Bronx Charter School for Excellence 2

Founded in 2016, Bronx Charter School for Excellence 2 offers a longer school day, firm discipline and two teachers in most classrooms. Test scores are well above the citywide average including for students with disabilities. The attendance rate is excellent. Modeled on the high-performing flagship school in Parkchester, Bronx 2 is housed in a former parochial school on Holland Avenue in Morris Park.

In the early grades, lessons feature projects and hands-on science experiments. Students study writing for about one hour a day and reading for two. Network CEO Charlene Reid has been quoted in news interviews saying most kindergartners are reading by November. 

Teachers use math programs based on the rigorous Singapore Math approach; Eureka Math in grades K-4 and Math in Focus in grades 5-8, according to the SUNY charter renewal report. In this approach, students study mathematical concepts using a three-step process: concrete, pictorial and abstract. In other words, a young child would progress from counting real objects, to using pictures and numbers on paper, to solving problems in her head. 

Many teachers are new to the teaching profession but the SUNY Report says they get lots of support from school leaders. The newer teachers struggle more with discipline, which can range from timeouts and calls to parents to detention or suspensions. The suspension rate is above the citywide average. 

The school serves fewer students with disabilities than other area schools, according to the SUNY report, and has not reached its goal in this area.

Sports may include a Brazilian form of martial arts called Capoeira, Tae Kwon Do, yoga, basketball, soccer and more. Students may join band, glee club, robotics and other enrichment activities. 

There are three additional Bronx schools in this growing network in Wakefield and Tremont. [photo from the network's Facebook page]

ADMISSIONS: Admission is by a lottery that takes place in April. See the website for more information.  (Lydie Raschka, web reports, May 2020)