Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellence

Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellence is a small high school in Brooklyn, serving grades 9-12 with an enrollment of 359 students. The school is notable for being the first in New York State to offer an approved Career & Technical Education (CTE) program in Data Science, which integrates business, statistics, and computer science. It also participates in the FutureReadyNYC program, providing students with paid work-based learning, career-connected instruction, financial literacy, and college advising to prepare them for technology careers. The school occupies a historic building on a green campus that spans a city block. Parents express very high satisfaction with the school, particularly regarding the supportive environment and communication. Teachers are described as caring, approachable, and dedicated to student success, fostering critical thinking and engagement. The school emphasizes college preparation, offering advanced courses and personalized support for applications. However, student survey results indicate some concerns regarding physical fights, bullying, and drug or alcohol use, with moderate ratings for academic engagement and the general school environment. Academically, the school faces challenges, with a four-year graduation rate of 75.0% and a college enrollment rate of 35.8%, both well below citywide medians and the 25th percentile. Regents pass rates are generally low across most subjects, though the pass rate for Languages Other Than English is strong at 86.7%. The school's attendance rate of 98.0% is excellent, well above the citywide 75th percentile. The school serves a high-needs population, with a high percentage of students in poverty and English Language Learners.