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Our Insights

What’s Special

Rigorous academics, opportunities for college credit and high rates of college readiness

The Downside

Few extracurricular opportunities

Bedford Academy High School is a small, academically demanding school in Bedford-Stuyvesant that makes sure students are well-prepared for college. Almost all graduates enroll in two- or four-year colleges. Students may choose from five majors: Pre-Engineering, Pre-Med, Pre-Law, Pre-Education and Liberal Arts.

All students participate in leadership classes designed to teach them to be responsible citizens and to address issues in their communities. Separate “Empowerment” classes for males and females are designed to help students improve their public speaking skills, reading comprehension and reflective practices, according to the school’s 2018 Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP).

Students are expected to take four Regents exams in 9th grade, which allows them to take more advanced classes in later years of high school. Most students take college classes at Medgar Evers College, St. Joseph’s College, Kingsborough Community College, or Monroe College, according to the school’s CEP. Medgar Evers has a health care careers pipeline project that gives participating students the opportunity to graduate high school with an associate's degree.

The school is a good option for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In 2016, Bedford Academy received $200,000 from the office of Brooklyn borough president Eric Adams to develop a computer laboratory and digital library. Also in 2016, math teacher Patrice Bridgewater won a Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching in Science and Mathematics, an award that recognizes outstanding public school teachers in math and science fields. Medgar Evers College also offers high-level math and computer science classes that Bedford Academy students can take for dual credit.

Principal Adofo Muhammad was previously assistant principal at Benjamin Banneker Academy and principal of two middle schools before coming to Bedford in 2011. He teaches three classes, including a leadership class for male students. Teachers and parents give Muhammad high marks on school surveys.

Eleventh-graders get SAT tutoring from Kaplan twice a week and are encouraged to take the exam in the spring of their junior year. In 11th and 12th grade, students participate in seminars and workshops led by guidance counselors about the college application process, financial aid, résumé writing and college life. The school takes students on visits to colleges like Howard and Georgetown, and on tours of Ivy League and SUNY schools. Students have been admitted to elite schools such as Harvard, Brown, Barnard and Cornell.

One downside: Students grumbled that there aren’t many extracurricular activities, according to school surveys, but the school does have a few PSAL sports.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: A push-in model that uses integrated co-teaching is used, although there is a small population of students with disabilities. (Isabel Corpus, web reports, May 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?
 
100%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
100%
Average daily attendance
 
90%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
39%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
80%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
90%
From the 2021-22 School Quality Guide and 2020-21 NYC School Survey

Students

382
Number of students
Citywide Average is 599

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
68%
Students with disabilities
 
12%
Multilingual learners
 
0%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
1%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
94%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
37%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
21%
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
87%
12.4
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
178
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 157

Teachers’ Race/Ethnicity


How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
92%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2020-21 NYC School Survey, 2021-22 School Quality Guide, 2019-20 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2021 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

 
7%

Computer Science

Not offered in 2019-20

Physics

 
6%

Advanced Foreign Language

 
20%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
26%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
15%

Music

 
39%
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?
 
92%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
99%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
89%
From the 2020-21 and 2021-22 School Quality Guide
How many students filled out a FAFSA form by the end of their senior year?
 
70%
From the 2022-23 FAFSA data released by Federal Student Aid, brought you by
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

Technology (K95A)

Admissions Method: Screened

Program Description:

Courses in fundamental and advanced technology; opportunities for our students to work with and learn from school partners in education and specialists in the field.

Health Professions (K95B)

Admissions Method: Screened

Program Description:

Introduction to health professions. In addition to required and advanced courses, students have opportunities to work and learn in state-of-the-art labs and facilities.

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Mandarin, Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Seminar, AP Statistics, AP United States Government and Politics, AP World History: Modern, Calculus (College Course [Credited]), Chemistry (Advanced Science), Econ/Gov (College Course [Credited]), Physics (Advanced Science), Social Studies (College Course [Credited]), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Basketball, Outdoor Track

Girls PSAL teams

Basketball, Outdoor Track

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

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

1119 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11216

Trains: A Line, C Line, FS to Franklin Av; G Line to Bedford-Nostrand Avs

Buses: B25, B26, B38, B43, B44, B44-SBS, B48, B49, B52


Contact

Principal: Adofo Muhammad

Parent Coordinator: Pamela Tate

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? No

This school is in its own building.

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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