PS 186 WALTER J DAMROSCH SCHOOL

661 Students

Elementary School K - 8th

School Overview

PS 186, also known as the Walter J. Damrosch School, is a public elementary school located in the Morrisania section of the Bronx, New York. Serving students from prekindergarten through grade 5, the school is part of the New York City Department of Education’s District 12. Its namesake, Walter J. Damrosch, was a prominent American conductor and composer, reflecting the school's historical commitment to fostering a well-rounded academic and cultural environment for children in the local community.

The school is deeply integrated into its neighborhood on Jennings Street, aiming to provide a supportive foundation for young learners during their most formative years. As a neighborhood school, PS 186 focuses on core academic subjects like literacy and mathematics while emphasizing social-emotional development. By maintaining a structured educational environment, the school strives to prepare its diverse student body for middle school success and long-term academic achievement, often working closely with local families to address the unique needs of the surrounding Bronx community.

661

Total Students

112.0

Full-Time Teachers

5.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

99.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for PS 186 WALTER J DAMROSCH SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	17
Hispanic	377
Black	228
Asian	24
Two or More	5
American Indian	7
Pacific Islander	3

Hispanic
377 (57.0 %)
Black
228 (34.5 %)
Asian
24 (3.6 %)
White
17 (2.6 %)
American Indian
7 (1.1 %)
Two or More
5 (0.8 %)
Pacific Islander
3 (0.5 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Special Education School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NYC SPECIAL SCHOOLS - DISTRICT 75
Phone:	(718)378-0006
Grade Range:	K - 8th
Total Students:	661
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	112.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	5.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	657
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* 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

Kindergarten 56

Grade 1 19

Grade 2 17

Grade 3 42

Grade 4 33

Grade 5 42

Grade 6 41

Grade 7 54

Grade 8 40

Ungraded 317