DreamYard Preparatory School

About

DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx offers a distinctive high school experience (grades 9-12) integrating rigorous academics with a strong emphasis on the arts, including visual art, dance, vocal music, and theater electives. The school is known for its welcoming and inclusive community, fostering a family-like atmosphere where diversity is celebrated. It uses Restorative Justice practices and advisory programs to cultivate a caring and safe environment, with students reporting high satisfaction in inclusivity and mental health support. As a FutureReadyNYC school, it provides career exploration and work-based learning in Teaching & Education, alongside robust college and career support, including AP courses and CUNY College Now. The school's 91.0% four-year graduation rate is slightly above the citywide median, and 64.5% of graduates enroll in college, near the citywide median. However, Regents pass rates, particularly in mathematics and some sciences, are a notable concern, falling significantly below district and state averages. While parents and students praise the supportive teachers and strong sense of community, some past students have expressed a desire for more advanced academic challenges. Concerns have also been raised regarding school safety and cleanliness.

Sources (17)

Academics

Coursework, class size, and academic context.

Academic paceBalancedhigh confidence

Attendance rate

94%

Avg class size (general ed)

—

Avg class size (ICT)

—

AP & college-level courses^[1]

Algebra II (Advanced Math)
AP African American Studies
AP Seminar
AP Spanish Language and Culture
AP United States History
Chemistry (Advanced Science)
World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

7 Advanced Placement / college-level courses offered.

Electives, clubs & activities^[1]

Clubs & activities: Arts Sharing After School Arts Programming: Dance, Music, Theater Production, ENL/Literacy Support, Arts & Craft, Anime/Manga Club, Music Production,Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Young Men's Empowerment Group, Young Women's Empowerment Group

Offerings vary year to year.

Arts offerings^[1]

Music Industry & Contemporary Music
Exploring Music
Dance Techniques and Performance
Dance Foundations and History
Traditional and Studio Art
General Visual Arts
Digital Media Arts
Theater Production
Theater Literacy
General Theater

Arts and music courses offered.

Outcomes

^[6]

Graduation, test scores, and what happens after senior year.

4-year graduation rate

91%

Enrolled in college within 6 months

65%

College & career ready

42%

Where graduates enroll

4-year college 52%
2-year college 13%
Not enrolled 35%

Share of graduates by destination within 6 months. “Not enrolled” covers graduates not in a tracked postsecondary program (work, military, or unreported).

College entrance exams

SAT Math395

SAT Reading & Writing406

Average score among this school’s test-takers. Few NYC schools report the ACT, so those rows appear only where published.

Regents pass rates

Algebra I25%

Algebra II23%

Earth & Space Sciences63%

English60%

Geometry34%

Global History61%

Living Environment26%

U.S. History38%

Share of students who took each Regents exam this year and scored 65 or higher. Exams with too few test-takers to report are omitted. Bars compare against NYC high schools reporting the same exam.

These figures describe recent graduating classes, not a guarantee for any student. College enrollment counts any postsecondary program within 6 months of graduation, and “college & career ready” is the DOE’s 4-year readiness measure.

Community & climate

Demographics, attendance, school survey results, and DOE quality ratings.

Quality signals

FacultyExcellentAI-estimated

Operational health

Attendance

94%

Chronic absenteeism

35%

Suspension rate

0%

Teachers^[7]

Teachers with 4+ years' experience

67%

Students per teacher

9:1

Teaching out of certification

20%

Teacher experience and certification from the NYSED School Report Card (2024–25); students per teacher = enrollment ÷ reported teachers. Fewer than 4 years counts as inexperienced.

Student body

Race / ethnicity^[4]

Black 28%
Hispanic 68%
White 2%

School-level totals; may not sum to 100% due to rounding and small subgroup suppression.

Gender^[4]

Female 54%
Male 46%

Female / male shares as published by the DOE; other gender identities aren’t reported in the source data.

Enrollment

290

Economic Need Index

—

Free / reduced lunch

97%

English learners

16%

Students with IEPs

28%

Admissions

Seats, applicants, and admissions method from the most recent cycle. Where the school enrolls separate tracks (general ed, students with disabilities, specialized education), each track is shown on its own row, with its priority order beneath it.