skills. Students participate in internships and are prepared for advanced study and work in the field of graphic design.

Bronx High School for the Visual Arts D75 Inclusion Program (X35U)

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 Environmental Science, AP Psychology, Biology (College Course [Credited]), Comp Sci/Math Tech (College Course [Credited]), ELA (College Course [Credited]), Math (College Course [Credited]), Other (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science)

Boys PSAL teams

Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Football, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Bowling, Gymnastics, Indoor Track, Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

2040 Antin Pl
Bronx NY 10462

Trains: 2 Line to Bronx Park East; 5 Line to Morris Park

Buses: Bx12, Bx12-SBS, Bx21, Bx22, Bx30, Bx39, BxM10, BxM11


Contact

Principal: Iris Witherspoon

Parent Coordinator: Sonia Carabajo

Phone: 718-319-5160

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? No

This school is in its own building.

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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