PS 161 JUAN PONCE DE LEON SCHOOL

303 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

PS 161, known as the Ponce de Leon School, is a public elementary school located in the South Bronx, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. As part of the New York City Department of Education, the school is situated in a vibrant neighborhood and is deeply integrated into the local community. It typically focuses on fostering a supportive learning environment that emphasizes foundational literacy, mathematics, and social-emotional development to prepare students for middle school success.

The school is characterized by its commitment to student diversity and academic growth within the urban landscape of District 7. Like many schools in the area, PS 161 often prioritizes culturally responsive programming and community engagement, working to address the specific needs of its student population. By providing a structured curriculum alongside various extracurricular opportunities, the Ponce de Leon School aims to cultivate a safe and encouraging space where children from a wide array of backgrounds can achieve their academic potential and develop strong community ties.

303

Total Students

25.3

Full-Time Teachers

12.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

93.1%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PS 161 JUAN PONCE DE LEON SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	4
Hispanic	236
Black	60
Asian	2
Two or More	1

Hispanic
236 (77.9%)
Black
60 (19.8%)
White
4 (1.3%)
Asian
2 (0.7%)
Two or More
1 (0.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 7
Phone:	(718)292-5478
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	303
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	25.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	281
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	1

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 76

Kindergarten 38

Grade 1 39

Grade 2 40

Grade 3 37

Grade 4 32

Grade 5 40

Ungraded 1